"U-turn on free parking and good news for market traders"

[dutchman]

Council bosses have made a mini U-turn on free parking in Nuneaton and Bedworth town centres - but it will not happen yet



Last night (December 9) members of the council's ruling cabinet agreed to some parking concessions, but only at limited times, and only if Warwickshire is lifted out of Tier 3 restrictions.

Should the borough, and wider Warwickshire, come out of Tier 3 restrictions following the review on December 16 - then some free parking will be offered.

At the same meeting there was better news for market traders in the town when it was agreed they would receive a cut in rents.

Stall holders will only have to pay 50 per cent of the current rate in a move that will come into force on December 19 and then run through to the end of January.

On the proviso the area comes out of Tier 3, the leading Labour group said free parking would be made available in the town but only from 3pm Monday to Saturday - and free all day on Sundays.

Opposing Conservatives, who last week proposed a rescue package that included free parking and rent for traders last week, questioned why the U-turn has now been made.

Cllr Clare Golby quizzed why the council made the U-turn on reducing rent for market traders - when they dismissed it last week.

She also asked why the issue surrounding car parking and markets was only put onto the council agenda just hours before the meeting.

"I was told and have been told that there was a meeting between the council and the markets- the traders did ask for concessions - and they were told there was no money and it was not going to be possible - now it is," she said.

"This [the agenda) was presented literally a couple of hours before the meeting, which is not great when we are trying to deal with work and family - hopefully it was not just to try and get it under the radar."

Cllr Kyle Evans added: "My question is - what has changed between last Wednesday and now? We had a full council one week ago where my colleagues proposed a financial support package to provide free parking in the town centres across all days and now I read that you want to provide free parking after 3pm on weekdays and on Sunday. All you hear from the controlling group is about public health implications - am confused as to what has changed?"

Cllr Keith Kondakor said that the proposed free parking plan after 3pm Monday to Saturday is too late.

"From 3pm, it gets really dark after 45 minutes, if we have free parking from 2pm, people are not all going to start queuing .

"From 2pm is a sensible time to do it, it will extend the life of the market and shops to move towards more afternoon trading, spreading the trade out.

"If we are too cautious we will not capture enough trade.

"In regards to free parking on Sundays, we do not have a lot of small local businesses trade on Sundays."

He went on to criticise the council for not using the Tory idea of offering rent reduction to businesses in council-owned properties using some of the £2.5m government Addtional Restriction Grant (ARG) money.

"My view is, if businesses are drowning we should help them, if we can help people we should help them."