1st February, 2010

LibDem proposal to help town rejected

Worthing Tories rejected the chance to reduce car parking charges at tonight's Overview & Scrutiny Committee following a proposal from the Liberal Democrats.

Alan Rice, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet Member for Resources and committee member, proposed at the meeting that one third of an unexpected £660,000 bonus from central government, confirmed only last Friday should be used to ease car parking charges to support local residents and businesses during the fragile economic recovery expected over the next year.

The £660,000 was an additional grant from central government towards the cost of the concessionary fare bus scheme and had only in the last few months been scheduled to plug a hole in the 2010/2011 budget - instead of the originally proposed use of reserves.

Additionally the council had received a large VAT rebate and together with the extra concessionary fare grant reserves have been boosted by well in excess of £2 million.

Tories rejected the proposal on the basis the reserves were needed for hard times to come.  Alan commented afterwards, "The Tories want to save for a rainy day but for too many it is raining all ready.  High car parking charges are putting off residents and visitors alike from shopping in the town.  They deserve to share some cheer from this unexpected bonus."

Fellow Lib Dem Committee Member and Shadow Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Bob Smytherman, added: "Everyone complains about the high cost of car parking in the town including the Tory councillors but when the Tories have a chance to do something they once again fail to act."