Carew : "We will force a U-turn on EHDC car parking charges"
October 29, 2008 3:12 PM
I read Cllr Andrew Joy's letter to the Herald last week with a mixture of disbelief and incredulity.
Is the "Portfolio Holder" for Alton totally out of touch with reality ??
Because he and his Conservative colleagues at EHDC are certainly wholly out of touch with public opinion.
To even think that these charges are a great idea shows how completely at odds he and his Tory colleagues are with Alton residents and traders.
Lib Dem and residents petitions in Alton and Petersfield are going from strength to strength. We have already gathered over 2000 signatures and I am asked now every week for more petitions forms.
Thanks to public and Lib Dem pressure we have forced U-turns on Tory plans for the sale of public open space this year and to reduce or abolish travel tokens back in 2004 and we can do it on car parking too.
Let's get this quite straight - these hikes in car parking charge are nothing more than a stealth tax and it hits residents, traders and shoppers in Alton and Petersfield the hardest.
All the predictions say we are now well on the way to a recession. We should be doing our bit to help our local businesses not kicking them in the teeth at the height of the credit crisis !
Lib Dems gave the Conservatives an opportunity to reverse their appalling decision with Cllr Sam Payne's motion against Sunday Charging earlier this year - the Tories did not take it but the council ignores mounting opposition to these increased charges at its peril.
Now we discover that Tory run East Hants is not even going to give Alton and Petersfield its traditional festive break from Car Parking charges in the run-up to Christmas to support local traders. Not so much the season of good will more a question of the Tories playing Mr Scrooge. No wonder people are outraged.
I am totally confident that despite the views of certain Conservative Cabinet Members we will see some sort of U-turn on this issue. Of course they will deny its a U-turn, try and dress it up as something else or claim it had nothing at all to do with Liberal Democrat and public pressure but the people of East Hampshire are not stupid and will see straight through all that.
We will be presenting our petitions to EHDC full council on Dec wed 3rd - if the Tories have any sense we will see a "surprise" U-turn before then.
If anyone wants a petition form they will soon be able to sign on line or download them from our website at www.easthampshirelibdems.org.uk. Alternatively contact myself, Tony Ludlow or Sam Payne on (01420) 472743
I am confident that together we can make it happen here in East Hampshire.
Cllr Adam Carew
Prospective MP East Hants (Liberal Democrat)
County and District Councillor East Hants]
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