Breckland Council pushes forward with car parking fees

Breckland Council's cabinet voted in favour of introducing the charges in Dereham, Swaffham, Thetford, Watton and Attleborough amid increasing budget pressures. 

However, some members have accused the authority of putting "the cart before the horse" due to a lack of consultation with local businesses before putting together the proposals. 

Many business owners have called on the council to reconsider the move and believe that parking fees will have a "seriously damaging" impact on their high streets. 

The Cherry Tree car park in Dereham (Image: Bill Smith)

Roger Atterwill, leader of the independent and Green group on the council, said: "Our small businesses are very hard-pressed and I don't think that has been properly considered.

"They should have been consulted about the impact this will have on them. I'm really concerned that the council's finances are being taken into account and those of the businesses in our towns are not.

"Why are we putting the cart before the horse?"

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Councillor Roger Atterwill (Image: Roger Atterwill)

The authority said ongoing budget pressures were forcing it to find alternative measures to pay the current bill for the upkeep of the car parks, which amounts to £450,000 a year.

The proposals will see one car park in each town offer the first hour’s parking for free, with tariffs between 50p and £1 for the first chargeable hour at the others. 

Fees would differ from town to town with the cost of an entire day ranging from £2.50 in Watton to £3.80 in Thetford.

Charges would be enforced from Monday to Saturday between 8am and 6pm, with a flat-fee of £1.20 for Sundays.

Stephen Askew, a Conservative councillor, said: "In all honesty, we should have started doing this years ago - no one wants to charge for car parks but we've held off while others have gone ahead. 

"These are modest charges which will have little impact on users. We have to make difficult decisions for the greater good of our residents."

Breckland Council's cabinet voted in favour of the proposals at a meeting on July 15 with hopes to launch a public consultation in the autumn.

The plans include free parking to be offered during a select number of days in each town to support local events on an annual basis.

Terry Jermy, Labour MP for South West Norfolk who formerly sat on the council, said he was "disappointed" about the lack of opportunity for public engagement. 

South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy (Image: Owen Sennitt)

He said: "I understand fully the pressures on council budgets and how you become faced with difficult decisions. However, I am very concerned about the possibility of car parking charges being introduced in areas that I represent. 

"Charging would particularly disadvantage people that work in our town centres, often people on very low wages, and it would disadvantage people from our rural communities who have no choice but to travel to the towns for key services.

"I am disappointed that there seems to be limited opportunity for the public to make their views known on this subject."

Despite the lack of official consultation thus far, businesses in Watton have launched their own petition against the council's plans. 

It has been hand-delivered to businesses across the town and has been signed by nearly 100 owners and employees.