Motion to support car parks review is backed by councillors
A motion to support and potentially widen the scope of a review of car park fees in Powys has been supported.
At a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, Liberal Democrat Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe tabled his motion to continue with the review.
Earlier opposition groups had tried to get the price increases overturned in their own proposals.
Following the rejection of an amendment by Conservative councillor Pete Lewington to Independents for Powys’s Councillor Gareth E Jones' motion, Councillor Ratcliffe’s motion came into play.
The details of Councillor Ratcliffe’s motion had only been published late on Wednesday afternoon in a supplementary agenda and some councillors questioned the timing of the motion.
Part of the problem with the review, which was announced at the July council meeting. is that by now councillors had expected to see more details of how it will be conducted.
And this is part of the reason why Councillor Jones who had withdrawn his motion on car parks in July, had brought it back for debate.
Councillor Ratcliffe said: “We propose the council hold off on any change in parking charges and refer the original motion to the cross-party car parking review group established by the portfolio holder (Councillor Jackie Charlton) to be considered with other options.
“Any recommendations from the review board are to be brought back to scrutiny prior to being considered by the cabinet.”
He explained that the announcement of a review in the summer had brought up a big debate around car parking in his ward and hometown of Hay-on-Wye.
This included whether the proceeds from car parks could be used to fund other facilities such as toilets.
Councillor Ratcliffe: “There is a really good opportunity to allow communities to have their say.
“There is a bigger discussion to have around car parking.”
He also reminded councillors that the wheels of government and local government grind to a halt in August.
This has not allowed enough time for something to be “brought back to this meeting”, or for town and community councils to discuss it.
The motion went to a vote and won by 34 votes to 27.
This meant that it superseded Councillor Jones’ motion and was approved without a second vote.
