Breckland Council hits brakes on controversial plans to introduce car park charges
A council has hit the brakes on its highly controversial plans to introduce new car parking charges.
Breckland Council has revealed it is “pausing” proposals to bring in fees across the district in light of uncertainty surrounding local government reorganisation.
The plans to introduce charges for the first time in towns like Swaffham, Dereham and Thetford were met with huge backlash, particularly from business owners.
Despite research and consultation having already been carried out, Breckland Council has halted the scheme in response to the Government’s devolution proposals.
Norfolk’s eight councils all face the prospect of being abolished, with new councils created to replace them, as part of Labour’s devolution and reorganisation plans.
The county currently has a two-tier system, with some services provided by Norfolk County Council and some by the city, district and borough councils.
The shake-up would create unitary councils to provide all services along with an elected mayor for Norfolk and Suffolk.
Sam Chapman-Allen, the leader of Breckland Council, has been a strong critic of these new “mega councils” and accused the Government of failing to base its plans on thorough evidence.
Speaking at a meeting of Breckland Council’s cabinet this week, he said plans to bring in car parking charges would have to wait until reorganisation has been completed.
He said: “This has been an immensely emotive subject and we have engaged honestly and transparently across our communities throughout this process.
“We will be pausing any future progression with this policy implementation because this will be for the new administration, whatever that looks like, to decide.”
Breckland Council’s plans to introduce car parking charges have been controversial from the beginning.
While the authority said the fees were necessary to afford the upkeep of car parks, many people feared the charges would be hugely detrimental to struggling high streets.