A ROW has broken out after Wiltshire councillors decided to keep secret how they voted when they turned down a plan to re-instate one hour’s free parking in local car parks which are owned by the council.Liberal Democrat councillors had put forward a revised budget for Wiltshire Council which would have included one hour free parking for Westbury and other Wiltshire towns.
They said they could find £1.53million needed to introduce the scheme by cutting the council’s £2.8million communications budget, as well as restructuring senior management. When the plan was turned down at a recent full Wiltshire Council meeting, council members opted to not reveal how they voted.Wiltshire Council Liberal Democrat leader, cllr Jon Hubbard, said, “Yes the plan was turned down by Wiltshire Council, but to then take a vote to say ‘we will not tell you how we voted’ is ridiculous. To suspend democracy is absolutely outrageous. The only reason you vote to do this is if you are ashamed.“The unprecedented action to suspend the council’s standing orders, and stop recorded votes, removes any responsibility for the actions of individual councillors. We are public servants who must be responsible to the public who elected us. The Conservatives have chosen to hide how they vote, and so hide from all responsibility for their actions.“Wiltshire Council Conservatives claim they have the finger on the pulse of Wiltshire, which pulse is this? Wiltshire is asking for free parking to return, and this administration has not delivered.”Cllr David Jenkins, a Westbury town and Wiltshire councillor, explained that he had spoken at the meeting to question the administration’s car parking strategy. He said, “Some of the comments from the councillors from the administration said we don’t have a problem. I said they were from a different planet.”A spokesperson from Wiltshire Council told White Horse News, “The vote for the free parking budget amendment was taken by a show of hands. There was a huge agenda and not a lot of time. The vote was not recorded.”
Council making loss on car parks
INFORMATION received by the town council shows that Wiltshire Council spends £35,000 on Westbury’s car parks, and makes a loss on them. The town council hope that the revelation will put them in a better position to enter into a new arrangement with Wiltshire Council, in the hope that a period of free parking can return to the town. Cllr Bill Braid, chair of the town council’s car parks working group, said, “At the moment the car parks are costing them £35,000, and the income is £31,000. So they’re losing £4,000.“We’ve had some information from Wiltshire Council but what we want is the monthly figures for one hour and two hour parking, then perhaps we could work out a scheme and offer some free parking. If they’re losing money, it must be in their interest to do some sort of deal with us. If they move us from band three to band four, the towns in band four are allowed to put forward a scheme to take over the car parks.”Meanwhile, a Westbury Town Council and Westbury Chamber of Commerce petition, which challenges Wiltshire Council’s car parking policy, has been signed by over 3,500 people. The petition will be handed to the next meeting of the Westbury Area Board on 14th April.Wiltshire Council has set aside £35,157 in its budget to run Westbury’s car parks. The majority of this – more than £25,000 – is for National Non Domestic Rates (business rates), a tax collected by central government on properties that are not used for domestic purposes, including car parks.£8,000 goes towards “transportation/communication and support services costs” – the costs of vehicles used in parking services, “communications for the Pay and Display machines, mobile communications for front line staff generally and for those working alone in remote areas.”The remainder is for a maintenance programme, which promises “improvements to the council’s off street parking areas including Westbury’s car parks.”Cllr Bill Braid, chair of the town council’s car parks working group, said, “At the moment the car parks are costing them £35,000, and the income is £31,000. So they’re losing £4,000.“We’ve had some information from Wiltshire Council, although not as much as we really need. What we want is the monthly figures for one hour and two hour parking, then perhaps we could work out a scheme and offer some free parking. “If they’re losing money, it must be in their interest to do some sort of deal with us. If they move us from band three to band four, the towns in band four are allowed to put forward a scheme to take over the car parks.”
