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£430,000 savings to be used to cut £10 from the cost of annual Residents’ Parking permit

Labour Councillors have pledged to scrap Westminster Conservatives’ unpopular, divisive and loss-making motorbike parking charges if they triumph at the polls on 6^th May. The controversial new charges which were introduced in 2009, made a loss of £430,000 in 2009/10, and Labour say that Council Tax payers should not be asked to foot the bill for the Council’s financial failures.

Labour say that the Conservatives introduced the motorbike parking charges in an attempt to fill the black hole in the Council’s finances, but only succeeded in making the financial situation worse as enforcement and administrative costs were considerably more than the income generated by the new charges.

The Council’s discredited parking policies will come under further scrutiny at the next meeting of the City Council on Wednesday 28th April where Labour Councillors have put down a motion for calling for a full independent inquiry into the Council’s parking policies.

The motion, to be moved by Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, calls on the Council to:

“Set up a full independent inquiry into the Council’s parking operations following the catalogue of financial disasters, unpopular policy decisions and legal blunders over recent months that have cost Council Tax payers millions of pounds and tarnished the Council’s reputation. In particular, Council Tax payers will want to know the reasons

• why the Council faces a £50 million legal claim from APCOA
• why the re-letting of the parking enforcement contract had to be abandoned and the total cost to the Council tax payer of the temporary contract with NSL and the cost of the re-tendering of the contract
• why the Council’s 100 CCTV cameras were out of action for so long and the total costs of putting right the technical problems uncovered by the Department of Transport
• for the £20 million reduction in parking income in 2009/10
• for the £430,000 deficit following the introduction of motorbike charges
• for the £7.5 million increases in parking charges planned by the Council in future years
• why residents feel that they are increasingly being used as a ‘cash point’ by the Council’s greedy and unprincipled parking policies and practices.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said:

“We will scrap the hated motorbike parking charges – Westminster’s poll tax on two wheels. In my time as a Councillor I have seen a number of very sustained and determined campaigns against Westminster Conservatives’ policies, particularly on the ‘Homes for Votes’ and 5p Cemeteries scandals. The campaign against the motorbike parking charges certainly ranks up with both these campaigns, as shows how unpopular this new Tory Tax on motorbike owners really is.”

“Westminster residents will benefit from axing the motorbike parking charges as we will use the money saved to cut the cost of an annual Residents Parking Permit by £10. Labour will give residents a new honest and cheaper choice for parking in Westminster.”

“Westminster Conservatives cannot be trusted with parking matters any longer. Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. An independent inquiry is need to discover the reason for the millions of pounds that have been wasted and lost. We need a new parking regime in Westminster that is honest, fair and transparent.”

Cuts planned to Council’s £3 million a year ‘spin’ machine

Labour Councillors have outlined a five point plan to restore trust in local politics by pledging to work closely with local residents, keep them regularly informed and consult them on major policy and planning decisions. Labour also say that they will slash the Council’s £3 million a year ‘spin’ machine and spend the money on improving front-line services and helping voluntary groups.

We will:

• Hold regular weekly Advice Surgeries every Tuesday evening at the Church Street and Harrow Road One Stops, and on Monday afternoons at the Beethoven Centre. New surgery dates and venues will be arranged in those wards where new Labour Councillors are elected.
• Deal speedily and efficiently with letters, emails and phone calls from residents and regularly attend residents’ and tenants’ meetings
• Consult with residents on the Ward Budgets, major policy decisions and other key community and planning issues
• Keep residents in touch with what we are doing through regular ‘Ward Action Reports’ and ask for feedback on what needs doing locally
• Cut the Council’s £3 million publicity and spin budget and use the money to support local voluntary groups and save front-line services.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said:

“The only way to restore trust in local politics is for our politics to be based on substance, not spin. Labour Councillors are on the side of residents. We see our job as helping residents get a fair deal and to represent residents in their dealings with the faceless City Hall machine. At a time of economic uncertainty residents want to know that Labour will give a helping hand and not be told by Conservatives that residents are ‘on their own’.”

“The Conservatives are obsessed with stunts and spin and have frittered away £3 million a year on glossy magazines, self-congratulatory publicity and pointless activities. This money should be re-directed to front lines services so that residents get value-for-money from their Council.”