Almost 700 sign petition opposing changes to car parking charges in Calderdale

Coun Ashley Evans (Warley, Lib Dem) told Cabinet members the petition, signed by almost 700 residents, had been sent to the authority electronically.

The effect of COVID-19 on the retail economy brought into question the timing of bringing these in, he said when Calderdale Council’s Cabinet met virtually this week.

The issue was also taken up by Coun Steven Leigh (Con, Ryburn), who raised it at the meeting a day later at the council’s Audit Committee.

The petition follows Cabinet’s decision earlier in the summer to extend existing charging hours from 6pm to 8pm in Halifax, Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge and West Vale, to introduce charging in Halifax town centre on Sundays and to introduce Bank Holiday charging in Halifax town centre and Hebden Bridge, subject to a consultation but aiming to implement the changes by September.

Coun Evans said: “The general consensus from this survey was that as we start to come out of lockdown we have to do everything we can to support businesses.”

In particular the hospitality and restaurant industry would be impacted by changes to evening, Sunday and Bank Holiday charging and would further damage the high street.

“Therefore would Cabinet review this decision?” he said.

Leader of the Council, Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town) said the petition could be taken as part of the consultation into the changes which was ongoing at the moment.

Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Susan Press (Lab, Todmorden) said the council should see what the consultation said and take it from there.

At Audit Committee, Coun Leigh raised the issue when a report on risk management was being debated and described the changes as being an example of the council doing something that was “fundamentally bad for business” with businesses still struggling despite Government grant help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They are still in a desperate situation and we can think again on some of the ridiculous inhibitors put in place for businesses – these are things we can do something about,” he said.

Three things were killing high streets, internet shopping, business rates and car parking, the latter two in the council’s remit, he said.

Coun James Baker (Lib Dem, Warley), speaking at Audit Committee, said the council needed to be careful not to take decisions which had a negative impact on a risk.

“Government is encouraging people to eat out, meal deals, increasing footfall – on the other hand we are bringing in additional charges that could have a negative impact on people going out in an evening,” he said.