Council parking fees ‘hit traders’
COUNCILS are raking in cash at the ex- pense of High Street trade, a leading small business forum has claimed. With research revealing an average in- crease in car parking charges and fines of 15%, the Forum of Private Business said town centre traders were facing another dif- ficult year. Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council's
net income from car parks (excluding capi- tal charges) was £685k in 2010/11 and £744k in 2011/12 – an increase of 8.6%. The FPB has called for local authorities to
dump car parking charges for 2013 as part of a drive to help struggling high street traders, arguing itwould increase footfall in town centres and reduce the number of va- cant commercial premises. Local authorities across the country made record profits in 2011/12 at the expense of
motorists compared to previous years, ac- cording to figures released by the Institute of Advanced Motorists. In Maidstone, says the IAM, parking in-
come rose from £388,000 in 2010/11 to £452,000 in 2011/12 – an increase of 17.5% Westminster Council topped the national
list, raking in an extraordinary £38 million from fines and charges levied against mo- torists. In the north, Newcastle topped the list at £6.2 million, while Birmingham City Council netted £3.8m, with the widerWest Midlands area near £20m. Forum spokesman Robert Downes said: “Crude and short-sighted money spinners such as this mean more and more shoppers abandon their local high street and look elsewhere for their shopping needs. “The end result will be ghost high streets with boarded-up shops. What we need is
Kevin tops parish council poll CIVIL servant Kevin Wagstaff has been elected to Leybourne Parish Council with a substantial majority over his two rivals. CllrWagstaff, who stood as an independent, polled 252 votes, finishing well ahead of former Mayor of Tonbridge andMalling, Brian Luker (91 votes) and Stephen Baldwin (76 votes). The seat was left vacant following the resignation of vice-chair-
man Alan Albert. CllrWagstaff, of Old Barn Road, Leybourne, was a governor at St
Peter and St Paul Primary School for 20 years and served as chair- man of governors for eight years until last September. He is also a former parochial church councilmember and churchwarden.
Hop Farm boss co-opted to village seat MRS Eddie Kemsely, managing director of the Hop Farm, Pad- dockWood, has been co-opted to fill a vacancy on East Peckham Parish Council. Following the resignation of Mr Esmond White, the council has another vacant seat.
councils to look at new options – lower car parking charges, or entire days or afternoons where it’s free. “The high street is sick, and while not a cure-all, free parking for shoppers would be a practical dose of medicine to helping ail- ing retailers make it to 2014,” he said. “Making motorists pay a nominal amount
to park their cars in a town centre 20 or 30 years ago might have made sense then, but these latest figures show just how ignorant many councils are to the needs of their local high street businesses.” A spokesman for Tonbridge and Malling council said: “We are unable to comment on the IAM's figures because they do not sim- ply show car parking incomes. “They include other complex issues to do
with theway local authorities must present their accounts such as capital charges.”
Police donate aid for veterans
British South Africa Police, many of whom returned to this country with their families after the force ceased to exist following the creation of Zim- babwe in 1980. RBLI operates arepatriation service
based at the Royal British Legion Vil- lage andworks withmilitary and civil- ian charities around the world to help veterans andtheir dependants takeup permanent residence again in the UK. The moneywill aid thiswork. RBLI chief executive Steve Sherry is pictured receiving the cheque from British South Africa Police almoner Peter Biddulph.
AYLESFORD-based Royal British Legion Industries has been handed £1,000 in thanks for its work helping to repatriate armed forces veter- ans from the Commonwealth. The donation was made by the
Tile Showroom
Adhesives & Grouts
Monday to Friday 8.00 - 5.30 Saturday 8.30 - 5.00 Ample Free Parking
Tel: 01622 717107
info@cafceramics.co.uk www.cafceramics.co.uk
Chocolate Raindrops, The Cottage, The V ineyard Restaurant, A20 London Road, Wr otham Heath, Kent, TN15 7RU
Unit 5, 2M Trade Park, Beddow Way, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7BT
To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330 Malling 13
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