Sheryll Murray MP is calling on Cornwall Council to take careful consideration over its plans for changes to the parking across South East Cornwall.
In a statement she said, “I, and many of my constituents, are greatly concerned over the proposals for parking currently being drawn up by Cornwall Council. Lots of constituents have spoken to me over this important issue and I call on Cornwall Council to have further thought on this issue.
“I do not think a one size fits all policy is right for the whole of Cornwall. Clearly the best option for this is for each community to decide what is best for them and I feel that more local control is probably the answer.
“I do however appreciate that Cornwall Council relies on this money to give us services and we need to have a grown up conversation with local electors to come up with a solution. We have clear choices; increased parking charges, money from a different source such as local taxation or a reduction in services.
“A great help is the current legislation going through Parliament. Eric Pickles, The Secretary of State for Local Government, is introducing a bill called the Decentralisation and Localism Bill which has the aim of getting decisions made by local people. When answering a question recently in the House from one of my colleagues he supported the idea of holding a local referendum on this very subject by saying, ‘The county council could also think about delegating that function (parking) to the local towns, so that they can organise these things. That is what happens in an awful lot of districts. …. car parking can be vital to a local economy so if she wants to start the referendum process, she has my full support.’
“The current parking provisions are a great worry to many local constituents and especially local businesses in our town centres which are already suffering in these difficult economic times. That is why I have written to the Leader of the Council, Alec Robertson, to ask him to look at this situation again.”
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