SNP slams ruling group ‘incompetence’ in row over parking charges

Political shots have been fired in the escalating Angus parking row.

Ahead of a showdown summit in Forfar today involving senior council figures and those behind the revolt which saw dozens of drivers mount a noisy protest outside the authority’s Angus House headquarters last Thursday, the council’s opposition SNP group has said the situation has the administration’s “hallmarks of incompetence”.

The SNP group fought to halt the plan earlier this year, but attempts to put forward alternatives at the June full council meeting which decided the charges were ruled incompetent.

The shadow communities spokesman, Edzell and Brechin councillor Kenny Braes, said: “As a group, the SNP councillors have repeatedly and consistently sought up-to-date costings for the introduction of parking charges, which includes a proper impact assessment on local businesses, to see if this would, in fact, be counterproductive for communities and local businesses.

“We believe in making decisions from an evidence base.

“The administration, only 17 months old, is now on its second leader. The public of Angus deserves a competent administration to tackle the many challenges the authority faces.”

The leader of the opposition group, Forfar councillor Lynne Devine, said: “We now see the folly of decisions made in haste and the lack of proper planning.

“The implementation date of October 1 was delayed by a month.

“The public are parking free on more convenient streets rather than in car-parks, creating congestion and road safety issues.

“We recognise that mistakes happen – which reflects the pressure that officers are under from the incompetent administration.

“The SNP group has no confidence that the council will achieve its ambitious target of an additional £700,000 a year income through the introduction of these costs. Yet again, hard-pressed communities will suffer more.”