Meters stay inactive as council weighs up impact of lost income

Leaders accused of keeping communities in dark on parking charges

Angus parking meters will stay bagged for the rest of the summer as officers analyse the impact of suspending the controversial policy.

Council bosses are under pressure to clarify their position on the charges after Dundee City Council began phasing in payments and Fife and Perth and Kinross Council chiefs announced August start dates for charges.

It is understood Angus Council’s decision to suspend the charges will not be reviewed until after the summer recess.

The council is facing around £6 million in extra costs incurred through work to tackle the pandemic.

Independent Carnoustie councillor Brian Boyd accused the administration of “deliberately keeping people in the dark” on the future of the policy.

He said: “The good people of Angus need to know now what’s going on.

“Every member of the administration voted against dropping the charges in February and could have backed the motion to scrap them.

“Carnoustie councillors who suggested this change have been marginalised over the last four months so we do not know what is going on.”

Angus Council communities convener Mark Salmond released a statement at the end of March confirming the council would follow other local authorities in lifting the charges to help key workers.

Prior to the pandemic, council leader David Fairweather had pledged the policy – accused of hastening the demise of high-street economies across the county – was “here to stay”.

Administration economic spokesman Braden Davy, the Conservative candidate for Angus North in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election, said Angus Council “shouldn’t be bounced into action” by decisions taken in other local authority areas.

He said: “We take a different view and we are determined to keep charges off for as long as possible to protect our high streets.

“But financial assessments need to be made in light of record costs for the council, and consideration must be given to the huge impact to our local businesses of Covid-19.”

An Angus Council spokeswoman said: “Our policy is for payment only at designated off-street car parks.

“However, these payments remain suspended in emergency response to Covid. There are no proposals for the lifting of the suspension of the charges at this time.”

“The good people of Angus need to know what’s going on. COUNCILLOR BRIAN BOYD