Opposition anger as parking debate delayed

Royal Borough: Tempers flare as item postponed at short notice

An ‘absolutely livid’ councillor has blasted Conservative members after a parking strategy that was due to be debated at cabinet was deferred at late notice.

Cllr John Baldwin (Lib Dem, Belmont), tussled with council leader Cllr Andrew Johnson (Con, Hurley and Walthams) at the Zoom meeting on Thursday, October 29, which lasted only 19 minutes.

Councillors were due to debate the Royal Borough’s parking strategy from 2020 to 2023, which details parking growths and reductions in the borough over the next three years.

But opposition councillors – including Cllr Jon Davey (WWRA, Clewer and Dedworth West) – were left

frustrated by this report being deferred to this month’s meeting, on November 27.

Parking lead Cllr David Cannon (Con, Datchet, Horton and Wraysbury), said: “We have decided we are deferring the parking strategy to the next meeting.

“The rationale for this is since publishing this document, we have received several helpful comments that we wish to see if we can incorporate in the strategy before bringing it to cabinet.”

Cllr Baldwin was furious with the decision, saying he and other members had spent ‘many hours’ scouring the report .

“It seems incredible to me that this decision has been taken in the last two minutes,” he said.

“Many members have spent many hours since Tuesday evening, when this paper was released. We have poured over it, we have talked about it with our residents, we came here tonight with serious questions.

“Can I just ask, can we at least be reassured we will be consulted between now and when it is brought back to cabinet.

“I am absolutely livid that this report has been withdrawn.

“I must insist you give us a serious undertaking that you will consult with opposition members and we will be fully allowed to engage in any changes.”

Cllr Johnson responded: “You clearly say you have put a lot of work in. One assumes that therefore you would be very well-versed and prepared for the next meeting when we discuss in even greater detail.”

Cllr Baldwin responded by saying: “Thank you, no would have been more concise”, before a brief silence.

To which Cllr Johnson said that there is ‘no need to get grumpy about it, John.’

“There is every need to get grumpy about it,” Cllr Baldwin replied.

Later in the meeting, Cllr Davey said he would be looking to ‘set the wheels in motion’ to call the strategy in to overview and scrutiny at the start of November.