Jobs lost and income down say Libs

WOKINGHAM town centre businesses have seen trade fall by up to 50% during the regeneration of Market Place according to new research gathered by the Liberal Democrats.

The party’s councillors visited a number of retailers across August and September to find out how they had been faring as a result of ongoing delays to the town centre works.

And the party said that the businesses had reported a drop in turnover over the previous year with two-thirds of businesses in a loss-making situation.

“Many were supporting their business with their own private capital. Several owners have had to reduce their salaries or even take no salary at all. Some are using credit cards to get credit and enable them to pay bills,” the party’s report revealed.

Staff who had left jobs had not been replaced – the party claims that between 40 and 50 jobs have been lost as a result.

The Liberal Democrats said that a lot of retailers are angry that they have not received more support from the council, echoing calls for a rate reduction as demanded by more than 40 retailers who signed a letter in August on the issue.

The party’s leader, Cllr Lindsay Ferris, said that he wanted Wokingham Borough Council to take action.

He wants free advertising for businesses in the borough’s quarterly magazine, better signage for town centre car parks with real time information on the number of spaces still available.

And the party is pushing for two hours’ free parking throughout the day.

He said: “The Free after Three scheme was not generally thought to be a success.

“Most businesses agreed that two hours free parking throughout the day would be popular with residents and would help increase footfall.

“The Liberal Democrats believe that free parking for two hours (for all days) should be introduced in all of WBC’s Town Centre car parks by the end of October and continue until at least the end of January.”

But Wokingham’s Conservatives hit back, accusing the Liberal Democrats of running the town centre down for the sake of making a political point.

Cllr Philip Mirfin, Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “We have regularly acknowledged that the Market Place works caused problems for traders and we provided a lot of support for the town during that time.

“But that does not make it any less disgraceful that the Lib Dems are using so-called ‘research’ to continue running down the town even after the works have been completed and the town is beginning to thrive.

“There is no data or detail behind this research – how many businesses did they speak to? Did they look at other factors? Did they check how many businesses had actually applied for rate relief?

“It’s almost as if they flitted around the town, talked to a few people, and labelled it ‘research’.

“I’d suggest the Lib Dems take a look at the national retail figures so they understand how hard it is to thrive on the high street these days – even in towns where opposition councillors are not intent on talking you down.

“We haven’t always got everything right – but the new town centre emerging from the dust and disruption is a centre for shops, businesses, and above all people, that we can all be proud of.”

Labour group leader Cllr Andy Croy had sympathy with the Liberal Democrats’ research.

He said: “Clearly not enough has been done to support independent retailers. Efforts to keep shoppers coming into the town have been half hearted and ineffective. From the botched changes to the car parking regime, the lack of any discernible ‘use it or lose it’ campaign through to being in denial over accessibility, the Tories have managed the whole thing badly.

“In terms of council financial support for traders, this will either come from the pockets of council tax payers a cross the borough, many of who are already angry about the over-investment in Wokingham Town or it will come from central government.

“I am not aware of any successful efforts by the MP or WBC to secure additional support for retailers from central government. It seems profoundly wrong to me that the two Tory councils can trash livelihoods, and nothing can be done.

“That’s the problem when you have the one party, and often the same people, running town and borough councils.”

He added: “Residents and retailers should also know the Regeneration is being discussed at the Community and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in November. This is a public meeting in that it is open to the public, but questions have to be submitted in writing, in advance.”