Call made to extend free parking after high praise

A FREE parking trial across the Staffordshire Moorlands has been recommended by an influential committee.

Members of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council’s resources overview and scrutiny panel last week unanimously approved a proposal that the authority’s ruling cabinet proceed with the initiative.

It comes after the council held a free parking period during the month of August.

Councillor Peter Wilkinson said: “There is an ongoing parking review being undertaken. There are a lot of shops closing with the current situation and with online shopping.

“The high streets need help and we need to extend free parking. Changes need to be looked at to bring it forward.”

Councillor John Jones asked what exactly was the car parking review looking at.

In reply, the council’s interim executive director for finance and customer services, Claire Hazeldene, said the review was looking at footfall in August; free parking; demand; if the car parks were in the right places along with short and long stay car parking.

Councillor Jones said: “We need to have free parking again and do a proper survey. It really needs doing again before Christmas. I propose that we recommend that free parking takes place across the Staffordshire Moorlands again.”

Leader of the Labour opposition party on the council, Councillor Mike Gledhill, said: “We have limited data on the last free parking month. We need a systematic review, so it needs to be done again.”

The panel were also informed at last week’s meeting that the council was £345,00 overspent.

In a report to councillors, Keith Pointon, interim head of finance, said: “The council is £345,000 overspent due to the cost of covid. The total cost has been £2million but this has been offset by a government grant of £1.6million.

“There has been a loss on income from car parks and planning plus more cleaning costs. The focus is now on recovery.

“Council tax revenue collection has also seen the impact of covid with collection down by 0.6 and business rates down by six per cent.”

Councillor Wilkinson, left, said that the council should do more to promote tourism to bring in more income. He said: “Given the present circumstances people are not going abroad, so we should promote tourism to bring in more people. We should be looking at taking advantage of this. A lot of elderly people used to go on cruises, but now have motor homes where they feel safe. We should be catering for these people.” Councillor Gledhill also stated the council needed to focus on tourism. He said: “We need to look at a number of areas. There are now a lot of motor homes coming into the Moorlands. We need facilities for them, so they are not parking in villages.

“This would generate income. We have got to be brave and use the opportunity as tourism is on the increase.”