‘It is simply the wrong time to make radical changes’

THE Labour Group at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is putting forward amendments to the budget at today’s full council meeting and has ‘called in’ The Car Parking Strategy to secure a further debate on the matter at a scrutiny meeting in March.

In a press release, the Labour group said these amendments will not involve any additional increases to council tax in 2022-23 to the ones proposed by SMDC cabinet.

The budget amendments are:

■ To limit the increase in car park charges in Leek to 10p per hour for one or two hours and 20p for three hours;

■ To create a fund to put LED lighting in all SMDC buildings to assist with the energy saving priority in The Climate Action Plan;

■ To create a fund for action on Climate Change through the Councillors Community Initiative fund;

■ To bring forward spending on industrial units to 2022-23 to kick start economic regeneration earlier than planned;

■ To limit spending on refurbishment of Moorlands House other than essential works until the future use of the building has been reviewed;

■ To work on the feasibility of a minimum budget for climate change work at two per cent of the total budget from 2023-4 onwards.

Regarding the Car Park Strategy for Leek, at the March Scrutiny meeting, the Labour group intend to propose:

■ Free parking in Leek before 9.30am and after 3.30pm is maintained for 2022-23.

■ The free half hour proposal for some (not all) Leek car parks is deleted for 2022-23.

Group leader, Councillor Mike Gledhill, said: “We believe that the budget as proposed by the cabinet does not meet the needs and concerns of our citizens in terms of local economic regeneration and climate change.

“With regard to car parks, it is simply the wrong time to make radical changes during uncertain economic times and a cost of living crisis.”