Car crash avoided as parking plans halted

THE result of the SMDCS Full Council and budget meeting on Wednesday was one that the people of Leek and the Staffordshire

Moorlands should celebrate together, but credit for the u-turn should not be claimed too quickly by the usual political ‘activists.’

The huge response to the online petition against the proposed car parking changes was a major factor – and Helen Bridgett deserves every commendation for her initiative in acting so quickly.

This 2,500 strong petition had been driven by the recent revelations of changes to parking charges – and most importantly the removal of the long established free parking periods in Leek.

Enter stage left – ‘agitated and appalled’ – some of Leek’s District Council politicians.

Now it seems the draft recommendations from SMDC’S own consultants, Parking Matters, had apparently been seen by all district councillors – including

Leek’s – and this was posted on Cheadle Town councils website on July 26, 2021– you can view it at cheadletowncouncil.org.uk/ documents/245-smdc-car-parkingstrategy/viewdocument/245

Many of the proposals for

Leek were clearly flagged at that time – the SWOT analysis – the pricing proposals and many

recommendations were already being mapped out during last summer.

This included the unforgettable assertion that Leek-based responses had ‘Less call for free parking by respondents than the other towns.’

Having spent most of the last two years trying to keep and expand this free parking period concession, especially during the time of covid, I was more than a little surprised.

So whilst Cheadle were well informed and active, Leek were in the dark and half asleep, until the online scrutiny meeting webcast showed the final report and its recommendations.

We witnessed the “lack of noise” comments by one councillor – the total lack of any challenge by others – and the people’s petition then took off with a bang!

So where did it go wrong? The consultants ‘findings‘ were sent out internally by SMDC including to Leek’s District Councillors – there are 12 of them – but for some reason it never became a topic of debate and certainly not made publichence “the lack of noise”

In fact, after our earler input to the consultants via Zoom meetings, the parking strategy wasn’t even raised

again at Leek Town Council.

Odd this, as our current Leek Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor are amongst several Leek Town Councillors who are also your Leek SMDC councillors – yet nothing at all was reported back to us.

Then in January at the scrutiny meeting the final report and recommendations was revealed online – and all hell breaks loose.

I have made my own direct representations to the key players – the leader of SMDC, the Portfolio Holder and also several cabinet members. I put reasoned argument and positive suggestions coupled with the direct and strongly-held views of the public.

The many calls I made were met with a clear understanding of the magnitude and strength of opposition to the free parking periods concession being lost.

The implications for so many residents and local businesses was quite clear.

We all understand the need for investment in the modernisation of car parks, especially payment options via fast and fuss free machines, or apps.

We need improved signage for visitors and potentially even a new

multi storey car park – so how is that paid for?

What about managing traffic in the shopping streets of central Leek? These are the bigger challenges. In the full council meeting,

Cllr Sybil Ralphs seized the steering wheel and so avoided the implementation of these highlycontentious changes to Leek’s free parking periods.

It will now be called in for review and the whole exercise will be revisited, and a more balanced outcome will prevail.

However, it needs councillors at all levels and of different political persuasions to work with each other for all our benefits – and not just live in the echo chambers of political forums.

Let’s see if they are up to it. Councillor Stephen Wales

Leek