New leader in pledge to scrap parking charges
PLANS to charge for parking in Vale of Glamorgan town centres and Barry Island would be scrapped if the Conservatives stay in power on the council, its new leader has announced.
New Conservative group leader Councillor Vincent Bailey has unveiled a six-point plan for the Vale if the Tories win power as a minority administration at a council AGM on Monday.
Eight Conservatives – including ousted former Vale Conservative leader John Thomas and his entire cabinet – left the Conservative group last week to form a new independent group on the council.
It leaves the Conservatives with just 15 councillors and no certainty that they will emerge as the controlling force on the 47-member local authority.
Labour has 14 members and there are now also 14 independents and four Plaid Cymru councillors.
The pledges by the new Tory group leader include dropping the proposed parking charges, stopping inflation-busting council tax rises, opposing the “closure” of Llancarfan School, reviewing the Local Development Plan to stop “inappropriate development” and to deliver the Dinas Powys bypass between Cardiff and Barry.
The leader of the new independent group has described the manifesto as “unrealistic and unachievable”.
On the Dinas Powys bypass, Cllr Bailey said: “Conservatives on the council have made progress on the bypass, but we need to redouble our efforts to improve links between Barry and the city centre. Unfortunately, the top priority has been junction 34 and plans are being considered that would see homes in Pendoylan bulldozed.
“We believe that it’s possible to improve that part of the road network by upgrading existing infrastructure, so we need to look at this again and prioritise scarce resources where they are most needed in the Vale.”
Ben Gray, who leads the group of eight former Tory councillors who defected, said the council has worked hard to move the plans for the bypass forwards. But he said the group “don’t want to see any more money going into the bypass unless the Welsh Government buy into it”.
On scrapping the proposed parking charges, Cllr Bailey said: “These plans were flawed from the start and would do huge damage to our struggling town centres.
“We need to take this back to the drawing board and come up with a strategy for car-parking in the Vale which is based on improving capacity and turnover – and not just a cash cow for the council coffers.
“You can tackle turnover without charging, with limited windows of free parking and enforce it properly. But ultimately a one-size-fits-all approach simply won’t do, and any plans for a change in policy should be appropriate for local traders and the local community.”
Cllr Gray said the cabinet were about to change the parking charge plans following meetings by two scrutiny committees.
He added: “We have to think about additional charging. We can’t get away from the fact that core funding is being cut and the Vale is proportionately underfunded.”
Cllr Gray described the manifesto as “lofty goals”.
“If they can demonstrate how they can fund these, they would garner a lot of support,” he said. “It seems unrealistic and unachievable.”