Parking fee rises complete and utter madness - mayor

It now costs £1.20 an hour to park in Back Lane in Much Wenlock

A decision to increase the cost of a town's car parks by 50% have been described as "complete and utter madness" by its mayor.

It now costs £1.20 an hour to leave a vehicle in the nine-space Back Lane car park in Much Wenlock - an increase of 40p.

The rise was one of a number introduced by Shropshire Council last week and the price rise in Much Wenlock is on par with major county car parks. The council said the rises were the first in three years.

But Dan Thomas, Much Wenlock mayor and leader of the council's opposition Conservatives, said: "It does really bother me that they compare Back Lane car park as the same level as Frankwell in Shrewsbury, which is complete and utter madness."

Thomas also complained that the views of people in the town had been ignored when the decision was made.

'Desperate for money'

The town clerk, Trudi Barrett, accepted a consultation process would have cost money however, and she understood the county council was trying to reduce its costs, to avoid having to declare itself effectively bankrupt.

In response to the concerns, council leader Heather Kidd, told a meeting on Thursday: "Parking charges across the county have not been put up for three years, so there was a gap in the budget."

She said the fees had to go up because the council was "desperate for money".

But she said a review would be carried out and invited councillors to present the council with evidence, "so we can put something sensible in place".

Kidd said people should not be forced to park on the street and work needed to be done "to make sure we understand the issues".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.