Calls to drop controversial parking and school plans rejected by council
OPPOSITION motions to drop car parking charges and scrap school closure plans in the Vale of Glamorgan have been blocked by Labour – despite the party’s councillors slamming the controversial proposals when they were in opposition.
Two motions which called for the scrapping of plans to introduce parking charges and move Llancarfan Primary School to Rhoose were voted down at a full council meeting on July 29.
There was widespread opposition to both plans – put forward by the previous Conservative leadership of the council – and they were criticised by senior Labour councillors who are now in charge.
The Conservatives, who put forward the two motions, accused Labour of “rank hypocrisy” for refusing to back them.
But council leader Neil Moore has accused the Tories of “playing politics and trying to make policy on the hoof” without consulting the public.
Cllr Moore says his administration, which took over in May, will bring back new “more balanced” proposals for parking charges, and announce what he intends to do with Llancarfan School in September.
Councillor Vincent Bailey, leader of the Conservatives, said: “It is deeply disappointing that the Labour Party has refused to back our motion and kick these flawed proposals for parking charges into touch. This is an issue of trust and public confidence in the new administration, and Vale residents will be stunned by the change in tone from the new leadership.
“The fact is, these proposals for parking charges would have a devastating impact on high streets across the Vale – and in particular trade on Barry Island.”
The original parking charges were described at a meeting in April this year as “flawed” by Councillor Lis Burnett, who is now deputy leader of the council. She also labelled the proposals for Penarth as a “joke”.
Cllr Moore also said in a meeting last July that the original parking proposals were “predicated on making money by fleecing our residents. I think that’s wrong.”
Alun Cairns, Vale of Glamorgan MP, said: “I am incredibly disappointed that the Labour Party has decided to block a motion which would have scrapped proposals to introduce car parking charges in the Vale. The proposed charges would be damaging to our local economy and risks undoing all of the good work that has been done to build up the Vale as a destination. This will be a hammer blow to local traders and those who choose to shop locally supporting small shops.”
Cllr Burnett tweeted in January that the Llancarfan school proposals “wouldn’t be happening if Labour were running the council”.
A final decision to move Llancarfan to Rhoose was taken by the cabinet when Councillor John Thomas led the council under the Conservatives.
Cllr Burnett said the school proposal would not be happening if Labour were voted in instead of the Conservatives in 2017, but now a decision has been made, it needs to be reviewed thoroughly.
She told the Echo: “We have inherited a plan and we now have to review it thoroughly. We will look at all the evidence. We owe it to the people of Llancarfan to do a proper job on this. It wouldn’t have been happening if we were in power in 2017.”
The backlash against the school and parking plans led to Cllr Thomas being deposed as Conservative leader. He and seven other councillors then left the Tories and joined a new administration led by Labour.
Cllr Moore said he has met with Llancarfan residents to discuss the move, and will review the plans and provide an update in September. He said if Labour accepted the motion it would have meant committing to no new parking charges at all.
Cllr Moore said: “I have already made it perfectly clear that the system of charging as proposed by the previous administration will not be implemented. Indeed a full review of the policy is already underway and will be considered fully in the near future.
“I accept that we may have to make some charges, as we do now in some areas, because it costs money to provide car parking. However, the challenge will be to make it sensible, realistic and fair for everybody and work towards cost neutrality. We also have to look at ways to charge visitors to the county, who make no other contribution to the council.”