Funding for a free parking trial in Peterborough and parts of Huntingdonshire has been agreed, despite concerns it will be a “poor use of public money”
Using public money to pay for free parking in Peterborough and parts of Huntingdonshire is “unfair” on taxpayers who do not live in those areas, it has been argued. Concern has been shared that a two year free parking trial will be an “extremely poor use of public money”.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority board has agreed that money can be set aside to pay for free parking schemes in Peterborough and parts of Huntingdonshire. The proposal was put forward by Paul Bristow (Conservative), the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
He said offering free parking was an “economic regeneration measure” to help businesses in those areas. In papers published by the Combined Authority the Mayor said: “Too many local centres are on the brink of rapid decline, facing new competition and higher costs, not least through higher taxes on businesses.
“A charge for parking can often be the difference between using those shops, restaurants and facilities, or heading out of town instead, or just going online.”
The Mayor’s budget sets aside £1.5million to be spent on the free parking trial over the next two years. While the funding has been agreed, details of specific schemes have not yet been set out, as the Mayor said they still need “further work and agreement”.
At the board meeting this week (January 28) Councillor Lucy Nethsingha (Liberal Democrat), leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said she believed the free parking proposals were an “extremely poor use of public money”.
She said: “I do recognise it was in your manifesto and you have a reason for doing that, but I continue to think it is an extremely poor use of public money. I also think it is unfair on residents who do not live in those two areas that their precept money is going towards free parking in Huntingdonshire and Peterborough, I do not think that is reasonable.”
Councillor Anna Smith (Labour), representative from Cambridge City Council, said she supported regeneration measures in Peterborough, but that she had questions around the free parking proposals.
She asked what research had been undertaken to choose the areas highlighted to get free parking, and what research showed this would be the best way to support businesses as opposed to other measures.
Councillor John Williams (Liberal Democrat), representative from South Cambridgeshire District Council, raised concerns about the amount of money Peterborough would be seeing through the budget compared to other areas.
He said: “South Cambridgeshire has quite a large population, not far short of Peterborough, and the entire of Peterborough is receiving millions – free parking, station quarter, new bus depot – but South Cambridgeshire on the other hand is receiving just over £1million for its waste depot.
“Taxpayers in Peterborough are paying the £36 precept, taxpayers in South Cambridgeshire are paying the £36 precept, but taxpayers in South Cambridgeshire are receiving a hell of a lot less for their £36 than residents in Peterborough. This budget is not fair on council taxpayers of South Cambridgeshire.”
Free parking funding will be ‘shot in the arm’
The Mayor argued it was “unhelpful” to compare how much money one area was receiving compared to others. He stressed that the free parking proposals were an “economic regeneration measure” for areas he said needed a “shot in the arm”.
Mr Bristow also said the Combined Authority was working with Peterborough City Council on other “mechanisms to drive people in the city centre”, including a tourism board.
Councillor Sarah Conboy (Liberal Democrat), leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, said she would be supporting the budget, but recognised the free parking proposal had been “controversial”. She stressed that the funding offer would still have to be taken through the “proper processes” at the district council.
Councillor Shabina Qayyum (Labour), leader of Peterborough City Council, highlighted that Peterborough was a city that “suffers significant deprivation levels”.
She said the city was “often overlooked in terms of cultural strategy” and that it was “essential” to increase footfall in the area. Cllr Qayyum added that Peterborough did not have the “advantage of other options” like park and ride sites that other areas have.
Councillor Chris Boden (Conservative), leader of Fenland District Council, said he disagreed with Cllr Nethsingha that the free parking plans were “unfair to areas other than Huntingdonshire and Peterborough”.
He said people from outside these areas would also benefit, and said he believed more people from Fenland would decide to go shopping in Peterborough at certain times due to the incentive of free parking.
Councillor Julia Huffer (Conservative), representative from East Cambridgeshire District Council, said she believed free parking would help businesses in those areas “thrive”.
The Mayor’s budget was approved by a majority of the board. The budget also included a proposal to freeze the Mayoral council tax precept, which means a Band D household will continue to pay £36 a year to the Combined Authority.
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