9 October - They are after pay packets too
Bexley Council is not only
intent on raising
car parking charges by 30% or more but they are planning on doing away with
parking concessions for staff too. I doubt there will be much sympathy except that it is
the lowest paid staff who are to be hit hardest and nothing to £684 a
year in one go is one hell of an imposition. The Council is looking to raise
£125,000 through a raid on pay packets.
Councillors were mainly sympathetic, here’s a few of their comments.
Councillor Joe Ferreria (Labour, Erith) asked if the revenue increases projected
allowed for the likely reduced take-up by those who
presently travel to work by car, not to mention working from home. The HR
manager accepted that the world had changed since the proposals were put forward
and the public’s reduced use of car parking spaces would mean that those that
might become free will not so easily be sold on to new flat owners etc.
(Eastside Quarter.) However he still thought staff should be encouraged to find
other ways to get to work and staff should not be subsidised.
He did not know how many of the passes were in use or the demand for them in
future. “There are uncertainties and we are reviewing arrangements but the
principle of reducing the subsidy is still valid.”
Councillor Ferreira (Labour, Erith) asked if the subsidy could be removed on a salary related
sliding scale. But a number of excuses from the HR Manager said there was some
union support for reducing car use. “The principle is sound.”
Councillor Steven Hall (Conservative, East Wickham) was called in but suffered internet gremlins. Councillor
Caroline Newton took his place on line. It burbled unintelligibly. (The line not Ms. Newton!)
Councillor Sue Gower (Conservative, Bexleyheath) had a working internet connection and called for the proposals to be reviewed.
Councillor Newton (Conservative, East Wickham) switched her camera off and salvaged the last bit of bandwidth
for audio use. She thought staff should be allowed to share permits now that
some staff are only working in the office for a couple of days each week. The HR
Manager said the main motivation was to free up spaces so that members of the
public could be ripped off at “a lot higher” rate. Sharing might provide a
problem with the parking contractor.
Councillor Hall’s line came back to life. He was concerned about the sudden
imposition of the new charges but was reminded that the new rate was still “very
much less” than what the general public were being charged.
The Chairman brought up the subject of Councillors’ free parking too, he saw no
need for them to park free outside the Civic Offices’ car park especially as “it
is a bit unfair for the lowest grades to pay… from nothing to £684”. He thought
£200 might be more reasonable and for the sliding scale to extend to £800 for Directors.
“From nothing to £684 is a bit onerous.”
There was no enthusiasm for changing Councillor’s parking arrangements, free EV charging too!
The HR Manager said some free parking options still remained; Hall Place for example.
Allowing staff to continue to park at an advantageous rate would not free up
spaces for the public who pay a great deal more. He accepted “that the landscape
has changed due to Covid” but the subsidy principle remains.
Cabinet Member Leaf chipped in with the opinion that a flexible charging system
would introduce complexity. He pointed out that children are expected to walk up
to three miles to school without making it clear if he thought Council staff
should be treated the same way. He was “in general agreement with removing the subsidy”.
Councillor Melvin Seymour (Conservative, Crayford) said he was very concerned to
hear the Hall Place car park may be “filled with people who are not spending money there”.
The proposal was approved subject to “further modelling”.
So Council meeting reports are back two days on the trot but maybe only while I
cannot leave the house by car as I had hoped.
KR68 ONK is back with
his usual lack of consideration for anyone other than himself.
