26 May (Part 3) - Pick-pocketing Peter
“Changes
to Sunday and evening car park charges.” The title of a new notice that King Craske,
cabinet member for Public Realm (how pompous can they get?) added to the council
website a few hours ago. “Changes” masks the full impact of what Craske has done,
he means the old prices are going up and new charges are being introduced. This is
very good news for Craske has told us so. 95% of you will welcome it with open arms,
you backed his strategy in a survey; you like the idea of the artful question dodger
picking your pocket. All day and all night every day of the week. You are turned on
by the thought of a purple faced shyster slipping his slimy little hand into handbags
and trouser pockets whenever there’s a need to use a council car park.
Council employees continue to park free
in Bexleyheath town centre car parks. Councillors have their own free town
centre car park. It’s Bexley council’s interpretation of the Prime Minister’s
slogan “We are all in this together”.
Craske’s announcement says his plan “calmly deals with the largest reduction to
council funding since the Second World War”. Craske doesn’t do anything calmly
as those who have witnessed his many intemperate outbursts at council meetings
will testify, and he has problems with the truth. He fails to mention that
Bexley council benefitted from a 2·5% ‘bribe’ to freeze council tax this year so
they have had all that extra money to spend. £36 million of it will go on
refurbishing their new offices.
Craske has said that he expects parking revenue to decrease this year by more
than £400,000 compared to last year; may I suggest you help him reach his target
by
parking in supermarket car parks while in Bexleyheath, it will save 50 pence an hour.
Craske will impose his price increases on June 6th. You can
read his announcement here.