Tory councillors show their true colours.
Last night’s Borough Council meeting was a pantomime - and that’s being kind. What a disgraceful spectacle it was. It even made Prime Minister’s Question-time on the television look tame. Grown men and women shouting across the chamber at each other - yaa-boo politics at it’s worse. Have I really been campaigning for years so that I could join this menagerie?
And to make matters worse, we witnessed the best example possible of party politics taking precedence over local issues. One item on the agenda involved approval of the proposed increases in car parking charges. Philip Leason and I asked that the charges for Stone’s car parks be reconsidered. We argued that increases of 100% and 200% were totally unacceptable and that the increases would have a detrimental effect upon the town’s economy. When the matter was put to the vote, we were supported by the Labour group but - surprise, surprise - the controlling Tory group voted against us. This was hardly surprising but what was a surprise was to see two Stone Tory members, Cllrs. Joyce Farnham and Philip Jones, voting the party line in favour of the increases. We now know where their loyalties lie!
During the debate, Cllr. Doug Davies who is the Tory cabinet member responsible for the car parks, said he would not reconsider the charges because ” it is the policy of this council to maximise income from our car parks.” So there it is in black and white! Forget providing a service or helping to regenerate our town centre. Forget encouraging tourism. It’s just about screwing the motorist - plain and simple.
have your say
