Parking permit fees in North Tyneside WILL go up - despite uproar over 'appalling' move; It was announced in February that householders in a permit zone would no longer be entitled to one free permit.
Byline: Daniel Holland
Calls to overturn an "appalling" decision over increasing parking permit fees inNorth Tynesidehave been rejected.
The borough'sConservativeopposition had called in a council decision to implement the higher fees, which they said "didn't stack up" financially and was not transparent.
However, their requests to uphold hundreds of residents' objections to the proposals and scrap the charges entirely were voted down on Tuesday night by Labour members of an overview and scrutiny committee.
It was announced in February that householders in a permit zone would no longer be entitled to one free permit and that the cost of permits would increase to [pounds sterling]25 - meaning the annual cost for a house with two cars would go up from [pounds sterling]20 to [pounds sterling]50.
However, that change was amended before the policy was signed off on May 1.
Now, the first permit will be free for all residents in pay and display areas - excluding those in theTynemouthTM2 zone - but only valid for one year rather than two.
The cost of a visitor permit has also increased from being free to [pounds sterling]25, although the original proposals would have set them at [pounds sterling]50 a year each.
But the Tories claimed those changes were kept secret from them during the local election campaign.
Conservative councillor Alison Austin told the committee that Labour candidates were telling residents - via a campaign leaflet and on the doorstep - that the parking charge increases were being reduced, before any final decision was made and without other councillors being informed.
She called it "decision-making on the hoof" and claimed the Tories only found out about changes to the permit charge increase via residents' Facebook posts.
Coun Austin said: "The process was mired in the election campaign and the decision was taken very hastily."
The Tories also questioned the "very, very murky" finances of the scheme, asking why the council was able to suddenly slash the price increases.
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She added: "It proved possible overnight for the costs to be...
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