In today's Nairnshire Telegraph there is an article on page 10 outlining where Cllr Liz MacDonald sees the Highland Council administration making cuts and how it will affect Nairn. On parking charges the Nairnshire states:
"Cllr MadDonald also thinks charges are being contemplated for car-parking in Nairn. "It would be devastating for businesses in Nairn," she declared."
The cuts that the Highland Council are currently discussing are being kept secret until a week before the budget meeting on the 15th of February at Glenurquhart Road.
Don't see any councillors offering to take major pay cuts.
ReplyDeleteQuote: "Council Leader's disappointment over budget leaks" (Nairnshire Telegraph 23 Jan).
ReplyDeleteQuote: "Cllr Liz MacDonald sees the Highland Council administration making cuts [and imposing parking charges]" (Nairnshire Telegraph and Gurn, 30 Jan).
More leaking? Surely not. Scaremongering? What an idea! Council confidentiality? What's that?
It makes no difference what the council decides to cut or charge for, schools,hospitals, parking etc.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be a group of people it affects.
Maybe Highland Council haven't got the money to fix the leaks?
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that all sorts of rumours and leaks are possible until the proposed cuts are released a week before the budget meeting on February 15th. Then a few Facebook protest groups will probably spring into action and when you see how the Additional Support Needs parents group got from 0 to 60 in five internet minutes then you see how hot it could get for members of the Highland Council administration. Who would want to be a councillor these days?
ReplyDeleteLook what happened to Inverness when parking charges came into force, people voted with their feet and just went to the retail parks where they parked for free. Killed the old part of Inverness for shopping.
ReplyDeleteI bet Sainsbury's in Nairn would be rubbing their hands with glee if charges were brought in for Nairn
The council need to raise more revenue but this is a very short sighted measure. There are few shops left on the High St and charges will kill them off, in turn the council will lose the business rate income, but I have to admit an easy target for Highland council.
They could do 30 min free parking on the high street and charge for harbour car parks without affecting things too much.
ReplyDeleteTWO way saving for the H.C they pay for your parking behind the library so will recover the cost and there is a good chance they will make money instead of paying for our FREE parking
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the sums are to make parking charges pay? You need to employ people to wander up and down checking on tickets etc and I doubt that any reduction in footfall to the shops will be taken into account as a cost of introducing the measures?
ReplyDeleteWhat ever the sums are they are paying for our free parking at the moment.
ReplyDeleteAnd I that is going to stop you can bet on that.
What ever the sums are they are paying for our free parking at the moment.
ReplyDeleteAnd I that is going to stop you can bet on that.
I personally do not think charging people to park within the town centre car parks will bring any positive economic benefit to the Council. You have to look at what the High Street is offering and ask the question will people pay to come and visit it or just go elsewhere where there is free parking - the answer is probably not. Also most of the side streets are free and unrestricted in parking terms, so locals will soon learn where to park for free.
ReplyDeleteConsequently, if less people park and spend money in the town centre, it is likely a number of the existing shops will close, which in turn results in less business rates being paid to the Council. Additionally, the Council will have to pay to install the new parking ticket machines and pay someone to police the parking charges. All of which would cancel out any positive economic benefits and leave the Council worse off financially and publicly.