Campaigners against 'devastating' parking fee increases at popular parks in and around Northampton celebrate council U-turn

Plans to halt parking fee increases at popular parks in and around Northampton have been celebrated as a victory for 'people power'.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) confirmed on Tuesday (January 24) it has u-turned on its plans to increase fees as soon as April at The Racecourse, Brixworth Country Park and Daventry Country Park following ‘concerns raised by the public’.

The plans were approved by WNC’s Conservative cabinet members at a meeting last week (Tuesday, January 17).

However, those cabinet members have since withdrawn their decision to proceed with the proposals.

Member of the public Mark Higgs, who fiercely spoke out against the plans at the cabinet meeting last week (Tuesday, January 17), said it is a 'win for people power'.

Mark said: "It’s good to see that WNC has finally listened to and acted in the best interests of the public.

"WNC clearly wanted to go ahead with their updated parking plans regardless of how devastating they would have been to nearby residents and businesses - all with no local public consultation.

"Passionate people power has triumphed here over short-sighted, poorly thought through council decisions to plug financial gaps that it has previously created - through no fault of council tax payers.

"A double tax on parks, green spaces, mental health and ultimately locals, will not be tolerated.

"To ensure full transparency and scrutiny going forward, we will be closely watching every move WNC make to ensure locals best interests are at the heart of all their future decision making processes. Northampton, stand up."

West Northants Labour Group, who called the decision in to be reviewed by the place scrutiny committee, said it is also pleased with the news.

Leader of the West Northamptonshire Labour Group, councillor Wendy Randall (Daventry West), said: “This is a small but important victory for our residents who have been contacting us in their droves to express their concern with this decision.

"We have asked the administration to carry out a full consultation of the residents and businesses around Northampton Racecourse and take on board the existing problems they already face with trying to park in their community – problems that they have told us would have been made worse by this decision.

"In the cases of Daventry and Brixworth Country Parks, the same sort of consideration needs to be taken to ensure that charges are affordable for residents and don’t force them to park elsewhere in the community, or worse yet, not use the parks at all.

"This was a rushed and poorly considered proposal and does not tie into any sort of wider strategy on transport or the local economy - we are pleased to see that the Conservative administration has taken pause to consider it again.

"However, we know that this is not the end of the matter and does not affect the wider parking charges set to be raised across Northampton and Daventry.

"We appreciate that council finances are in a delicate position, but we urge the administration to listen to residents and businesses, who should not be forced to bear the cost of council budgets cut by Conservatives in Westminster.”