At a recent council meeting of Uttlesford District Council, the Residents 4 Uttlesford administration voted through an increase to parking charges, and fees charged to business for collecting waste.
Shoppers will now face up to a 23% increase this year in parking charges, with an 86.7% increase in parking permit fees over the next two years. Parking permit costs will rise to £560 from £450, with some workers facing costs of over £1300 per year to attend work.
Many businesses in Great Dunmow have now had to end their commercial waste contracts with Uttlesford Council considering the mounting parking costs, and other external cost pressures.
Commenting, Cllr Ray Gooding, Leader of the Conservative Group on Uttlesford District Council said:
“The Conservative Group on Uttlesford District Council put forward an amendment to limit the increase of the parking fees to 3% and draw up contingencies to balance the books whilst protecting local businesses and commuters.
“Through voting this amendment down, Residents 4 Uttlesford’s attitude towards businesses and families across our community is concerning. They are seen as a cash cow to pay for expenses. The cost on ordinary people will be excessive.”
Commenting, Cllr John Moran said:
“We have wonderful independent businesses across Uttlesford, and the Residents 4 Uttlesford administration are damaging these local, independent businesses.
“This increase in parking charges is also a tax on the villages who rely on cars to access our high streets.”
Commenting, Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP for North West Essex said:
“R4U cannot claim they need to hike parking charges when they are spending over £1million of local taxpayers’ money on ‘decarbonising’ their offices.
“Residents and businesses in Uttlesford can’t afford a R4U council that treats them with contempt, alongside this tax-raising, growth-killing Labour government.
“The Conservatives are the only party that is on the side of business and hardworking families. We have fully costed plans to bring down the cost of energy bills and scrap business rates for high street business in Uttlesford. We will get Britain working again.”
