My proposal would shift millions towards community use
IT is sad but not entirely unexpected that motorists groups would immediately condemn a practical solution to the criticisms made of Camden s parking policy without themselves entertaining any of the detail (The people should spend £15million cash parking
IT is sad but not entirely unexpected that motorists groups would immediately condemn a practical solution to the criticisms made of Camden's parking policy without themselves entertaining any of the detail (The people should spend £15million cash parking revenue, H&H October 2).
There should be nothing wrong with a local politician saying that much of the previous policy was wrong, and that changes should be made. It's called listening.
This is, of course, different from local politicians claiming a policy was wrong in order to get elected and then doing little about it when in power.
My proposal would see millions of pounds now spent by the council's large Culture and Environment department, placed in the hands of neighbourhood forums, rather than council officers, to decide on local environment schemes.
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If local people could decide on how to spend the cash for needed improvements like the kinds of traffic calming measures they would like to see on their streets, then other disputes like the anger felt over speed humps could have been averted.
This is a radical yet practical proposal which aims to deal with the crucial issue of fairness, something the current admin-istration talks about but has not resolved: since 2006 parking revenues have gone up by £6million to a staggering £30million a year.
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I do hope the council will look at these proposals. It would also help resolve a problem they have at the moment with their unfunded system of area forums, which surely would be more popular if local people had a real say in budgeting rather than being endlessly 'consulted' but not listened to.
CLLR Theo blackwell
(Labour) Regent's Park ward
Camden Council
