Outrage at Additional Resident Charge Decision

6.38.51pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 16th Oct 2007

Cambridgeshire County Council has today approved plans to charge residents an additional £30 to set up new residents parking schemes.

The plans were approved without consultation by residents or local councillors and despite a request by Chair of the Cambridge Traffic committee for the decision to be deferred until after consultation.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor Julian Huppert, who chairs Cambridge Traffic Area Joint Committee, was shocked by the decision. He commented:

"It is outrageous that the Cabinet have decided to levy this charge without bothering to consult local residents or even Cambridge's traffic committee. The Cabinet should have waited to hear what local people had to say. This charge is unfair, unreasonable and inequitable. Is the County Council simply trying to get out of providing services to the taxpayers of Cambridge?"

Councillor Huppert wrote to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Access, Mac McGuire, last week criticising the proposal and asking that the Cabinet wait for public consultation.