Deafening silence on residents' parking

After Cllr Terry Cook's rather strange and over-egged apologia over Labour's shambolic residents' parking consultation (which he still maintains was a professional and effective exercise) at yesterday's Full Council meeting, I felt compelled to press release where we've got to in the five weeks since the call-in meeting agreed a new consultation and a more open and inclusive approach :


DEAFENING SILENCE ON RESIDENTS' PARKING

Local councillors are still being kept out of the loop on the Residents' Parking Zones pilots, says Councillor Neil Harrison (Lib Dem, Cotham). Liberal Democrat Councillors from Cotham, Clifton and Clifton East have been trying in vain to break down the wall of silence formed since Labour agreed to do a more inclusive consultation in early January.

Councillor Harrison says, "It been over five weeks since the 'call-in' meeting where the Labour administration agreed to do a second and more inclusive consultation on the proposed Residents' Parking Zones in Kingsdown and Clifton. Yet, as a councillor in one of the affected wards, I have heard nothing at all. Colleagues have tried to get more information, but messages are going unanswered."

"Labour also agreed to produce a clear project plan stipulating timescales, an evaluation procedure and an exit strategy if things don't work out. Nothing has been forthcoming yet and, again, I have heard nothing about how this is going to be put together. Surely local councillors have a part to play?"

"I'm not sure whether nothing has happened for five weeks or whether it is just happening without councillors being involved. Either way, it hardly instills confidence when many residents are already very concerned about what's currently on the table. This process has been a secretive mess from start to finish and there are no signs that anything is changing as a result of the 'call-in' meeting."