In one of the Councils well managed and regular fanfares of spin in May 2018, Northumberland Conservatives ran out a £10m set-aside of cash and referred to a plan drawn up by very expensive consultants to deliver town centre parking improvements across 4 Northumberland towns, Alnwick, Berwick, Hexham and Morpeth.
The consultants found a number of common issues across all four towns and the administration coughed up more cash to have detailed plans drawn up to spend the £10m on.
Residents across the County are still waiting for the Councils record player to slow down the spin to halt and for the current administration to deliver on their promises to help to local residents explaining how they spent that much cash attacking their own residents by removing the opportunity to park up for more than 24hrs.
As the top spinning protagonist in May 2018 Councillor Glen Sanderson, Cabinet member for Environment and Local Services, said: “Because so many people approached us when we first took over the administration of the council about problems with car parking, and with general congestion in town centres, we have been committed to finding workable solutions to the county’s parking issues which have the support of residents, businesses, shoppers and visitors”.
He went on to explain that his colleagues who run Morpeth Town Council had agreed the plan for their town. Fifteen months on and Morpeth residents are asking why their Councils have failed them?
Residents across the Town described to us their fear of not being able to park near their homes when they return from work in the evenings and older people have told us they feel socially isolated as they fear going out in the evenings by car in case they can’t park near to where they live on their return.
Residents living near Pretoria Gardens, Matthesons Gardens and Greys Yard have taken to social media to heavily criticise Glenn Sandersons dodgy plans.
People who have used the St James car park near their homes safely for many years told us, “now we find that St James car park has a maximum parking time of 24 hrs, where do we who dwell in the centre of town park for the weekend or when working shifts? As a working woman I can hardly ever get near my home. I used to love living in Morpeth but my street is not permit holders only, am I meant to spend my life travelling between car parks?”.
A gentleman locking his car at St James when we went to view the car park said, “I’ve been lucky tonight to get this space at the end of the car park near to my home, but when somethings on in town I think it would be easier for me to park in Pegswood and bus home than struggle to find a space in Morpeth. I don’t know what the Council is thinking of doing something like this to it’s own residents, their a joke.”
An elderly man told us, “the real losers are the cab drivers in Morpeth, I now have to go to the airport in my own car when before this disaster took place I would have parked near my home and taxied in to go on holiday. I now no longer catch the train from Morpeth for the same reason as I now take long term parking in Newcastle when I go to visit my son and his family.”
Residents are seeking answers from Councillor Sanderson but as usual secrecy is paramount in the Councils thinking.
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