Park Charges Consultation "A Farce"

12.00.00am GMT Sat 18th Jan 2003

The Council's consultation about proposed new charges in the car parks at High Elms and Keston Common has been branded a farce by Liberal Democrats.

The proposed charges, which are due to come in to force in April if approved, are currently the subject of public consultation. However, Liberal Democrat scrutiny of next year's provisional Council budget shows income from the charges included.

The process has been attacked by the Liberal Democrat Leisure and Culture spokesman, Cllr David McBride. "There is real public anger at the possibility of these new charges, which is showing itself at public meetings around the Borough. It now seems that Bromley's Tories have already decided to go ahead with the charges even before the consultation has finished. The whole process seems to be a farce."

Cllr David McBride is urging members of the public who are opposed to the charge to write to him at the Civic Centre. He will then pass on all correspondence to the Leisure and Culture Portfolio Holder, who has proposed the introduction of the charges.