‘Better communication’ is needed to keep businesses on side over plans to hike parking charges, according to Wokingham Borough Council’s leader. 

The decision to double the hourly rates in council run car parks across the borough has divided opinion amongst residents, but it also worries local businesses in Woodley who are already concerned about low footfall and rising overhead costs. 

Alongside a 4,000 strong petition signed by residents, over 40 Woodley based businesses have signed a separate one. 

Council leader Clive Jones and the Executive Member for Planning and Local Plan, Cllr Lindsay Ferris, visited Woodley Town centre last weekend to discuss the decision with retailers.  

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Cllr Jones said: “We explained the councils need to balance the budget both this year and next year.  

“We explained what we had inherited from the previous administration, shortfall in the budget, poor budgeting with things not budgeted for and a general reserve that had been raided already by the previous administration. 

“There was from many retailers an acceptance that the council had been left in a difficult position and that the whole country was in a difficult financial position.” 

The leader of the Wokingham Conservative Group, Pauline Jorgensen, in conjunction with other opposition councillors, has led the calls for the plans to be scrapped. 

She said businesses are “understandably unhappy and …concerned” with the rises and claims the charging times being extended into evenings and Sundays will mean restaurants are “significantly impacted”. 

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Cllr Jorgensen has called on the council to reconsider what she has called a “disastrous policy”. 

Cllr Jones said businesses detailed how they were more concerned about the impact of changes to shopper habits, as well as rising rent and energy costs on profits but want the council to better explain why the changes were necessary. 

He added: “We must therefore improve our communications and make sure everyone understands why these increases are necessary.” 

Increasing the charges from January will raise about £500,000 for the council, however, due to an £800,000 shortfall in parking revenue, there would still be more than £300,000 outstanding.   

Off-street car parking fees haven’t risen for five years and the Executive Member for Active Travel, Transport and Highways, Cllr Paul Fishwick, blames the previous leadership for not raising prices sooner. 

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He said: “Last year, the previous Conservative administration did propose to cover the growing shortfall with a car parking recovery plan […] with an estimated additional income of £500,000.  

“If they had gone ahead with that it would have made a significant reduction in the financial shortfall that we now face. But unfortunately, the previous administration failed to deal with it, and we are now picking up the consequences of their lack of action.” 

The price changes are set to come in from next year.