Date set for final decision on Thatcham parking charges

West Berkshire Council will make the call, but pre-empting the decision, members of Thatcham Town Council have vowed to fight on to keep parking free in the Wheelers Green Way car park.
In May, the district council announced plans to charge for parking in two car parks.
Fees were introduced at Gilbert Court, Brownsfield Road, but, following complaints from the town council and a petition set up by the Burdwood Surgery, signed by staff and patients, West Berkshire agreed that further consultation would take place.
In a response to a complaint by the town council regarding a lack of communication about the plan, the head of highways at the district council, Mark Edwards, said that the views of the council and the petition would be taken into consideration by the executive member for transport policy Keith Chopping (Con, Sulhamstead), who is due to make a decision on Wednesday.
However, town councillors from across the party divide Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) and Richard Crumly (Con, Thatcham Central) have joined forces and said that if the charges are brought in, they will consider further action.
All bar one member present at a recent meeting of the town council’s finance and general purposes committee supported the motion.
Town and district councillor Roger Croft (Con, Thatcham South and Crookham) is towing his party line, and supporting the charges.
Mr Brooks said that parking fees for the Burdwood Centre would only raise about £100 a month, and added: “We will call the item in for scrutiny by West Berkshire Council.
“It will only take five members to call it in – let’s see what happens.”
Mr Crumly said that he hoped the decision would be in favour of no parking charges, but added: “If we need to call it in, I’m happy to support Jeff Brooks.
“The idea is to protect the poor motorists in Thatcham from further charges.”
The leader of Thatcham Town Council, Lee Dillon (Lib Dem, Thatcham North) said: “Unfortunately, this is not a case of cross-party support as Councillor Croft, one of the West Berkshire Council ward members for the affected area, will not support the calls for this unnecessary charge to be withdrawn.
“Thatcham Town Council is also unhappy that a policy that could have wide implications for user groups, patients and business in the area has not been fully costed, as far as we can see from the report.
“However, councillor Crumly deserves to be acknowledged that he, unlike his colleagues, is sticking up for the people of Thatcham.”