Guest Post: Cllr Cath Homer - Setting the parking record striaght

In May 2013, I, and my two fellow County Councillors, were elected on a pledge to campaign for free time controlled parking in our town to put an end to the parking charges disparity across our County. Free parking was also pledged by Labour candidates in their local manifesto.

Subsequently Hexham Town Council agreed to 'convince Northumberland County Council to implement free, time controlled, parking which will boost trade in the town centre' as part of our interim action plan.

We were supported on this resolution by our local MP Guy Opperman. Since then we have been very keen to negotiate the right parking deal for Hexham with the County Council as quickly as possible.

I ask the Labour administration at County Hall and the Labour members of Hexham Town Council to stick to their manifesto commitment, and  to get on with the job in hand and help us boost trade in our town centre rather than playing politics.