THERE?was a heated debate over the potential introduction of parking charges in Camelford’s Churchfield car park at the annual parish meeting last week.

A few members of the public joined town councillors at the meeting in Camelford Hall, and heard the reasoning behind the council’s proposals to introduce charging.

Clerk, Esther Greig, explained there had been problems in the car park with a lack of spaces. There are also a number of repairs that need to be carried out, including resurfacing, lines and signs.

A full review was started on how the car park is managed, both now and in the future. The town council consulted with residents and people who use the car park, and a survey was sent to all properties in the parish.

The consultation looked into how many people wanted resident permits, the capacity of the car park in winter and the cost implications, such as the cost of the ticket machine and enforcement.

If the proposals go ahead, the car park would become free for the first two hours, and there would be a small charge thereafter. Permits would be available to purchase for residents and businesses.

The council was keen to point out that they were proposals and there would be further consultations.

Residents were assured that no charges would be implemented until the full consultation process had taken place.

The meeting was opened up to the floor and a number of residents raised their concerns.

James Carr said: “It does seem like charging is going ahead. Democratically, it’s not looking great. It looks like you’re getting the info from the survey and cherry picking what you want to justify what you want for the car park.”

Ms Greig said the comments from the meeting will go to the next council meeting, then a draft car parking order will be put together with an outline and recommendation.

“A survey is indicative,”she added.

“It’s not just the permits,” Mr Carr continued. “It’s putting up ticket machines, that will be a lot. Realistically it’s going to be charging. It won’t stay as it is.”

Ms Grieg replied: “It can’t stay as it is. If people want the car park to be enforced, we have to get Cornwall Council in to do it.”

Mayor, Rob Rotchell said all discussions regarding the car park are, and have been, in the public domain. “There are no squirrel meetings, they’re all out in the public. When the traffic order is considered that will go out to consultation. If the response is we do not want it, it would be entirely inappropriate not to follow that. There has to be a new order either way.”

Another member of the public, Brian Culshaw, said the residents already pay for the car park in their precept. He asked if charging is implemented, would they have to then pay a smaller percentage in their council tax?

Ms Grieg said if the council was to go with a recommendation to adopt charges, the precept would remain the same. The income from permits and tickets would go towards enforcement and resurfacing of the car park, which will cost £40,000 to £50,000.

On top of the maintainence, the town council still has around 10 to 12 years of a loan (which was taken out to purchase the car park), and those the town council would continue to pay from the precept.

“The council is not looking to make a profit. There would be two hours’ free parking.”

Jenny Finch asked: “Have you considered giving each household a permit to park free for two hours?”

Cllr Rotchell replied: “The whole point is anybody that wants to park in the car park can park free for the first two hours Monday to Saturday, then it is 50p per hour up to 5pm and from 5pm to 9am it is free.”

One gentleman said that any system that is introduced has to be enforced, but he asked the council whether they would private car parking companies, to which the clerk replied no.

Another lady said: “What concerns me about this two hours free — during working hours you’re going to be charging people up to 5pm, and the only people penalised will be people living or working in Camelford. Tourists stay for two hours and not much more than that. The people you’re penalising are people we want to come in, and the community that live and work here.”

Ms Greig gave herself as an example, as she drives to work from Crackington and doesn’t pay for parking. She said she would be happy to pay £25 a year.

However, Mr Carr said: “The majority of people said for it to be free.”

One lady called the plans a ‘knee-jerk reaction’ to the contractors that were parking in the car park, taking up the spaces.

“You can’t penalise a lot of people for a couple of people.”

Richard Boundy questioned the results of the survey and action taken on it. He said: “You’ve made a summary of that survey. It’s obvious to anyone of a fair mind that you’ve selected information. You did not state that the most popular answer in the survey that the car park should stay on the porecept. You’ve taken an amount of data and cherry picked that data to justify the decision you’ve already made regarding the car park.”

Cllr Rotchell said that statement wasn’t true, and there will be further consultations that will go back to the town council.

Mrs Finch shared a first-hand experience of dealing with the car park.

“I was involved in the first car park discussions. People, quite frankly, in the town were rude, some of them verbally aggressive towards me. Nobody in all the meetings we had could come up with the solution of local people being able to use the car park freely. It was full in the summer, you couldn’t park. People park on double yellow lines. The council was also accused of having secret meetings and also accused of lying; none of which was substantiated at the time. I do sympathise at you having to make the decision.

“At the end of the day you’re making it for the good of Camelford not for the good of the council, not to make money, but to make it a little bit easier for Camelford and to ensure their precept won’t have to be increased year on year. Parking needs enforcing and if nobody can come up with a better solution than you have, they should shut up.”

Cllr Rotchell said this time there has been bullying and threats, both verbally and on social media, and he has referred it to the police.

Ken Harris said: “If you don’t agree, stand for council to work on behalf of the town. That’s precisely what they’re doing. I think they are trying to do their best for us as a community.”

Cllr Andy Shaw said: “If the council hadn’t purchased the car park as it did it would have been charged for by Cornwall Council. That’s irrefutable. That was the sole reason we purchased Churchfield car park, to stop huge car park charges for the residents of Camelford.”