THE leaders of the Forest of Dean Council could face a direct challenge over parking charges.

Opposition councillor Paul McMahon says he wants to build a cross-party alliance to enable a vote of no confidence in the Conservative Cabinet at the next full council in October.

He says he wants to see the five-strong Cabinet replaced with a cross-party group that will lead to the council until the next elections in 18 months.

Although he says the initiative is his, he is confident of the backing of colleagues in the Labour group but he will need to persuade members of the two Independent groupings, UKIP and the Liberal Democrats to back a vote of no-confidence.

At present the Conservatives hold power with 17 seats, but 29 are currently in the hands of the opposition – Labour has 16, Independents with nine, Independent Alliance with two and one each for the Lib Dems and UKIP.

There are currently two vacancies – in Coleford East which went to Labour at the last election and Redmarley which was Tory – and by-elections will be held in September.

Cllr McMahon suggested the opposition assault in a letter printed in this week's Review in which he criticises the administration over the loss of almost £32,000 made on operating the car parks between July last year and March.

In the letter, which is printed on page eight, he said: "I therefore call on all councillors to take the necessary actions to implement changes at our next full council meeting on October 24, by replacing this present Cabinet with a cross party group of councillors.

Cllr McMahon told the Review: "Something has to be done about parking charges which are killing our towns and costing the council money.

"I am campaigning to get the opposition parties to come together to start the process of getting rid of this Cabinet and to get it replaced with a cross-party Cabinet.

"We have got to stand up and be counted on this. I don't care what party people are if they are willing to stand up to this Cabinet.

"UKIP has picked up on the issue of the car parks but the Tories are effectively in coalition with the Independents and that's where we have to have the debate.

"Parking charges should be an issue which people can come together around. If we don't do something the electorate of the Forest of Dean will ask we why we didn't."

Forest Council leader Cllr Patrick Molyneux declined to comment on the move by the opposition but again underlined the need for parking charges.

He said: "The question that Cllr McMahon needs to be asked is if you make all the car parks free then what services do you cut or by how much do you increase Council Tax?

"There is not really a deficit on car parking. If there were no charges then we would be looking at a subsidy of £200,000.

"Free parking is not a cure-all. Free car parks get filled up by people working in the towns when what you need is space for visitors and shoppers."