JUST some salient points from the car parking review which was discussed at last week's full council.

Firstly and foremost 85 per cent of all businesses surveyed stated that car parking charging had affected their business.

Despite the Cabinet's response that this was 'perception', then once again we have a ruling administration that hasn't a clue what is happening in our towns.  

More parallel universe deliberations from them.   The car parking review is a damning indictment on this crass and costly service, which is costing the taxpayers thousands of pounds, just to bolster the Cabinet's reluctance to remove this destructive charging regime.

This year (2014/15) we are having to take circa £100,000 from Forest of Dean District Council reserves to bolster a shortfall in car parking income.

This is on top of the £80,000 taken from reserves for the 2012/13 period together with a £40,000 shortfall in car parking income, also for 2012/13.  

We have no idea how much we will be short in this year's income for 2013/14.  

It also makes no sense to keep Mitcheldean and Redbrook on as car parking charged facilities, particularly as they both fail to generate enough income to 'wipe their face' – pointless, and at what cost to those local businesses?

Little wonder, then, that the Labour group will remove car parking charges if they form the administration in 2015.

– Cllr Paul McMahon (Lab), Forest of Dean District Council, Coleford East.