10% parking levy could be introduced in Caernarfon

The cost of parking in a Gwynedd town could be hiked by 10% to fund local services, but has come under fire by some business leaders.
In what is expected would generate an extra £46,000 a year for Caernarfon’s town council, Gwynedd council has confirmed that it has received a request to start initial talks over the additional levy.
Such a scheme has already been set up in Porthmadog, one of several communities in Gwynedd where the additional 10% goes to the local town or community council rather than county council coffers to maintain local services.
Currently the cost of parking in Gwynedd Council run car parks varies between a minimum of £1 an hour and £2.00 for up to four hours in others, which would be hiked to a minimum of £1.10 and £2.20 respectively.
But the move has split opinion, having been described by one councillor and businessman as a false economy, fearing that such a proposal could backfire and drive business away from the town centre.
The town’s mayor, however, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that no final decision has yet been made, with the town council having only backed the move “in principle” with further discussions needed.
Cllr Jason Parry, who sites on both the town and county councils and runs a barber business, voted against the plan after describing the proposals as “concerning.”
“I’m very worried as parking in the town isn’t what I’d consider cheap as things are,” he said.
“10% may not sound a lot but its a figure that can easily mount up over time, and could easily dissuade people from popping in to the butcher’s for example. it just adds to people’s bills.
“The town council is freezing the precept but, to be frank, that’s because the auditor says the council already has more than enough in reserve.
“There doesn’t seem to be any long term strategy at all as to what it would be spent on, what use is this extra money just sitting in the bank?
“Caernarfon’s business community are up in arms over the plans, the town council should be there to serve the people of the town, not for the people of Caernarfon to serve the town council.”
But the mayor, Cllr Tudor Owen, said that discussions were only at an initial stage.
“No decisions have been made yet, having only been agreed in principle to contact Gwynedd Council with our initial interest.
“If the charge is indeed brought in, I would like to see specific projects highlighted so that people know where their money’s going.
“Thousands of tourists visit Caernarfon every year, but this money would stay in the town and spent on things that need to be done.
“Due to the cuts that have fell on county councils, many services have fell to town councils such as ourselves, such as youth clubs, but there is more we could do if we had the money.
“Personally I would like to see some of the money spent on parks, including Coed Helen, and Llanbeblig cemetery, projects that would really benefit the people of the town.
“But I must reiterate that these are early days and nothing is set in stone yet.”

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter