On-Street Parking Charges in Central Farnham

An important step forward taken at the Waverley Local Committee meeting last week on introducing parking charges in streets such as Castle Street. We councillors approved a scheme to go out to statutory consultation and that will now happen in the New Year. The proposals will be publicised widely in the local press and on Surrey's web-site but the outline is available in the Committee papers. Go to surreycc.gov.uk/waverley, scroll down to committee papers and it's Item 11 of the meeting on 16 December.

We have been wrestling with what to do with Castle Street and other roads for literally years - trying to get the balance right between residents' and shoppers' parking and, frankly, seeing if the council can raise money from charges, to be spent on highways improvements. The latest scheme was aired at a public meeting earlier this year and, to my surprise, approved of strongly. Since then, although elsewhere in the county proposals to charge for on-street parking have raised a storm, I've had no objections at all.

But, when Farnham residents and businesses actually see the details of what's on offer, that could change - that's one of the reasons for such an extensive consultation. I hope lots of people respond once the consultation opens. It's important that people in favour also write in as well as those against so decision-makers can get a true idea of what people think.

The proposals are forecast to raise a fair amount of revenue and local councillors have been arguing strongly that this stays in the Farnham area to be spent locally. We haven't won that battle yet but will keep fighting.