News from Westminster Labour

3000 object to Westminster Tories’ motorbike parking tax

Three thousand people have written to Westminster City Council to object to the Council’s £150 a year/£1.50 a day motorbike parking tax. And not one single person has written to the Council to support the new parking tax.

The new motorbike parking tax is equivalent to a 22 percent Council Tax increase and has been universally slammed by bikers living in Westminster and by the many thousands of motorbike owners who work or shop in Westminster.

The finances of Conservative Westminster are, however, in such a parlous state after the loss of £17 million in now-failed Icelandic Banks that the Council appears intent on ignoring the protest and continuing with the parking tax which raises over £1 million a year in charges and fines. Despite imposing the new bike parking tax, Westminster Conservatives plan to sack 400 staff – 10% of the workforce – over the coming months.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said;

“Westminster’s motorbike parking tax plan is opposed 100 percent by residents and by people working in Westminster. There has never been a bigger protest. The Council cannot find one motorbike owner, anywhere, to support this new tax. Yet the Conservatives seem set on ignoring the voice of the people because of the deep financial hole they have dug for themselves after they lost £17 million in Icelandic banks.”

Other news from Westminster Labour

• Westminster Council joint bottom of London league for Adult Social Care - 6 February 2012
• Westminster Labour calls for an 'outbreak of democracy' over election of new council Leader - 2 February 2012
• West End Commission – open letter to Westminster's Chief Executive - 21 January 2012