News from Westminster Labour

Westminster Tory councillor has “let the cat out the bag” on new parking charges

At last! A Westminster Conservative Councillor tells the truth about new Sunday and evening parking charges.

Conservative Westminster Councillor John Paul Floru, who represents the same Hyde Park Ward as Council Leader Colin Barrow, has told a constituent that the Sunday and evening parking charges agreed by the Council’s Cabinet on 1st August are because, “the money needs to be found elsewhere. If it is not raised through direct charges for services to users (such as parking), then the council tax for all must be raised.”

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said; “Councillor Floru has let the cat out the bag. Everyone knows that the Conservatives have introduced Sunday and evening parking charges in order to raise money, but Councillor Floru is the first Conservative Councillor to tell the truth. This admission from Councillor Floru will fuel the concerns of those who will lose out from the new parking charges – theatres, churches, musicians, shops and people working in the West End – and will add weight to the need for a thorough investigation into last night’s Cabinet decision.”

The full text of Councillor Floru’s email, sent on 31st July, is:

Dear Mr Latif,

Thank you for your email. I largely agree with what you are saying. I believe Westminster Council should make far greater cuts than it already does – but I am just one of 48 Conservative Councillors, and some of my colleagues are of a different opinion. I also note that I have received a large number of complaints about reductions in street cleansing (cuts) from residents.

As more cuts are apparently not in the offing, the money needs to be found elsewhere. If it is not raised through direct charges for services to users (such as parking), then the council tax for all must be raised. As you know we have the second lowest council tax in the country, with the next runner up substantially higher. I am opposed to raising the council tax. Parking revenue has gone down very substantially over the previous years.

As said, I would cut spending more.

Kind regards,

JP Floru

Jean Paul Floru is a committed free marketeer and the author of numerous articles on economics. His stated political heroes are Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, and is a follower of the philosophy of Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman. He is close to the Taxpayers’ Alliance, the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Adam Smith Institute.

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