Just What Does Your Council Candidate think about Parking?

We sent in excess of 160 letters out to all candidates standing in the forthcoming Powys County Council elections, asking them whether they would support our call for "An IMMEDIATE review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys" once the new council assembles.

We also emailed all twenty plus councillors who are unopposed and will therefore automatically be re-elected on May 3rd. 

Frankly we were disappointed with the low level of response, it seems those candidates representing our towns are more concerned about parking than rural candidates,   

HOWEVER if you read the Brecon and Radnor Express this week, it seems both the Welsh Conservatives and Liberal Democrat parties have announced their ideas and support for a new county wide approach to parking once the new council sits.   We shall see - Meanwhile, this is what you candidate thinks - or doesn't think!

The list is broken down into historic counties, Brecknockshire, Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire and subdivided by wards, listed in alphabetical order.   All candidates standing for election or re-election are listed.

The list is correct as at 27th April 2012.

KEY

Supporting our campaign:                       name

Qualified support:                                  name

Acknowledgements only:                         name

Dissenters – campaign not necessary:       name

No response:                                        name

Brecknockshire

Aber-Craf

          Aubrey Jenkins

          Alun Thomas

          Sarah Louise Williams

Bronllys

          Liz Davies

          Steve Davies

          Terry Hurford

          Karen Laurie-Perry

          Sue Richards

Builth

          Megan Jane Lloyd

          Avril York

Bwlch

          Mary Fellowes

          Kathryn Susan Silk

Crickhowell

          John Morris

Cwmtwrch

          Sandra Christine Davies

Felinfach

          Tim Ashcroft

          John Pratt

          Tony Thomas

Gwernyfed

          Robert Golesworthy

          Geraint George Hopkins

          Debra Helen Williams

Hay

          Gareth Ratcliffe

Llanafanfawr

David Rowland Price

Llangattock

          Jackie Charlton        

          Jeff Holmes

          Andrew Lennox

Llangors

          Melanie Jade Brookes Davies

          David Kenneth Jones

Llangynidr

          Rosemarie Harris

          David Sharman

Llanwrtyd

          Bernice Benton

          Tim Van Rees

Maescar/Llywel

Edward Lewis

Evan Thomas Morgan

St David Within

          Lynette Longstaffe

          David William Meredith

          Caroline Parry

          Martin Weale

St John

          Matthew James Dorrance

          Mark Morgan

          Gareth Geoffrey Phillips

Brecon St Mary

          Paul James Ashton

          Mary Phillips

          Ieuan Williams

Tal-y-bont-on-Usk

          Liam Fitzpatrick

          Jan Harris

          Richard Thomas

Talgarth

          William Denston Powell

Tawe Uchaf

          Krish Pathak

          David Arnold Thomas

Ynyscedwyn

          Susan McNicholas

Yscir

          Dorothy Gillian Thomas

          John Williams

Ystradgynlais

          John Steadman

          Hugo Williams

Montgomeryshire

Banwy

          Myfanwy Catherine Alexander

Berriew

          Dai Davies

Blaen Hafren

          Graham Maurice Jones

Caereinion

          Sue Callery

          Viola Elizabeth Evans

          Christine Williams

Caersws

          Rachel Davies

          AnnLewis

Churchstoke

          Rob Harper

          Michael John Jones

Dolforwyn

          Ian Christopher Harrison

          Wynne Jones

          John Rowland

Forden

          Jan Chilton

          Linda Veronica Corfield

Glantwymyn

          Gwilym Pughe Vaughan

Guilsford

David Richard Jones

Kerry

          Benjamin John Breeze

          Kath Roberts-Jones

Llanbrynmair

          Harry Hughes

          Dai Jones

Sarah Reast

Llandinam

          Roche Davies

          Philip Anthony Freeman

Llandrinio

          Richard Graham Brown

Llandysilio

          Arwel Jones

Leigh Kellaway

          Nick Savage

Llanfihangel

          William Barry Thomas

Llanfyllin

Peter Edward Lewis

Llanidloes

          Gareth Morgan

          John Whittal-Williams

Llanrhaedr-ym-Mochnant / Llansilin

          Aled Wyn Davies

Llansantffraid

          Digby Davies

          Nick Powell

          Robert Gwynfor Thomas

Llanwddyn

          Darren Mayor

Machynlleth

          Mike Williams

Meifod

          Eldrydd Mary Jones

Montgomery

          Nicholas John Bardsley

          Stephen Murray Hayes

Newtown Central

          Russell Ian George

Newtown East

          Richard Gernard Edwards

          Joy Jones

          Richard John White

Newtown Llanllwcaearn North

          Gemma- Jane Bowker

Francis Alexander Torrens

Newtown Llanllwchaearn West

          Peter Harris

Newtown South

          Bob Mills

          Rex Shayler

Matt Tisdale

Philip Bowell Watkins

Rhiwcynon

          David Lyn Oliver

          Joy Shearer

Welshpool Llanerchyddol

Ann Holloway

          John Morgan

Trewern

          Dawn Bailey

          Jessica Bradley

Welshpool Castle

          Estelle Bleivas

Ian David Bradley    

          Philip Charles Pritchard

Welshpool Gungrog

          Francesca Helen Jump

          Stephen Thomas Kaye

Radnorshire

Beguildy

          John Harold Brunt

Geoff Morgan

Alan Cecil Watson

Disserth and Trecoed

          Les Davies

          Gwilym Williams

Glasbury

          Chris Davies

          David Roger Hood

          Elizabeth Margaret Morris

Knighton

          Ken Harris

          Peter James Medlicott

          John Llewellyn Morgan

          Penny Nicholson

Llanelwedd

          Maureen Mackenzie

Llanbadarn

          John Powell

Llandrindod East / Llandrindod West

          Charles Nathan Edward Casey

Brian Arthur Lopez

Keith Francis Tampin

Llandrindod North

          Mike Hodges

          Marion Lopez

          Gary David Price

          Mike Sivier Llandrindod South

          Shirley Ann Gittoes

Sarah Jane Millington

          Tom Turner

Llangunllo

          Hywel Lewis

Llanyre

          John Evans

          Jeffrey David Green

          Forbes Neil Lopez

          Geraint Owain Rees

Nantmel

          Adam Bridgman

          Catrin Edwards

David Evans

Peter David Roberts

Old Radnor

          E Michael Jones

          John Stuart Milsom

          Bob Simcock

Presteigne

          Garry Richard Banks

          Nat Green

          John Edward Wilding

Rhayader

          Kelvin Watson Curry

          Gemma Morris

          Bryan The Blacksmith

Civil Parking Enforcement in Powys – Costs, Fines and Income

(see the following blog for details of your Councillor Candidate’s Responses to our Campaign)

This last month or so has been frenetic.  In late April we submitted two questions to Powys County Council, trying to find out : 

1.   How much it cost Powys County Council to adopt Civil Parking Enforcement?

and

2.   What were the costs and income for its first year of operation?

(these are very much shortened versions of our Freedom of Information requests)

We were promised that the “due date for responding to this request for information is April 25, 2012”.

No answer was received by 25^th or 26^th April but eventually, today 27^th at just past 5pm, and after much prevarication, we received a response to the second of our two questions.   We have been promised the answer to our first question this coming Monday, 30^th April.

HOWEVER interestingly it has just come to our notice that a report has been distributed to County Councillors on 25^th April which effectively duplicates many of our questions and does throw some light on elements of the income Powys have derived from parking fines over the last year.  There seem to be some very interesting anomalies too!

We shall come back to the responses Powys have given us to our question in a moment, but as some of the statistics provided to Councillors are broken down by towns – here goes:

Civil Parking Enforcement

1^st April 2011 – 31^st March 2012

Total number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued

County Total                     6,255

Hay-on-Wye                643

Brecon                    1,989

Builth Wells                 374 

Llandrindod Wells         440

Crickhowell                 232 

Rhayader                   107

Talgarth                       10

Number of off-street PCNs issued (editor - i.e. in car parks)

County Total                     2,356

Hay-on-Wye                210

Brecon                       900

Builth Wells                 153 

Llandrindod Wells         109

Crickhowell                   99

Rhayader                     44

Talgarth                      n/a

Number of on-street PCNs issued (i.e. street parking infringements)

County Total            3,899

Hay-on-Wye                433

Brecon                       998

Builth Wells                 221 

Llandrindod Wells         331

Crickhowell                 133 

Rhayader                     63

Talgarth                       10

Total income generated for Powys County Council

County Total            £139,824

Hay-on-Wye                £22,505

Brecon                       £66,430

Builth Wells                 £13,090     

Llandrindod Wells         £15,400

Crickhowell                   £8,120    

Rhayader                     £3,745

Talgarth                         £350

(these figures are apparently based on £35 per PCN !)

[Ed. This makes a total of £114,240 which if the figures are accurate, means that the seven towns generated 82% of the income generated for Powys and the remainder of the county, generated only £25,584 or 18% of total income !   CAN THAT BE TRUE? ]  

Interestingly, based on the figures supplied, the income ratio per head generated for each town listed is:

Hay-on-Wye                15

Brecon                         7

Builth Wells                   5            

Llandrindod Wells           3

Crickhowell                   3  

Rhayader                     2

Talgarth                       0

Lastly and also very interesting are the :

Civil Enforcement Officer hours spent enforcing CPE

County Total            20,000 hours *

*Interim figure based on 9 officers and 42.5 hours per week

Hay-on-Wye                1,040           5%

Brecon                       3,900         19.5%

Builth Wells                    780          4%  

Llandrindod Wells            676          3%

Crickhowell                  1,300          6.5%

Rhayader                       260         1%

Talgarth                         260           1%

There really is something strange about these figures provided to Councillors.  The above timescales mean that 40% of time spent by CEOs in the seven towns produced 82% of the income, whilst the remaining 60% of time spent elsewhere in the county produced only 18% of the income generated.  (perhaps travel time has not been included – but even so!)

The document also provided some information regarding appeals but on first appearance, the answers seem to contradict information previously supplied.

If you can be bothered, an enlightening exercise is to divide the number of tickets issued by the income received and the results just don’t seem to make sense – that is unless Powys operate a Pay one, get one free system. 

I’m afraid that I for one, just don’t trust these figures!

Now, the answers provided to some of our questions!

Costs :

1.       Total costs for Pay and Display Car Parks                     £756,800

2 - 4. Total cost of Civil Parking Enforcement ²                       £326,248

² Civil enforcement costs include relevant staff overheads, equipment, internal and external administration.  The cost of “on-street” enforcement is not separately identifiable.

Income :

5.       Total number and value of off-street PCNs issued :

County Total  2,356          £50,845  (Ed. £21.58 each ?)

6.       Total number and value of on-street PCN’s issued :

County Total            3,899          £103,753  (Ed. £26.61 each ?)

7.       Total number and value of PCN’s paid within 14 days :

County Total 4,380³                   £121,935  (Ed. £27.84 each ?)

³ based on payments made at reduced rates.  Additional payments may be received within 14 days or underpayments made for higher rate offences.  Previous calculations have indicated a total of 4,468.

8.       Total number and value of PCNs paid after 14 days

County Total    435⁴          £23,260   (Ed. £53.47 each)

⁴ based on payment made at full rate.  Additional payments may may be recievd for alternative amounts.

9.       Total number and value of PCNs appealed and payment outstanding :

County Total  Not known            Value - not calculated

10.     Total number and value of appeals :

County Total  7                 Value - not calculated

11.     Total number and value of successful appeals :

County Total  3                 Value – not calculated

12.     Total number and value of appeals awaiting decision : 

County Total  3                 Value – not calculated

13.     Total income received from Wales Penalty Processing Partnership (WPPP) :

Total   £139,824    Income not yet received – not calculated

14.     Total Revenue from Pay and Display Car Parks :

Total   £959,498

Hay-on-Wye                £141,286 15%

Brecon                       £242,898 25%

Builth Wells                   £44,080   4.5%

Llandrindod Wells           £21,530   2%

Crickhowell                   £63,388   6.5%

Rhayader                     £14,983      1.5%

(Ed. The above 5 towns provided 54.5% of Powys’ total  income from pay and Display Car parks.)

15.     Total Revenue from Car Park Parking Permits :

County Total  £135,226

Well, there you are, those are the facts and figures as provided by Powys County Council.  We’ve not had the time to look at the figures properly yet, but shall do so.  In the meanwhile, why not let us know what you think!

  

NOT EVERYONE SUPPORTS OUR CAMPAIGN

Candidates supporting our call for an immediate review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys

Cllr. John Steadman – Ystradgynlais
Cllr. Margaret Morris – Glasbury
Robert Golesworthy – Gwernyfed
Cllr. Gareth Ratcliffe – Hay
Keith Tampin – Llandrindod Wells East & West
Cllr. Gareth Morgan – Llanidloes
Dr John Morgan – Llanerchyddol Ward Welshpool
Cllr. Mike Williams – Machynlleth
Cllr. Kathryn Silk – Bwlch
Cllr. David Jones – Guilsford
Mary Fellowes – Bwlch
Christine Williams Llanfair Caereinion
Chris Davies - Glasbury
Liz Davies – Bronllys

Rob Harper  - Churchstoke

John Pratt – Felin Fach

Peter Medlicott – Knighton

Paul Ashton – Brecon St Mary

Megan Lloyd – Builth Wells

John Milsom – Old Radnor

Debra Williams – Gwernyfed

Megan Lloyd – Builth Wells

Nick Powell – Llanfechain and Llansantffraid

Forbes Lopez – Llanyre

Richard Thomas – Tal-y-Bont

Marion Lopez – Llandrindod Wells North

Cllr. Aled Davies – Llansilan

Gillian Thomas - Yscir

Tom Turner – Lalndrindod Wells South

John Williams – Yscir

Cllr. Peter Harris – Newtown Llanwchaiarn West

David Jones – Llangors

Qualified support has also been received from :

Sarah Reast – Llanbrynmair

John Milsom – Old Radnor

Brian Lopez – Llandrindod Wells East & West

Acknowledgements have been received but no opinion expressed from :

Cllr. Linda Corfield – Forden

John Wilding

Watch this space for what we hope will be more responses before we publish the full list of replies - and those who just can’t be bothered to respond!

Some more comments received from candidates:

Marion Lopez – Llandrindod Wells North

Have read with interest the comments on your blog.  They indicated how a parking solution for Powys is not one-size-fits-all; Hay with full car parks and a heavily tourist-based economy needs a different response from Llandrindod where the car parks are half empty and PCC office staff park all day on-street, preventing residents from stopping legally anywhere near their homes.  Surely it's better to pay for a resident's parking permit than be fleeced by fines on a regular basis.

John Williams - Yscir Ward

I agree with your campaign for an immediate review of parking in Powys. Although the ward I am standing in is very rural, many of the constituents of Yscir will have faced the problems you speak of when visiting the nearby towns of Brecon, Builth and Hay.

I wish you all the best with the campaign.

Gillian Thomas - Yscir Ward

I support a review to be undertaken as soon as practicable which needs to be fair and equitable across the County.

Councillor Peter Harris - Newtown Llanwchaiarn West

I will most certainly support the Campaign.  Hopefully after the election the new Council will be controlled by like minded members.

Support for our campaign is not universal, there are dissenters too:

(Although to be fair, these councillors are not opposed to a review of traffic and parking, they just think everything that could be done, is already being done.)

Councillor J H Brunt - Beguildy

The portfolio holder said in a press statement dated 1^st July 2011 that a review of on and off street car parking would commence straight away.

This was the case.  Unfortunately the officer responsible has been off sick most of the time since then.

The portfolio holder has a draft policy for resident’s (sic) parking and a scheme for prioritising Traffic Regulation Orders already complete.

It is certain that after the election the review will proceed.

In the current administration, Cllr. Brunt is Chair of the Environment and Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee and a member of the Licensing Committee.

We say:

We are of course well aware of Cllr Geraint Hopkins’ (the portfolio holder referred to in Cllr Brunt’s email.) statement; we refer to it in our blog.  Unfortunately Cllr Hopkins confirmed at the meeting held at County offices in Llandrindod Wells on October 11th 2011, that no work had at that time in fact started!  Both officers apparently responsible for the review were present at the meeting, although we understand that one has been off sick for an extended period since then.

However, July 1^st is almost ten months ago, and surely that is sufficient time to undertake a review that was promised to full council and publicised to the press.

It is reassuring to hear that “it is certain that after the election the review will proceed”.  We hope that whoever takes over portfolio responsibility after the elections agrees; we are merely trying to ensure that any new incumbent is fully aware of the urgency of the problems brought about through the council’s ill thought out draconian enforcement of outdated parking restrictions throughout the county.  Procrastination and further unnecessary delay are just not acceptable – and it seems from the support we have received that many councillors agree!

Lastly, why can’t we see the draft policy and the scheme for prioritising Traffic Regulation Orders’; or at least some evidence of their existance.   Public consultation should be at the heart of government, not secrecy.

Cllr. Ken Harris - Knighton

I’m sorry but as Cllr. Ratcliffe well knows (and could have told you) the Review is on-Going and the fact that a Review is taking place is as a result of support from the Cabinet Members of which I am one.

It is rather pointless to call for an immediate Review now during the end of one Council just before a second one starts.

In the current administration, Cllr. Harris is a Powys County Council Cabinet Member with portfolio responsibilities for Waste, Climate Change & Welsh Language.
 
We say

Thank you Cllr Harris, it is reassuring that you, as one of the cabinet, were instrumental in ensuring a Review ‘is taking place’.  However, as we comment above in our response to Cllr. Brunt, we have seen no evidence of the review!

We (and it seems our supporters) do not believe that it is ‘pointless’ to call for an ‘immediate’ review.  It is just because one council is ending and new councillors are being elected, that we are campaigning for long overdue action. 

Newly elected councillors will enjoy five years of power.  We hope they will not sit on their laurels but get on with all the various challenges facing them;  parking is an important priority and we believe bringing attention to candidates’ attitudes towards instigating an IMMEDIATE review of traffic and parking will concentrate minds.  You never know – it might just bring about a responsible approach to parking. 

More Responses

Responses and Quotes Received in Reply to our Letters to Candidates 

Response to the 160 letters we sent out to Powys County Council candidates continue to come in. Today’s update brings responses to 33 or approximately 21% of candidates.

We have today emailed all sitting councillors who are standing for re-election and the surprising number of councillors who are unopposed and already sure of their seat on Powys County Council. We await their response (unfortunately a number of councillors obviously don’t look at their emails too frequently as their ‘in-boxes’ are full and won’t take any more messages. Amazingly, for 2012, one councillor doesn’t use email but instead supplied a postal address – in this day and age and with the increasing cost of postage!

Supporting our call for an immediate review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys 

Cllr. John Steadman – Ystradgynlais
Cllr. Margaret Morris – Glasbury
Robert Golesworthy – Gwernyfed
Cllr. Gareth Ratcliffe – Hay
Keith Tampin – Llandrindod Wells East & West
Cllr. Gareth Morgan – Llanidloes
Dr John Morgan – Llanerchyddol Ward Welshpool
Cllr. Mike Williams – Machynlleth
Cllr. Kathryn Silk – Bwlch
Cllr. David Jones – Guilsford
Mary Fellowes – Bwlch
Christine Williams Llanfair Caereinion
Chris Davies - Glasbury
Liz Davies – Bronllys
Rob Harper - Churchstoke
John Pratt – Felin Fach
Peter Medlicott – Knighton
Paul Ashton – Brecon St Mary
Megan Lloyd – Builth Wells
John Milsom – Old Radnor
Debra Williams – Gwernyfed
Megan Lloyd – Builth Wells
Nick Powell – Llanfechain and Llansantffraid
Forbes Lopez – Llanyre
Richard Thomas – Tal-y-Bont
Marion Lopez – Llandrindod Wells North
Cllr. Aled Davies – Llansilan
Tom Turner – Lalndrindod Wells South

Qualified support has also been received from : 

Sarah Reast – Llanbrynmair
John Milsom – Old Radnor
Brian Lopez – Llandrindod Wells East & West

Acknowledgements have been received but no opinion expressed from : 

Cllr. Linda Corfield – Forden John Wilding

Watch this space for what we hope will be more responses before we publish the full list of replies - and those who just can’t be bothered to respond!

Responses and Quotes

Responses and Quotes Received in Reply to our Letters to Candidates

Response to the 160 letters we sent out to Powys County Council candidates continue to come in. Whilst it is true that not all respondents have been universally supportive, most are.

We take this opportunity to quote some of the responses we have received, and those replies we have sent in return. Quoted below are comments from respondents marked *

Supporting our call for an Immediate review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys :

Cllr. John Steadman – Ystradgynlais
Cllr. Margaret Morris – Glasbury
Robert Golesworthy – Gwernyfed
Cllr. Gareth Ratcliffe – Hay
Keith Tampin – Llandrindod Wells East & West
Cllr. Gareth Morgan – Llanidloes
Dr John Morgan – Llanerchyddol Ward Welshpool *
Cllr. Mike Williams – Machynlleth *
Cllr. Kathryn Silk – Bwlch
Cllr. David Jones – Guilsford *
Mary Fellowes – Bwlch
Christine Williams - Llanfair Caereinion
Chris Davies - Glasbury
Liz Davies – Bronllys
Rob Harper - Churchstoke
John Pratt – Felin Fach
Peter Medlicott – Knighton
Paul Ashton – Brecon St Mary
Megan Lloyd – Builth Wells
John Milsom – Old Radnor

Qualified support has also been received from :

Sarah Reast – Llanbrynmair *
John Milsom – Old Radnor *
Brian Lopez – Llandrindod Wells East & West *

Acknowledgements have been received but no opinion expressed from :

Cllr. Linda Corfield – Forden
John Wilding

Worth quoting are the following respondents :

From: John Milsom - Old Radnor

Bearing in mind that parking is not uppermost in the minds of the electors of the Old Radnor ward, and that many are more concerned with parking in Kington than in Powys.
But yes, there have been a lot of complaints recently about parking in Hay, and from what I have heard, parking regs are being enforced there in a pretty rigid and unimaginative fashion.
So yes, there is room for a review.
Having said that, if you are also promoting the idea of residents' only parking, I am against. It cuts down the amount of parking available to people coming in to shop, and so is bad for business (and bad for the people of Old Radnor Ward). And, if my daughter's experience in London is anything to go by, it can turn into a way in which council can fleece the residents, some of whom will have little choice but to pay the charges, whatever they are.

We responded

Thanks for your response. I hope you will get an opportunity to look at our proposals as outlined in our blog. In fact we don't call for residents only parking; our proposals have been carefully worked out to provide two zones in towns, the first to be only visitors' parking with half and one hour parking allowed plus some disabled and and visitors' restricted to half and one hour waiting only. There are only a very few residents only parking areas, restricted to particularly difficult areas and very limited in number. In the outer zone (we call it zone 2.) which is the area where most residents live, parking is time restricted to 1 hour, from 8:00am to 6:00pm 7 days a week. HOWEVER residents displaying a permit will be allowed to park in such zones without restriction of time. The idea is that many residents do not use these areas during normal working hours and it is important we provide sufficient visitors' places to encourage commerce.

The plan has been quite carefully worked out and if you find it difficult to locate it on our blog, please contact me and I can happily email you the details. I hope that answers some of your questions. We believe it important that representatives of both rural and urban wards support the campaign. We must encourage people from out of town to visit, shop and generally use our towns. In passing, we have also proposed the use of the town's cattle market parking during non-market days, as overflow parking. We do believe that this scheme has been something of a 'cash cow' for the council and have put in two Freedom of Information requests to find out the costs of setting up the scheme and most importantly, the income derived against the running costs. Answers have been promised by 25th April!

Best wishes and I hope this will persuade you to support the campaign


From Brian A Lopez – Llandrindod Wells East & West

Thank you for your recent undated and unsigned communication that I received in Saturday morning's mail delivery.
Until receipt, I was completely unaware of your campaign and whilst expressing support for it generally, I appreciate the complexity of the matter, especially as it relates to the whole of Powys as an entity.
Having resided in Ithon Road in Llandrindod Wells for in excess of twenty years - and previously in Ffynnon Gynydd -1 have been aware of a parking problem in my immediate neighbourhood for some while. However, since I have got on the ground by canvassing the two wards that I seek to represent on Powys County Council, I have become aware of at least three other parking and/or traffic circulation problems within these wards at the centre of our town.
Therefore, I imagine that as Llandrindod is only one of about ten centres of population within Powys that has vehicular problems of one sort or another the whole matter is far greater than I can currently imagine.
Therefore, whilst I accept the urgency of the subject, due to the complexity of the problem and in order to do justice to all the communities within the County, I find myself unable to accept the word IMMEDIATE but recognise the need for a comprehensive and thorough review to be undertaken at an early convenient and programmed opportunity.
In replying I find myself responding to an anonymous pressure group identifying itself with what I consider to be an offensive mnemonic as its title. Should there be future contacts between ourselves I would prefer to know with I am corresponding, or meeting, and without the use of a vulgar epithet to identify itself.

We responded

Thank you for responding to my mail shot. First I should explain that I have quite deliberately tried to keep my name out of the campaign preferring that any publicity should concentrate on the campaign rather than any one person. Further, I believe my anonymity allows the campaign to be seen as non-political, single issue and not associated any supporter’s perceived preferences or political stance. It does and has allowed me to acknowledge the support on the blog of all and any who are in sympathy with our aims.

Regarding your comments about CRAP being an offensive mnemonic, when I started the campaign in April last year, I needed a name for the original local questionnaire and decided that a Rational Approach to Parking described what I hoped to achieve. In discussion with others, I changed Rational to Realistic and the campaign was launched. I decided that the resulting acronym C.R.A.P was memorable and likely to attract the attention of the media; and so it has proved.

I accept the term Crap is offensive to many, is certainly vulgar in the proper use of the word, but it is in common usage and its definition of ‘ worthless, useless or lacking in ability’ I felt aptly described what I considered had been the County’s inept approach to the adoption of Civil Parking Enforcement in April last year. Nonetheless I must apologise if you find it particularly distasteful.

I note your reservations regarding my choice of requiring an ‘immediate’ review of traffic and parking, but please understand that we have been working on a plan for a year in Hay and despite receiving specific promises of reform from the Powys politicians and officers responsible for traffic and parking, being told that our plan could be used as a blueprint for the county and a unanimous vote in July last year to bring forward a review, nothing has been done. It will be all too simple for the new Powys administration to procrastinate unless our campaign results in a better appreciation of the problem among both the public and our newly elected councillors.
Nonetheless, I recognise your inability to accept ‘immediate’ in the wording of our campaign and shall record your statement accordingly.

The story of our year long campaign is recorded on our blog crap-powys.blogspot.com.

Should you have any queries, or further comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.


From Sarah Reast – Llanbrynmair :

Thank you for your letter asking for my support for your campaign. As my
Llanbrynmair ward is extremely rural, parking is not an issue that
directly relates to us here so I can not honestly say I can represent the
constituents views on an issue that that barely affects them. However, if
I am elected then I will be in a position to view the matter from a more
County wide perspective and would be very interested then to re-visit it.
Watch this space!
Good luck.

We responded that we believe that a review of traffic and parking is as important for the rural community in Powys as it is for the urban dweller. We all hope that Powys continues to prosper and thrive and attracting both residents and visitors to use and shop in our towns is to the advantage of all of us, wherever we live in the county.


From David Jones – Guilsford

Thank you for your letter. It is not like Powys to be slow to provide a service. I suggest you take the matter up again with the relevant cabinet member who, I am sure is straining at the lease to justify his 40% salary increase. I think it will be more useful to go for a change of cabinet at Powys. In the meantime I support your campaign to have orderly parking in Powys with the proviso that the council is not allowed to make a profit out of motorists parking outside their own homes.

Best wishes for the campaign


From Cllr. Mike Williams - Machynlleth

Thank you for your recent letter regarding this matter and I respond as follows: I support an IMMEDIATE review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys. Incidentally, I raised this matter at the most recent meeting of Montgomeryshire, stating the deep concern of Machynlleth Town Council and myself, and calling for an appropriate Powys County Councillor officer to meet with the Council.

With all good wishes to your campaign


From Dr John Morgan - Llanerchyddol Ward Welshpool

Thank you for your lobbying letter which I collected from my mail box barely half a mug of coffee ago. I have been involved in casework in trying to get residents parking permits, even if only for reserved occupations and severely disabled, in the Mount St area of Welshpool and have been frustrated by the lack of progress since what seemed a ray of light appeared all those months ago. Therefore on the basis of you lobbying letter I fully endorse your campaign and will challenge its objectives as stated should I be elected on the 3 May. I also want to know why the portfolio member in charge hasn't progressed matters, maybe the electorate will hold him to account.

Thus:
I support an IMMEDIATE review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys.

More Quotes to Follow

Thank you Machynlleth

An unsolicited message of support from Machynlleth

Sirs

Machynlleth Town Council support an immediate review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys.

Regards

Melanie Biffin
Clerk to Machynlleth Town Council

Support for CRAP's Campaign

Following our letter posted to all 160 plus candidates standing in the 3rd May Powys County Council elections, we are beginning to get emails and returned slips, most confirming support for the CRAP campaign.

RURAL CANDIDATES

Powys is a proudly rural county with a small number of relatively small towns and villages. An interesting response to our letter came from Sarah Reast, Powys County Council candidate for Lllanbrynmair, a particularly rural ward. We quote her email below:

Thank you for your letter asking for my support for your campaign. As my
Llanbrynmair ward is extremely rural, parking is not an issue that
directly relates to us here so I can not honestly say I can represent the
constituents views on an issue that that barely affects them. However, if
I am elected then I will be in a position to view the matter from a more
County wide perspective and would be very interested then to re-visit it.
Watch this space!
Good luck.
Yours sincerely
Sarah Reast
County Council candidate for Llanbrynmair

We think Sarah makes a valid comment but take this opportunity, perhaps not adequately made in our letter, to stress how important traffic and parking should be to both rural as well as urban members of the Powys community.

Parking is undoubtedly particularly important to residents of our towns of villages, but as important are the well being and interests of the rural community to urbanites, so should the health and vitality of our urban centres be to the county’s country dwellers.

Rural residents use local towns for shopping and leisure, and tourists, upon whom mch of our economy depends, are attracted as much by the unique appeal of our countryside as they are to what our historic towns and villages have to offer. Town and country are interdependent and it is vitally important that we who live locally, in town, village or in the countryside, use all that our unique countryside has to offer as well as shopping locally, buying local produce and products and support local enterprise and businesses.

Our county will only thrive if it remains a wonderful place to live, a thriving place to earn a living and a welcoming place for visitors.

Don’t let short term draconian enforcement of outdated parking restrictions dissuade visitors from the local community as well those from further afield, from coming to our towns.

NOW THE DETAILS SO FAR:

We have received support from the following candidates, all of whom ‘support an IMMEDIATE review of traffic and parking throughout Powys’. Some comments forwarded to us will be added over the coming days.

In no particular order, support has been received thus far from:

Cllr. John Steadman – Ystradgynlais
Cllr. Margaret Morris – Glasbury
Robert Golesworthy – Gwernyfed
Cllr. Gareth Ratcliffe – Hay
Keith Tampin – Llandrindod East & West
Cllr. Gareth Morgan – Llanidloes
Dr John Morgan – Llanerchyddol Ward Welshpool
Cllr. Mike Williams – Machynlleth
Cllr Kathryn Silk – Bwlch
Cllr. David Jones – Guilsford
Mary Fellowes – Bwlch
Christine Williams Llanfair Caereinion
Chris Davies - Glasbury
Liz Davies - Bronllys

Only 150 more to go!

Everyone's Here

A Lovely Sunny Day in Hay-on-Wye


The car park is full, the market is buzzing and the town centre is crowded with both locals and visitors - Just what we want for our town!


Walking the Streets of Hay this morning were Powys County Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe, (Hay ward) Robert Golesworthy, Hay Town Councillor and prospective Powys County Council candidate for Gwerwyfed ward, Fiona Howard Hay Town Councillor and Steve Holdaway, Powys County Council Head of Local and Environmental Services who were looking at the parking problems and traffic in the town. (It should be noted that a CEO [traffic warden to you and me!]was active in the very busy card park - we hope no-one overstayed their time!)

There is hope yet that we may get a sensible parking scheme for Hay and the county.

A Letter sent today 11th April to all Powys County Councillor Candidates

Dear candidate,

Please support CRAP’s campaign for an IMMEDIATE review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys?

There will be many key issues facing you in your bid to be elected, please see below details of the CRAP campaign which seeks your support.

CRAP (the Campaign for a Realistic Approach to Parking) is asking all Powys County Council candidates to support an “immediate review of Parking Policy, traffic management and on and off-street parking in consultation with both businesses and residents across the whole of Powys”. * As per the Powys County Council motion carried on 14th July 2011)

CRAP is a single issue, non-political popular campaign, started in Hay-on-Wye in reaction to the damaging effects of Powys County Council taking over Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) from Dyfed Powys Police in April 2011.

CRAP believes CPE as presently structured is bad for Powys, it is dissuading people from shopping locally, discouraging visitors and tourists, is costing visitors and residents dearly in unfair penalty charges is destroying local communities and makes bad business sense.

CRAP, after six months public consultation has produced proposals for a review of traffic flow and parking in Hay-on-Wye, which at a meeting with Powys County Council on 12th October 2011, was agreed could be used as a “blueprint for a prospective countywide policy”.

CRAP enjoys wide public support and the encouragement of chambers of trade, town councils and politicians from all parties including Roger Williams MP, Kirsty Williams AM as well as past councillors and communities throughout Powys including Machynlleth, Presteigne, Brecon and Talgarth.

CRAP has determined that the (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Loading and Parking Places) (Civil Enforcement and Consolidation) Order 2011 through which Powys assumed CPE powers, calls for the issue of Residents’ Parking Permits and exemption certificates yet none have been issued.

CRAP understands the following Welsh authorities have already introduced Residents’ Parking Zones and provide Residents Parking Permits to qualifying persons.:
Blaenau Gwent: Bridgend: Caerphilly: Cardiff: Carmarthenshire: Conwy: Denbighshire: Gwynedd: Merthyr Tydfil: Monmouthshire: Neath Port Talbot: Newport: Pembrokeshire: Rhondda: Swansea: Vale of Glamorgan: Wrexham.
CRAP believes that Powys should to do the same.

CRAP started crap-powys.blogspot.com in May 2011. For full details of our campaign so far (see 9th April entries ‘CRAP Background and the Story So Far’ & ‘CRAP Highlights of our blog’). For details of the proposals presented to Powys County Council (see 11th September entries ‘Hurrah! The Final Proposals’ & ‘TEXT OF THE FINAL PROPOSALS’)

CRAP has registered two Freedom of Information requests (see 24th March entries ‘First Freedom of Information Request’ & ‘Second Freedom of Information Request’) in order to find out the actual costs and income derived from the first year of CPE. A response has been promised by April 25th and will be published on our blog.

The history of Powys County Council’s adoption of Civil parking Enforcement has been one of confusion, obduracy, misinformation and broken promises.

March 2011 we were promised a “review will generally commence in April 2012”
No review has been undertaken or is planned for this month.

April 1st 2011 Powys County Council took over Civil Parking Enforcement to:

Improve Safety: Reduce the misuse of disabled parking bays: Improve conditions for all road-users, particularly pedestrians and disabled people: Reduce parking problems, especially around schools and in residential areas: Improve public transport reliability and journey times.

CRAP has asked Councillor Geraint Hopkins, Portfolio Holder for Traffic and Parking whether these aims have been achieved. No response has been received.

July 11th 2011 as a result of public and political pressure the motion “From September 2011 this Council will start to work on the feasibility of a residents' parking policy…” was carried at a full Powys County Council meeting.
Councillor Geraint Hopkins confirmed that no work started in September 2011

11th October 2011 CRAP's parking proposals were presented to Councillor Geraint Hopkins (Powys County Council Cabinet Member and Portfolio Holder Environment and Regulation, responsible for Traffic and Parking) who promised to “respond to the campaign’s proposals in detail by the beginning of December.”
No response was received by the promised date.

January 2012 Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe was told by Councillor Geraint Hopkins that he “would be unable to respond … by the promised date, but instead would come back … in January.”
No response was received by the promised date.

29th January 2012 in an email to CRAP, Councillor Geraint Hopkins told us “Your proposals …. are forming the basis of the review. Unfortunately due to lack of resource this is not progressing as quickly as I would have liked and I haven't any money in my budget to bring in any outside help. I will contact you again when I have firm dates for various aspects of the review.”
No further news about this review has been made public.

16th March 2012 The following email was received from Councillor Geraint Hopkins and addressed to CRAP. "I have today received in very rough draft form … a policy for taking car parking management forward. Obviously this isn't going to be considered during the lifetime of this Council, so it will be the responsibility of the new administration to implement if they see fit.”
A request for details of the preliminary review has been ignored
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Thank you - PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN by 25th April to:

The Campaign for a Realistic Approach to Parking,
7 Bear Street,
Hay-on-Wye,
HR3 5AN

or email us on NH4@hotmail.co.uk. or crap-powys@mail.com


Please delete as appropriate:

I support an IMMEDIATE review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys

I do not support an IMMEDIATE review of traffic and car parking throughout Powys

NAME: ELECTORAL DIVISION

All candidates’ responses (and details of non-respondents) will be publicised on our blog (crap-powys.blogspot.com) and distributed as widely as possible.