"Don't bring your car to shop in Bracknell this Christmas!" - That's the message from the Labour Leader of Bracknell Forest Council to shoppers this year.
Statements made by the Labour Leader of the Council have been described as "extremely irresponsible" by the Conservative opposition.
At the Council meeting on Wednesday, the 27th of November, Cllr Mrs Temperton responded to a question by Conservative spokesman Cllr John Harrison about the plans of the Labour Council to increase car parking charges at the maximum rate allowed under the legal framework. Self-styling herself as "standing here as Mrs Green", Cllr Temperton said the price rise would not prevent people coming in, but she would prefer people to use the buses.
Conservatives have condemned the remarks.
Cllr Harrison said,
"Labour is not living in the real world if they think busy families across Bracknell Forest are going to ditch their cars for buses and still do their Christmas shopping in Bracknell. Knowing the Council wants to clobber them to pay for their own financial overspending is more likely to encourage people to shop elsewhere. They are putting their Green ideology ahead of jobs and prosperity for Bracknell. At a time when the Council should be trying to encourage visitors to support our local shops, Labour seems determined to drive them away."
Cllr Gareth Barnard, Conservative Group Leader added,
"Last year, I warned Labour's executive member for Economic Development about their plans to hike parking fees in Bracknell. Since then quite a number of shops that were attracted to Bracknell when the Conservatives delivered the regeneration of the town centre have closed. Now Labour is threatening to squeeze more life out of the town."
