“We want the full 2.5% VAT saving passed on to motorists”, says David Williams, Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Crewe and Nantwich.Tory Council Leader, John Hammond, this week announced limited free parking, claiming it would cost the Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council £17,000 in lost income.
David Williams said, “The Borough Council have been given over £34,000 VAT relief in car parking charges by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Last week’s announcement means that the Council is pocketing over half that money. They are not passing the full benefit on to motorists and they have given no commitment to do so.
“Labour made the cut in VAT to give a stimulus to the economy during the current global downturn. In the same way that we expect retailers to pass on the tax cut and banks to pass on the interest rate cut, we also expect local authorities to their bit.
“Crewe and Nantwich traders have been let down by the Tory controlled council. The council could make a real difference by providing much more free parking in both towns, attracting shoppers from around the area and helping retailers in what could be a difficult Christmas.
“Local businesses, particularly those in Crewe must be pulling their hair out with this Tory run Council. First we had their dithering on the Crewe town centre redevelopment, which has lead to the project being shelved with no firm start date in sight. Then we have seen three increases in parking charges in 18 months, when Labour used to only apply increases every two years. Finally they are pocketing money from Government aimed at helping traders through these difficult times.
“I am calling on the council to do the right thing and pass on the full benefits of the Labour Government’s tax break for the benefot of local traders and hard-working families.”
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