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Hundreds of angry residents gathered for a protest rally and march against council proposals to more than double residential car parking charges in their Cornish town.
And leaders of the campaign in picturesque St Ives have warned that, unless the decision is reversed later this month, they will call on Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles to consider whether the move is an illegal abuse of town hall powers.
A protest group marched through the town on Saturday to show the strength of feeling over the proposed rise, which they say would have a disastrous effect on the community.
The demonstration follows a Cornwall Council review into car parking charges which could see some residents paying more than £1,100 a year for a permit. The authority has admitted to a shortfall in its car park income of around £1.8 million and now residents claim they are being forced to pay more to fill this "black hole" in the council's coffers.
Lib Dem MP Andrew George and St Ives town councillor Andrew Mitchell addressed an estimated crowd of 200 outside the waterfront Sloop Inn.
Yesterday Mr Mitchell told the Western Morning News that the Conservative-led authority had "totally mishandled and fumbled" the issue.
He said: "It is just unbelievable and beggars belief that the council could mess this up so much and just shows how incompetent those running county hall really are."
"The demonstration just shows the depth of public feeling – this proposal doesn't take into consideration the impact this will have on people who say they will either have to sell their cars or move."
The proposals were drawn up after a market value assessment was conducted as part of an overhaul of parking policy across all six former district and borough councils following the move to a single unitary council.
However, the Conservative-led council says the latest proposals would see St Ives permit prices rising by much less than some residents claim.
Two weeks ago its parking policy panel threw out proposals to more than double parking charges, proposing instead a 10 per cent hike in the residential permits. But protestors, who have gathered 5,000 signatures for a petition, point out that the higher charges could still apply to new permits, many of which are restricted to locals, and that 10 per cent hikes could continue to be imposed each year.
Morag Robertson from the St Ives Action Group said the rethink by Cornwall Council was "better than nothing".
But she added: "We think this 10 per cent rise is just something they are offering to us at the moment, but we expect to be hit with the full rise so we are keeping a close eye on everything, including the cabinet."
Mr Mitchell added that if Cornwall Council's cabinet made "the wrong decision" on February 16 it could be subject to a legal challenge.
Cornwall news, Jobs, Sports, Cars, Homes | This is Cornwall
Hundreds of angry residents gathered for a protest rally and march against council proposals to more than double residential car parking charges in their Cornish town.
And leaders of the campaign in picturesque St Ives have warned that, unless the decision is reversed later this month, they will call on Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles to consider whether the move is an illegal abuse of town hall powers.
A protest group marched through the town on Saturday to show the strength of feeling over the proposed rise, which they say would have a disastrous effect on the community.
The demonstration follows a Cornwall Council review into car parking charges which could see some residents paying more than £1,100 a year for a permit. The authority has admitted to a shortfall in its car park income of around £1.8 million and now residents claim they are being forced to pay more to fill this "black hole" in the council's coffers.
Lib Dem MP Andrew George and St Ives town councillor Andrew Mitchell addressed an estimated crowd of 200 outside the waterfront Sloop Inn.
Yesterday Mr Mitchell told the Western Morning News that the Conservative-led authority had "totally mishandled and fumbled" the issue.
He said: "It is just unbelievable and beggars belief that the council could mess this up so much and just shows how incompetent those running county hall really are."
"The demonstration just shows the depth of public feeling – this proposal doesn't take into consideration the impact this will have on people who say they will either have to sell their cars or move."
The proposals were drawn up after a market value assessment was conducted as part of an overhaul of parking policy across all six former district and borough councils following the move to a single unitary council.
However, the Conservative-led council says the latest proposals would see St Ives permit prices rising by much less than some residents claim.
Two weeks ago its parking policy panel threw out proposals to more than double parking charges, proposing instead a 10 per cent hike in the residential permits. But protestors, who have gathered 5,000 signatures for a petition, point out that the higher charges could still apply to new permits, many of which are restricted to locals, and that 10 per cent hikes could continue to be imposed each year.
Morag Robertson from the St Ives Action Group said the rethink by Cornwall Council was "better than nothing".
But she added: "We think this 10 per cent rise is just something they are offering to us at the moment, but we expect to be hit with the full rise so we are keeping a close eye on everything, including the cabinet."
Mr Mitchell added that if Cornwall Council's cabinet made "the wrong decision" on February 16 it could be subject to a legal challenge.
Cornwall news, Jobs, Sports, Cars, Homes | This is Cornwall
