West Northants Reform council does U-turn over introduction parking fees in 3 small West Northants towns.

Oldnproud

Seems that Reform make U-turns too when it suits them!

I should point our that I shop in two of the three small towns that would have been affected by this, and am delighted, because it would have killed trade in them, but I am equally surprised that our opposition and petitions made any difference. Or at least I was, until it was pointed out that our rural area is the sort of electorate that they cannot afford to alienate!

No political party wants to alienate the electorate and actually if they have listened to shoppers and businesses then they’ve made a good decision in deciding not to go ahead with parking fees.
I wish my non Reform council would do the same.

Just shows what grifters Reform really are.

Grantanow

It would hzve been better spent upgrading the Reform councillors!

😂

Thank you, Graphite, yes, indeed, I did miss off a zero.
I agree with your response, Grantanow.
There's been a fair amount of movement since Reform took office, with councillors leaving, and being ejected by the group. Perhaps parking was the issue.
It's good to know that they can park in comfort, of course, as I am sure that this was a priority for Kent council tax payers.

Chocolatelovinggran

At County Hall in Kent, a not inconsiderable sum ( £60K I believe) has been spent upgrading the parking spaces for councillors.
I wonder how this fits with their leaflet promise to " cut waste" to achieve a reduction in our council tax bill .

I’m reminded of our local council taking measures to ‘encourage’ employees to cycle or use public transport, while of course retaining parking for many of their own beyond a certain grade.

Add a zero Chocolatelovinggran.

Reform council spends £600,000 on eight free parking spaces for senior councillors

The £600,000 project recently undertaken focused primarily on reinforcing a courtyard at Kent County Hall in Maidstone, and resulted in the opening of eight car parking spaces - six of which are reserved for senior officials.

The decision to charge more junior staff has been proposed within Reform plans to raise £1 million per year, according to reports.

Antony Hook, a Lib Dem councillor for Faversham, was highly critical of the proposal.

“It must work out as being one of the most expensive car parks in Britain,” he said.

“Then to hear they’re considering charging staff to park their cars at work — it’s a kick in the teeth to both staff and council taxpayers.”

Reform, which won control of Kent's local authority in May 2025, is believed to have considered a cost review focused on the risks associated with the savings.

www.lbc.co.uk/article/reform-council-600k-free-parking-senior-councillors-5HjdRfw_2/

It would hzve been better spent upgrading the Reform councillors!

At County Hall in Kent, a not inconsiderable sum ( £60K I believe) has been spent upgrading the parking spaces for councillors.
I wonder how this fits with their leaflet promise to " cut waste" to achieve a reduction in our council tax bill .

I believe severaal Reform Councils having got in on a cutting unnecessary expenditure platform, not anly haaven't managed to cut any cost but are actually increasing the community charge.

Of course they do. 50 Reform councillors resigned/defected or gone independent- that's a huge proportion.

They are getting a taste of what it means to take responsibility instead of shooting off their mouths from the sidelines.

Over 50 reform councillors have now resigned or turned independent or even gone back to being Tories- since they were elected.