THE Mary Portas High Street Review and central government both recommend the introduction of more free parking as a way to stimulate our High Streets.
We now have Calderdale Council wanting less free parking in towns across Calderdale.
Grant Shapps Minister of State for Local Government said recently: “Supermarkets are convenient because there’s plenty of free parking.
“Some of the really good work is being done by some councils and town teams when they say we need to get back in there and we need to compete with these out of town shopping areas.
“One thing you can do is to drop the parking charges.
“I’ve just been made aware of a council who have said that they are not going to charge for parking any more on a Saturday. Now that makes a lot of sense because it brings people back to towns.
“And we’re trying to help with this process. In the national planning policy framework we say that there must be a town centre first policy.
“From next April councils will be able to keep over half of local business rates.
“At the moment councils don’t keep any of the local business rates so it doesn’t really matter to them if the shops are empty.
“In future it really will matter to them and it becomes really important that high street shops stay open and that empty shops become filled.”
In this difficult economic climate, the Brighouse Business Initiative has been working very hard to make sure we don’t suffer a similar fate as so many other high streets across the UK with high numbers of empty shops.
We now have our award-winning Food and Craft Markets which attract thousands of visitors, we held a Jubilee Street Party bringing the community together enjoying a great party atmosphere and then for the Olympic Torch Celebration we had over 30,000 people in Brighouse.
Unlike a number of other events in Calderdale such as the Halifax Food and Drink Festival which received £8515 from Calderdale Council we chose not to ask Calderdale for funding as we know that money is tight.
Funded by our member contributions and through a huge amount of hard work by members we’ve held a year of events on a budget less than the Halifax Food and Drink Festival.
Now the council is planning to borrow £194,000 to convert 14 car parks across Calderdale so that they can possibly raise an extra £93,000.
This assumes an occupancy of 40% which is highly unlikely to be realised as some shop workers who currently park in the car parks can’t afford to spend £1500 a year on parking charges so are likely to park elsewhere.
And why, as a shopper, would you pay to park in a car park which is further away from the town centre when our town centre car parks aren’t full.
In Brighouse a 40% occupancy would generate £26,000, falling to £14,000 at 30% and less than £3,000 at 20%
Past history by CMBC also suggests that the expected income from parking charges and the actual income raised tend to be rather more optimistic than the actual outcome.
In April 2011 parking charges were increased, for which they said an extra £403,000 would be raised. They actually raised £244,602 and there is already a potential shortfall in income of £289,000 for 2012/13 rising to £461,00 for 2014/15.
Surely it would be far better to set realistic budgets for parking revenue rather than consistently setting budgets which are unachievable?
With the closure of Broad Street Car Park in Halifax resulting in an annual loss of over £200,000 of parking revenue should not some money from the sale of this car park be given to the parking budget so that no more pressure is put on our high streets?
As independent businesses we know how hard it is to find savings but the £70,000 spent on bottled water by CMBC may be one.
Members of the Committee
Brighouse Business Initiative
Join the fight
“UNCLE Grumpy” (Letters August 22) should check his facts before attacking the Civic Society’s supposed inactivity in opposing the demolition of local buildings.
I cannot comment on the Cambridge Road baths demolition as it occurred before I took up my current duties, but his other two criticisms are without any basis.
The original Castle Hill Hotel was demolished without permission and the stone removed. Were we supposed to anticipate this action and live in tents on the hill to prevent it?
There have been several planning applications since 2007 for the site which included Somerset Crescent and the Civic Society opposed the demolition of the Crescent in every case.
Had “Uncle Grumpy” checked our objections on file at the Planning Office it would have prevented his putting his foot in it.
Perhaps, rather than fulminating at home and firing off ill-informed letters to the Examiner, "Uncle Grumpy" should join us in fighting to preserve the architectural heritage of the town.
Frank O'Brien
Civic Society Planning Officer
Weed out problems
I AM surprised that G Wilks, (Examiner, August 15) should have any appreciation at all for the weed killer spraying of street-side weeds, let alone counting it as a job well done.
Those weeds should not have been allowed to thrive in the first place, or at least should have been sprayed before they flourished.
We all know that the remains of the plants will be allowed to rot into new earth providing their own seeds with the means for next year’s germination.
Many of the weeds anyway are tap root plants, thistles, dandelions and dock which require specific attention if they are to be eliminated.
In Birkby recently because of an electrical problem outside a house which fronted onto the pavement, the ‘authorities’ dug a hole about four feet deep there and around the start of the gable.
Against the gable is the stump of an ash tree, felled some time ago but, as they do, still thriving.
It was crying out to be removed as part of the work, but no, it’s still there and now has new tarmac to look out upon.
GRUNWALD
Huddersfield
Investing in sport
I SEE Clr Paul Salveson has selective memory when it comes to investment in sport.
His letter (Examiner August 17) giving credit to the last Labour Government for their contribution to sport and his condemnation of the coalition to cut funding somehow seems a little odd.
I well remember a Labour Minister saying that it was harmful for children to compete in sports, particularly on sports days and that to come second or third in a race would be detrimental to that boy or girl.
This, of course, was in the days of political correctness where everyone who entered a race got a medal – presumably just for entering and where no one would be upset if someone came first!
With regards to investment in school playing fields, which Labour are now making such a fuss about, the last Labour Government sold off 226 in one year alone.
If Clr Salveson wants intelligent investment for future generations he should have had a word with the last Labour Government where PE teachers were treated as second class citizens and not given any opportunities to bring on talented children, due to competitiveness which as we all know is a dirty word in Labour circles.
CLR CHRISTINE SMITH
Kirkburton Ward
Defenceless sparrows
I READ with interest your story about the racing pigeons who face difficult times due to hawks.
In the last few years I’ve done all I can to encourage wildlife to my garden and was pleasantly surprised to find sparrows took a liking and made a home for themselves.
Three years ago I counted seven sparrows all together once, but suspected more visited at other times.
Sadly that quickly came to an end as a result of sparrowhawks – I actually saw one swoop from high to attack the defenceless sparrow. It stood no chance and I could do nothing to protect them.
This year in total I’ve seen just two sparrows in my garden, a shocking decline.
Either they've learnt their lesson and stayed away, or there are fewer of them.
My study and figures are unscientific, but are the experiences of just one person who once took pleasure from birdlife.
Edward T Lovejoy
Shelley
Don’t we care?
WHILE beggars in Huddersfield sit on a cold hard floor hoping to pick up a few coins, our bankers wallow in millions living in luxury mansions.
What an unfair situation our government has produced. Has our caring society taken a nosedive?
And what about all the charities? Surely they can help these people who no doubt beg for various reasons.
Passing them on a street without adding to their money box leaves one with remorse and many rush past without a second glance.
Could we become one of those beggars? Well given the wrong circumstances possibly.
P SMITH
Dalton
