A COUNCILLOR has accused rivals of being “naive and foolish” for demanding health bosses should pay residents’ parking bills.

Kirklees Council has begun charging £30 a year for residents-only parking permits.

The passes had been free.

The move, which came into force on Monday , will affect 8,675 car-owners in 160 parts of Kirklees.

Lindley’s two Lib Dem councillors have launched a petition calling on the NHS to pay the £30 charge for residents living on streets around Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI).

But Conservative Clr Tony Brice said yesterday there was no chance of the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Hospitals Trust meeting the £18,900 bill for nine streets around the infirmary.

He said: “I think it’s rather naive and foolish to think the NHS should fund the parking charges – they haven’t got the money.”

Clr Brice believes the whole of Lindley – rather than just the streets around the hospital – should be exempt from paying the £30 annual charge.

“Kirklees should consider Lindley to be a special case,” he said.

“If the residents didn’t have permit parking they wouldn’t be able to park outside their own homes.

“Every street is chock-a-block because of HRI. Lindley has problems with parking 24/7 – even on Christmas Day.”

Lindley Lib Dems Clr Christine Stanfield and Clr Cahal Burke have started a petition demanding the NHS pay for the following streets:

Acre House Avenue: 21 homes with 37 permits

Victoria Street: 35 homes with 76 permits

Cressfield Road: 35 homes with 78 permits

Burwood Road: 14 homes with 16 permits

King Street: 47 homes with 71 permits

Wellington Street: 147 homes with 178 permits

Acre Street: 54 homes with 79 permits

Thornhill Avenue: 43 homes with 81 permits

Gibson Street: 10 homes with 14 permits.

Clr Stanfield said yesterday that residents had pushed for the petition.

“It was something which was suggested to us by residents. It’s not something we’ve plucked from our heads,” she said.

“They believe they shouldn’t have to pay for the permits because it’s the hospital which causes the problem.”

Clr Stanfield doesn’t agree that the whole of the Lindley ward should be exempt from the charge.

She said: “I think it would be setting a very dangerous precedent. People in every area would say they are a special case.”