‘We can’t afford to lose the revenue’ – Mayor rejects call from Tory MP Nick Fletcher for free Doncaster city centre parking

The Don Valley MP called for free parking in celebration of Doncaster securing city status.

Mr Fletcher said free parking could help the cost of living crisis but will also to encourage ‘people shop and get our cash tills ringing once more’.

But Mayor Jones hit back and said parking revenue brings in £1.6 million a year to help the council run services and noted Government cuts to budgets of 28 per cent across the board.

She also called on Mr Fletcher to lobby for a ‘fundamental review’ to how business rates are calculated and collected and to call on ministers to increase public transport funding closer to levels that London receives.

“Free car parking will not only be an aid to combatting the cost of living but will also help people shop and get our cash tills ringing once more in the city centre,” Mr Fletcher said.

“We need to open up the city centre and what better way to do that than suspend all car parking charges for two years if not forever.

“Will this mean less revenue for the council? The answer is yes and no.

“In the immediate short term obviously there is less money. Yet if we continue to see shops closing down who then aren’t paying business rates, the answer is obvious.

“We must act now to stop this attrition rate. We want to see new shops opening and not continue with this trend of closures.

“We have to provide a level playing field. Out of town shopping centres have free car parking. So should the city centre.”

Mayor Jones said: “I would love to offer completely free car parking, unfortunately this lost income would need to be taken into account with cuts to services such as bin collections or social services.

“Government cuts have led to the ever increasing need for council tax and other local fees and charges to help balance the budget and support vital services.

“For a number of years now we have received only single year financial settlements from government, this makes the long-term planning of services difficult.”