Haverhill councillor Joe Mason unimpressed as bid to amend West Suffolk Council budget proposals fails by small margin

A Haverhill councillor has expressed his disappointment after an amendment to a budget proposal was turned down by just three votes.

Cllr Joe Mason was among a group of Conservatives that put the amendment forward at West Suffolk Council’s meeting earlier this month- much of it was about reversing intended rises to car parking charges.

The amendment requested that WSC create a new strategic growth budget line titled thriving market towns, of £835,250 maximum per annum for 2025/26 with the funding drawn from earmarked reserves.

This included making the first hour of parking to be free in numerous car park in the district, including the arts centre, Jubilee Walk and Lower Downs Slade car parks in Haverhill, to be reviewed after one year.

The amendment also called for the annual cost of pavement licences to be £100 in 2025/26 and not £500, the charge now facing applicants.

After the meeting, at which the amendment was rejected by 29 votes to 26, Cllr Mason said: “In Haverhill, Tesco's, Aldi, Lidl and Home Bargains have full car parks and high footfall.

“Why? Its not just what is sold there, it's also to do with the fact that people can park there for free. Indeed some people park there and then walk into town.

“We desperately need to develop a better, more convenient and cheaper "Pop into Town" culture.

“Whilst 50p for an hour at the machine isn't much, not everyone carries cash and whilst the Ringo (mobile app) is convenient to many not everyone likes using it.

“Indeed many people will be disappointed to hear that West Suffolk plan to make Ringo more expensive by adding admin charges, which they had previously absorbed in the budget.

“Ely in Cambridgeshire has free parking and is thriving, Brandon and Mildenhall benefit by having free parking. Haverhill is not a destination town like Bury St Edmunds or Saffron Walden, where people are happy to pay high parking charges.

“At the moment Haverhill needs incentives to visit, not charges.

“This measure of free parking for the first hour would have benefited residents in surrounding villages too.”

Cllr Mason continued: “I could not end up supporting the West Suffolk budget because I disagreed with the omission of measures to help our struggling high street.

“Not just issues surrounding parking but also on issues relating to pavement licences.

“Small coffee shops are going to be facing a £500 bill from West Suffolk licensing department. Many will choose not to pay it.

“We felt it was important to freeze it at the temporary 2024/25 rate of £100 for a licence and renewal to support some of our smaller hospitality businesses.”

“I've been campaigning for this for a while now and lobbying hard to get it in the budget. To miss out by just three votes, is such a shame. I remain resolute, representing both local businesses and residents who support this.

“I welcome West Suffolk plans to enhance the high street, these won't arrive this year, and possibly not next year.”