Deputy leader objects to budget

The deputy leader of the district council, Coun Tracey Carter, raised objections to the budget due to plans to remove free parking at the Boston Road South car park in her Holbeach ward.
You can currently park there for free for two hours.
But the council will now bring in a flat £1 fee, or the full day price rising from £1.30 to £1.50.
“When it was first presented to me it looked a lot worse than it does now, including proposing Sunday charges and an all day charge of £2,” she said. “I welcome the fact that the comments and feedback were taken on board.
“I feel Holbeach is being treated a little unfairly.
“There’s other towns still receiving free car parking and I appreciate Spalding isn’t there to subsidise all the car parks, but I still feel it’s quite unfair.
“I will continue to fight for Holbeach to have at least one hour of free parking.
“We’re a strong cabinet working very hard on changes and bringing in lots of savings and positive things.
“I’ve asked we can keep it under review and maybe in a year’s time we get rid of that one hour charge.
Coun Sophie Hutchinson, also of Holbeach ward, said residents had told her it would affect footfall and cause issues for patients at the adjacent GP surgery and exacerbate issues of people parking along the road at school picking up and drop-off times.
“Is this additional income worth the harm it will cause to Holbeach?” she asked.
Coun Henry Bingham said: “We took careful consideration on all car parking charges to keep them as minimal as possible.
“Holbeach may seem like its getting the worst end of it but currently the car parking, and the town does have an abundance of free parking surrounding it, and there’s a free car park still in council ownership which, at this time, we’re not looking to charge on.
“We’re looking to invest in our car parks in Holbeach.
“They have to be viable and not be subsidised by other assets.
“Over the coming months you will see a lot of changes across these car parks and I’m happy to take on board what Coun Carter has said and we’ll keep it under review.”