I'VE read a lot recently about the plans by the Labour-run Cheshire West and Chester Council to introduce parking charges in Northwich and the petition that has sprung up in opposition to it courtesy of Northwich Independent Retailers Association.

Well done NIRA, I wholeheartedly support your efforts.

However, this whole episode made me wonder – what happened to the last petition?

Cast your minds back to February 2011. We're winding up towards the campaign for May's local elections and a rumour springs to life that the Tories would consider introducing a parking charge in Northwich. The Labour candidates around the area howl in protest and set up a stall outside Boots in the town centre, signing up residents, grinning into cameras and splashing the resulting photos all over the local press and their election campaign literature.

I remember talking to CWAC Tory councillors at the time who put the view that there was never an intention to introduce the charges.

It seems they didn't even bother to hand their list of names in – it has been confirmed by the petitions office at CWAC that they have no record of any such petition being submitted to them.

I remember a chief advocate of this petition was one Paul Dolan, who was centre of the frame in these photos with fellow Winnington and Castle candidate Amy Mercer-Bailey.

He said at the time: "Graham Evans, Tory MP for Weaver Vale, accused us, the prospective Labour candidates, for Winnington and Castle Ward, and Witton and Rudheath Ward, of scaremongering. On the contrary, as he should know, the threat of consulting over car parking charges has been hanging over Northwich for many years.

"The reality is that the petition has done its job, thanks to more than 1,000 people, including many local retailers, who supported what was a highly effective campaign.

"The campaign has resulted in public statements from the Tories confirming they have no plans to introduce car parking charges.

"Until that point, no such undertaking had been made and it took our campaign to make them come out and say it publicly. We at Northwich Labour will hold the Tories to this pledge."

Strong stuff. However, fast-forward four years and it's not the Tories he has to hold to account but his own party, now in power.

A number of Labour councillors for the area, such as Sam Naylor, have spoken out against the charges and they are to be commended, but Mr Dolan appears to have taken a more circumspect stance, saying: "We have to make the case as to why the town wouldn't be able to bear the burden of car parking charges and I hope we would be able to make a robust case."

Eh?

What happened to the firebrand of four years ago? Or is it because the challenge is now real?

One thing that would help Cllr Dolan make the case is the petition he collected four years ago.

If he is serious about stopping these charges then I urge him to contact Northwich Independent Retailers Association and add the names to their roster of supporters.

I call on councillors of all political colours to oppose parking charges for Northwich, but the choice is especially stark for Labour councillors – rebel against your party line or be seen forever as untrustworthy by the people who signed your petition.

Anthony White Northwich