MR WHITE (Opinion, December 16) reminded us of the campaign that Northwich local Labour Party, including myself, ran in 2011 to keep Northwich free from car parking charges.

I am very proud of that campaign and make no apologies for it in so far that, to date, council car parks have remained free to residents and visitors to the town, unlike many of the surrounding neighbours .

If his inference is that we were ‘scaremongering’ over the threat of parking charges being introduced, let me remind him of some of those reasons that led us to undertake that campaign and what is the position today.

The campaign arose when the then leader of the new Conservative-controlled Cheshire West and Chester Council, speaking to the town council in September 2010, said that while he was against car park charges it could be a solution to the problem of commuters parking in the town to catch the train.  He had also previously stated that “while I am against charging for car parking, we have got to live with it because it is a big income in Chester”.

When a council consultation on car parking enforcement commenced, it allowed people in the town the clear opportunity to make it clear to council policy makers that residents were overwhelmingly opposed to car parking charges.

That is why Labour collected 1,200 signatures for this consultation. This was also at a time when the town was being crippled by the combination of a severe retail downturn and traffic gridlock as the one-way system, the infamous gyratory, was put in place.

Today, as the town continues its redevelopment and slow recovery from 2011, it still remains an extremely fragile town, and it is the view of NIRA, the town council and I believe the vast majority of residents in the town that car park charges will only harm that recovery.

That is the case that is now being made, supported by local representatives, including myself, to Cheshire West and Chester Council, through their Let’s Talk consultation as they grapple with a  growing financial black hole from ever-deepening government cuts.

That is the case I hope everyone will support.

Cllr Paul Dolan Winnington and Castle Ward