No charges for parking at Cantley Park in this year’s budget

The Liberal Democrat leadership at Wokingham Borough Council has decided not to introduce parking charges at Cantley Park in this year’s budget, despite major pressure on the council’s finances.

Imogen Shepherd-DuBey, the executive member for Finance says:

“The council is facing increasing demand for services, with increasing costs, and reducing support from the government.  Even with the maximum permitted increase in Council Tax, we have had to find millions of pounds in savings, with very few ways available to raise additional income.  

“Clubs and teams which use Cantley Park already pay fees for doing so, but these do not cover the total cost of the facilities. And so the potential to charge for parking was considered as a part of the council’s budget scrutiny committee process, as an option to help cover the cost.”  

Despite these budget pressures, the Lib Dem executive has decided that the proposal to charge for parking will not be put forward in this year’s budget.  

Councillor Mark Ashwell, whose portfolio includes sport and leisure says:

“Facilities for sport and leisure are very important to our community, for the pleasure they bring and the contribution they make to the mental and physical health of everyone who uses them.  Therefore we do not want to impose parking charges on venues like Cantley Park – and we aren’t!

“However, pressure on the council’s budget presents considerable challenges, and unpalatable choices are going to be increasingly unavoidable.   We simply don’t know how much support we will get from the government in future years, so we cannot make long term promises on sport, leisure, or anything else.”

Instead of introducing parking charges, the Lib Dem executive has decided to try a new and innovative approach to Cantley Park.  

Leader of the Council Stephen Conway says:

“Over the nearly 3 years that the Lib Dems have been running the borough council we have made great efforts to work in partnership with as many local organisations as we can to arrive at solutions to the financial and other challenges we all face.  

“We are now going to apply that principle to Cantley Park.  Over the coming year we will work with all the groups that use Cantley Park and see what we can come up with together that benefits all of us.”