TCI Commentary:
The Institute may be forever telling people that “Consultation is not a vote”, but as this story shows, there are a few occasions when that is exactly what it can be.
Local Councils have often concluded that a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) is best introduced when there is significant majority support for the scheme. Similarly with speed ramps, apparently. The trouble is that defining the precise area to be consulted – or the ‘electorate’ in this instance can be problematic. Some ‘voters’ are more impacted than others. And as we point out in The Politics of Consultation, a referendum is inferior to a consultation simply because one cannot say “Yes…but” or “No …unless”. Residents of Coventry may be the latest to discover this ….
Article:
Neighbours on a Coventry road are to be consulted for a fourth time in six years on plans to tackle problem commuter parking in their street. Some neighbours on The Monks Croft, in Cheylesmore, have complained the road is being used by people walking to Friargate or the train station. Parked cars could also block emergency or refuse vehicles, residents fear.
The issue has been raised on a number of occasions and most recently through a petition in July, which residents said had more than 70 per cent in support of a parking scheme which would permit only those with passes to park their vehicles. But the council said only 33 per cent of residents supported the scheme when they carried out their own consultation this year.
A decision at a council meeting on Monday, December 2, refused the latest call due as a result, but cabinet member responsible Cllr Pat Hetherton sanctioned a further consultation in January 2020.
She said: “Ahead of this meeting I went back and made sure I visited as I’m wondering how on earth refuse collections actually manage to get up there. I saw for myself exactly what the situation is so on the basis of that I am happy to go out to consultation again to make sure if we get the 60 per cent we can see what can be done.”
The council said it can only apply the scheme if 60 per cent of residents are in favour of it. That will include all 21 houses on The Monks Croft and six neighbouring homes on Benedictine Road not already part of a Cheylesmore East parking scheme.
Petition spokesman Pat Riley said: “I’m not happy with that as those six houses don’t have anything in common with us. They are on a much wider part of the street.” But council officer Caron Archer said it would be “very unusual” for the six additional houses not to be consulted given they could potentially be situated between two parking schemes. Monks Croft has been subject of a number of attempts to put in a parking scheme. In 2014, the road was included in council plans for a Cheylesmore East residents’ parking scheme, but there was not enough support for it. As a result of a petition in 2017, Monks Croft residents were again consulted but not enough support was gathered. Council officer Caron Archer said she has also received letters from residents who don’t want the scheme, with one stating: “You have been told three times we do not want this scheme yet you are still trying to push this on us. Clearly this is another money-making scheme.”
Article originally appeared on Coventry Live
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