CONTROVERSIAL plans to introduce parking meters in South Lakeland are to be temporarily put on ice.

Coun James Airey, leader of the Conservatives on the county council, confirmed this afternoon that his group is formally seeking a review of the decision - called a 'call in'.

"We are not giving up on the fight and are going to call the process in," explained Coun Airey from Urswick.

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"There's a lot of good reasons to call it in because it has been a terrible decision. It is not going anywhere now for two to three weeks."

Coun Airey said questions needed answering about the committee process because a 3,000-signature public petition against the meters was not formally handed in at the meeting, and two Liberal Dem councillors Coun Brenda Gray and Coun Shirley Evans attended the committee but chose to leave before the final vote.

Last week, the Lib Dem-controlled South Lakes Local Committee of the county council voted 9-4 to start the process for introducing the charges.

Coun Gray spoke during the debate, telling the committee she was 'absolutely divided on whether to vote', and left the meeting before the vote was held, as did fellow Lib Dem Coun Shirley Evans.

However, Ambleside Coun Heidi Halliday, who has spoken out against the introduction of meters defied the Lib Dem line and voted against.

The roads affected include The Glebe in Bowness, and Lake Road (north) and Wansfell Road in Ambleside.

Five streets in Kendal - Allhallows Lane, Stramongate, Maude Street, Gillingate and Dowker's Lane - are pencilled-in for the machines.

Cumbria County Council said: "The guiding principle of ‘calling in’ a decision is built into the council’s constitution.

"This to give members the opportunity to challenge, question, or make constructive criticism of a decision.

"In the event that a local committee decision is called in for valid reasons, then it is reviewed by the council’s Scrutiny Management Board, who may decide to question members or officers about the merits of the decision and the concerns raised in the call-in.

"Scrutiny may also then decide to refer the decision back to the local committee if there are concerns or recommendations arising from their further examination.

"The local committee would then be required to consider these comments or recommendations before deciding whether to uphold or amend their original decision.

"In practical terms, it means the local committee’s decision cannot be ratified and the consultation process on the proposed streets in the experimental traffic regulation order cannot begin until these steps have been taken.”                                                                                                                                                               

How they voted

FOR THE METERS

Coun Stan Collins (LD)

Coun Geoff Cook (LD)

Coun Nick Cotton (LD)

Coun David Fletcher (LD)

Coun Clare Feeney-Johnson (LD)

Coun John McCreesh (LD)

Coun Ian Stewart (LD)

Coun Janet Willis (LD)

Coun Mark Wilson (LAB)

 

AGAINST THE METERS

Coun James Airey (Cons)

Coun Jim Bland (Cons)

Coun Heidi Halliday (LD)

Coun Bill Wearing (Cons)

 

ABSENT

Coun Roger Bingham (Cons, not present)

Coun Shirley Evans (LD left meeting)

Coun Brenda Gray (LD left meeting)

Coun Jo Stephenson (LD, not present)

Coun Rod Wilson (LD, not present)