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Parking fees at council-owned car parks could be waived for a further six months.
Free parking has been in place since June last year, but is due to end on March 31.
But Councillor Philippa Marsden, leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, has ordered a report which could pave the way for free parking to continue until September.
The report is set to be considered by the council’s cabinet on March 24.
What is Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet?
A council’s cabinet is made up of councillors in charge of different policy areas – such as education, environment, local economy, etc – and a leader.
It is separate to the council’s corporate management structure, which is headed up by its chief executive and various directors. Cabinet is made up of councillors, who are elected and have the ultimate say.
Typically, cabinet members are councillors from the party with the most elected council members.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet is made up of:
- Cllr Philippa Marsden (Ynysddu) – Leader
- Cllr Sean Morgan (Nelson) – Deputy leader / Economy and enterprise
- Cllr Colin Gordon (Pontllanfraith) – Corporate services
- Cllr Eluned Stenner (New Tredegar) – Finance, performance and customer services
- Cllr Ross Whiting (Risca West) – Learning and achievement
- Cllr Shayne Cook (Morgan Jones) – Social care
- Cllr John Ridgewell (Ynysddu) – Environment and infrastructure
- Cllr Lisa Phipps (Bedwas, Trethomas, Machen) – Housing and property
- Cllr Nigel George (Risca East) – Waste and public protection
Corporate management is made up of unelected employees of the council and has responsibility for day-to-day management of services, such as making sure the bins are collected. Corporate directors work with cabinet members to come up with policy which is then agreed upon by the cabinet.
Cllr Marsden said: “We have waived charges in our car parks over recent months to help support residents and the local business community throughout the Covid pandemic.
“The economic climate remains extremely challenging for town centres, so the council wants to be able to show its support as current restrictions are eased over the coming weeks and months.”
Cllr Sean Morgan, who is the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy, said the council is “doing all we can to support local businesses during these challenging times”.
Independent councillor Kevin Etheridge welcomed the move and said: “it is essential we help traders and businesses in this time of need.
“I hope cabinet will grasp the nettle and agree an extension after increasing council tax by 3.9%.”
He added: “I hope the cabinet will work in partnership and support all traders throughout the County Borough of Caerphilly.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Colin Mann, leader of the council’s Plaid Cymru group, has called for free parking to be extended until the end of the year.
He said: “There is clearly the need now to review the free parking period given that shops are still closed and it will take many, many months for high streets to return to anything like it was before the pandemic.
“The council needs to reflect on the difficulties traders will face when they reopen and it may be necessary to confirm free parking should continue throughout the whole of 2021.”
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