Another nail in the coffin of Aylesbury retailers.
Parking charges for Aylesbury are already consiedrably higher than other local towns such as Tring and Berkhamsted.

Parking in Aylesbury already constitutes poor value for money, given what's on offer here.

Aylesbury Town Council do their best to boost the local economy with the putting on of frequent free events in the Town Centre and that is to be applauded. But then, unlike AVDC and BCC; they are Lib Dem controlled.

Let's face it. If you want a day out by car for decent retail therapy, you will go to Milton Keynes, Watford or High Wycombe, where you expect to pay more to park in exchange for access to superior facilities.

This latest move just goes to show the ineptitude and lack of imagination on the part of AVDC.

They should be looking at ways of encouraging shoppers to come to Aylesbury.

They can't possibly suddenly become advocates of public transport, since AVDC's plan for the housing growth is to situate it in the area with poorest opportunities for public transport links to Aylesbury Town, and greatest relaince on private car transport.

Of course, AVDC councillors have access to free parking in Aylesbury town centre.

I wonder if they would be so keen to put the parking charges up if they were actually paying them themselves?

Putting charges up in car parks is not 'Saving' money at all and should not be referred to as such. It is a way of making money to cover other holes in the budget and should be worded correctly or this can be seen to be misleading people!

Just another rip off, and to squeeze more money out of the public, parking charges are far to high already.

I thought that parking in Aylesbury was free?
I see two caravans parked up on Stocklake opposite the fire station, along with the usual transit vans etc, and all the nice grassy area is being ploughed up - but I don't see any parking enforcement officers down there.

nbw is right - there is nothing on offer in Aylesbury to justify the already high parking fees and nearby towns (even Tring, Wendover and Berko) offer more to tempt shoppers.
After spending 10 minutes getting to the outskirts and half an hour on the last 2 miles of the journey (assuming your car is still in one piece) just what is there for shoppers in Aylesbury?

The problem is that AVDC does nothing to attract new retailers and nothing to ease the problems of the existing retailers.

I propose to scrap free parking in Aylesbury Town Centre for AVDC councillors. If they want to park in the town centre, make em pay like the rest of us who shop or have business there. They've got some front putting up charges for the commoners while they continue to swan in and park for free.

I must be getting really thick as I get older.

AVDC needs to scrape back more than £1million.

Remind me... how much did WE have to pay for THEIR swanky new meeting chambers?


And perhaps if they had built the bridge that I suggested, they would still have £6 million left in the pot.

BTW, any news on when the lift will be working or are the elderly, disabled & mothers with prams going to have to resign themselves to the long walk forever?

Ok, so AVDC have got to bridge to gap by 1 million, so they cut some very needed cash from voluntary groups, relate, citizens Advice etc. This is not good for starters.

Let's have a look at the figures regarding the Aylesbury Vale District Councillors Members Allowances that were paid during 2008/2009. These allowences were claimed by Conservative, Liberal Democrat, 1 Independant & 5 Co-Optees)

Conservative District Councillors: £342,008

Liberal Democrats: £106,357

Independent: £5,148

Co-optees: £2,240

So, NBW from Bierton needs to think again when he gives the Lib Dems praise, they after all claim just like the rest of the Conservatives. NBW seems to be very friendly with the Lib Dems, must be a Aylesbury Town Councillor whos serves the Elmhurst Ward?

The figure by the way for the new Council Chamber was around £3.5 million pounds.

UKIP suggest that all basic Councillors claiming the set rate of £5,148.00 give up claiming any allowances and serve the community for free, this alone would save well over £100,000 a year!