Bolton Labour Leader, Nick Peel, on the Council’s recent free parking u-turn:

“Prior to lockdown, the Conservative Council unveiled plans to end the free parking scheme in Bolton town centre, that the previous Labour Council had introduced. We were deeply concerned about how this move would affect the local retail economy and also that it was made without any consultation whatsoever. We therefore called the decision in, which meant that we were able to halt the ending of free parking until the decision had gone through proper scrutiny. It was due to be debated in full council at the March meeting, which ended up being cancelled, but the Tories and their collation allies showed no indication that they were prepared to back down.

“I therefore welcome this latest U-Turn from the Council, and thank Cllrs Cox and Greenhalgh for listening to Labour.

“Now that the Tories have backed down on this, we call on them to also cancel indefinitely their plans to privatise meals on wheels. Only someone who has been asleep for the last few months would pursue this dangerous and ideologically driven policy.”