The Maldon District Council meeting on Friday evening ended with a positive result for Burnham-on-Crouch residents and visitors. 

The Strategy and Resources Meeting on Thursday, January 23 was attended by Cllr Driver, Cllr Bown, Cllr Fittock, Cllr Fluker, Cllr Lagan, Cllr Pratt, Cllr Siddall, Cllr Spenceley, Cllr Stamp and Cllr Thompson, with a unanimous vote for recommendation five, meaning charges would not be introduced. 

The report proposed by the Car Parking Task and Finish Working Group, would have seen charges applied to Millfields, Riverside and Foundry Lane Doctors Car Park. 

While the report stated an aim to reduce financial pressures on the council, many councillors hit back about the need to take a "common sense approach", citing the potential impact the charges could have on doctors surgery users and staff, as well as the nearby local businesses.

Cllr Spenceley said: "As a Heybridge councillor, I can have some sympathy for the feeling that Maldon is quite unique, it's a hub that attracts people from quite a wide area and people are used to paying car parking and are willing to pay those fees.

"I think for Burnham-on-Crouch to go down the road of levying charges at this stage would constitute an experiment whose consequences we can't really foresee and which would be very difficult to reverse in terms of the impact."

Cllr Fittock argued that the move would go against the council's Corporate Plan, by dissuading people from visiting the district villages: "Car parking charges must be viewed more holistically as part of an accessibility strategy for town centres, which take into account its need to promote its businesses."

He also expressed concerns, alongside Cllr Stamp, that the concession of six free bays at Foundry Lane, compared to the number of patients using the surgery at any given time, would not be enough: "All we're doing is pushing the problem elsewhere."

"People will move to locations in the area that they don't have to pay." 

The Burnham Surgery on Foundry Lane has over 30 staff who may use the carpark. (Credit: Chloe Brewster)

The meeting also revealed a lack of consultation between the working group and key stakeholders, including the doctors surgery, about the charges. 

Cllr Stamp said: "The Corporate Plan 25/26 says that we will support the vulnerable and services with being accessible and inclusive, how is this going to be delivered when the doctor's car park is not going to be freely accessible?"

"Our local businesses have not been consulted, we will not survive this, this is another nail in the coffin if this council does this. 

"This council is supposed to be supporting local businesses and the economy, and you're not doing that by doing this."

While the discussion ended in a vote to not introduce parking charges, some councillors did suggest the case is not closed on the matter.

"Residents of Burnham, this is a reprieve." Cllr Siddall said. "A larger authority will look at this again."

Vice-Chairperson Cllr Driver repeated the sentiment, adding that "car parking charges, though disliked, are a fundamental part of the revenue that keeps councils going," and that "there will come a point that judgements are going to have to be made not just for Burnham but for other areas as well."

An e-petition against any car parking charges started by local resident Natalie Crosland, reached over 753 signatures ahead of the meeting, with 820 signatures to date.

 She told Nub News that while she believes Thursday's meeting was a "good result," pressure must be kept on to keep the parking free.

You can watch Thursday's meeting in full, here.