New Milton town councillor Cllr Robert Maynard denied chance to speak at Hampshire County Council decision day on Barton and Keyhaven parking charge plans

HAMPSHIRE County Council has been accused acting undemocratically after a New Milton town councillor was refused permission to address an “overwhelmingly unpopular” plan for parking charges at Barton seafront.

Cllr Robert Maynard has been denied the opportunity to speak at an HCC decision day meeting being held tomorrow (Friday) when Cllr Lulu Bowerman, portfolio holder for universal services, will consider plans to introduce parking charges along large sections of Barton seafront and at Keyhaven.

The new charges for Barton are proposed along Marine Drives East and West, between 10am and 6pm, coupled with a ban on overnight parking by campervans and mobile homes between 8pm and 8am.

A number of spaces close to the Barton Court Avenue junction and outside seafront shops would remain free for up to two hours between 10am and 6pm. Additional free two-hour parking spaces have been added to the amended plans outside the Beachcomber Café and the Cliff House restaurant.

However, the scheme has prompted objections from 280 residents and business owners, and Cllr Maynard says he should be allowed to speak as their elected representative.

He told the A&T: ”The decision to oppose this was vehemently unanimous from all New Milton Town Councillors as well as the entire staff.”

As well as reading though 174 pages of objections to the plans, Cllr Maynard revealed he had also meet with local business owners and pledged to highlight their concerns. He added: “I assumed would be accepted specifically because I was the elected representative for Barton.

“I then learned later on Monday that my permission to speak had been declined for the very reason that I was an elected representative of a council, and other channels should be open to me.

“This seems crazy as the decision day meeting is the obvious channel for a town council to represent its businesses and residents.”

Cllr Maynard’s exclusion from the decision day debate was met with outrage at Tuesday’s New Milton Town Council meeting.

“This smacks of a knock on democracy,” Cllr David Hawkins fumed.

“As a ward member for Barton, Robert is looking after his residents. He should be heard,” he added.

Cllr Maynard said: “Barton is nothing like Brighton, Bournemouth, Southend or Portsmouth. We just don’t have that kind of footfall. Displaced parking concerns to other streets and damage to businesses is a genuine problem.

“This scheme is overwhelmingly opposed by almost everyone who has commented.”

Barton business owners have also shared their opposition to the introduction of parking charges. Malcolm Barry from the Beachcomber Café said: “We are trying to run a business in a particularly difficult time, and with the cost of everything increasing this is just another obstacle to try and overcome.

“To not want an area to thrive and be the best it can be shows us the Hampshire County Council is completely unsupportive, and we are appalled with what it is doing.”

Hayley Darbishire, owner of the Cliff House also opposes the plans. She said: ”It seems a strange move to propose a change which will clearly negatively impact businesses, when the hospitality sector needs support from their local authority.”

Cllr Lulu Bowerman is set to consider a recommendation to introduce parking charges and overnight parking restrictions at Barton and at Saltgrass Lane and New Lane in Keyhaven on Friday. The charges would be £1 per hour and, if agreed, it is expected the plans will be implemented in August or September.

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council, said: “The county council is committed to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to engage democratically with the local authority’s decision making and there are a number of ways to do this.

“As set out in the county council’s standing orders Hampshire residents, organisations, and businesses have the opportunity to voice their opinions and participate directly at county council decision days, committees, and panels by submitting a request to speak – this is called making a deputation.

“Elected councillors from councils, other than the county council, as well as groups such as trade union representatives, and county council staff have alternative, and well-established, channels to bring issues to the county council’s attention. This approach is clearly stated on our webpages.”