Scottish Conservative politicians Jackson Carlaw MSP and Paul Masterton MP have written to the leader of the council, Tony Buchanan calling on the SNP-Labour Coalition to unequivocally rule out introducing a Car Park Tax in East Renfrewshire ahead of the local authority setting its own budget for the 2019/20 financial year on Thursday 28th February.
In their letter, Mr Carlaw and Mr Masterton have stated that the SNP led administration should commit to ruling out an East Renfrewshire Car Park Tax for the remainder of the current council term until the next round of Scottish Local Government Elections in May 2022.
Councillor Stewart Miller, Conservative leader on East Renfrewshire Council, has confirmed that his group will not be supporting any proposal to bring in a Car Park Tax locally.
Last week, Councillor Miller signed a joint letter with the other 29 Conservative council group leaders in Scotland making clear that under no circumstances will the East Renfrewshire Conservatives countenance the possibility of backing a local Car Parking Tax.
Under the plans approved last week at Holyrood by the SNP Government, employees such as apprentices, low paid workers and teachers could be forced to pay nearly £500 just to park at their place of work.
As part of the budget deal reached at the Scottish Parliament, the SNP Government will back an amendment to the Transport Bill giving local authorities the power to introduce a Car Park Tax.
Eastwood MSP, Jackson Carlaw said:
"A potential charge of almost £500 just for the privilege of being able to park at your place of work, that's what was included as part of the Nationalist Government’s recent budget at Holyrood.
"Let's hope SNP Councillors in East Renfrewshire show more common sense than their SNP colleagues at Holyrood and fundamentally oppose the introduction of the Car Park Tax locally.
"Paul Masterton and I have written to the leader of East Renfrewshire Council calling on the SNP-Labour Coalition to unequivocally rule out implementing an unwanted Car Park Tax.”
East Renfrewshire MP Paul Masterton stated:
"When I led a team of Conservative campaigners at a street stall in Clarkston a couple of weeks ago, local people were clear that they did not want a punitive Car Park Tax introduced in East Renfrewshire.
"The SNP-Labour Coalition should do the right thing at the council's budget meeting and use the opportunity to rule out implementing a Car Park Tax in East Renfrewshire.
"East Renfrewshire Conservative councillors will be backing hard pressed taxpayers by firmly opposing any future plans from the local authority to implement a workplace parking levy."
Conservative Group Leader and Councillor for Clarkston, Netherlee and Williamwood, Stewart Miller added:
"Alongside every other Conservative council group leader in Scotland, I signed a joint letter last week making clear that under no circumstances will East Renfrewshire Conservative Councillors consider backing any proposal for putting in place a local Car Park Tax.
"We are firmly against the introduction of a Car Park Tax in East Renfrewshire and I call on the SNP-Labour Coalition to make the same promise.
Notes To Editors:
Letter to Councillor Tony Buchanan, Leader of East Renfrewshire Council