UNUSUAL CHALLENGE OVER VAN PERMITS

Will some vans and lorries parked in Brigg's town centre pedestrian area now incur a charge levied by North Lincolnshire Council?
If that is the case, concerned Brigg Town Council wants to see the situation clarified and reviewed.
An unusual course of action was agreed at the Town Council's monthly meeting - an attempt to challenge the decision affecting the town through what is known as the scrutiny system. It allows those with concerns about decisions made by North Lincolnshire Council's cabinet system of government to have the matter "called in" for a public airing.
The meeting in the Angel Suite heard the cabinet system had approved a review of traffic regulations affecting Brigg's town centre pedestrian area. It was suggested this would mean a daily charge of £10-£15 being made for permits to bring vehicles into the traffic-free zone while working at premises.
Coun Carl Sherwood (pictured), who is a town councillor and also a member of the opposition Conservative group on North Lincolnshire Council, told Monday's meeting that his group was already working to get the decision "called in" for discussion.
"There has been no consultation with Brigg Town Council. This has just been bulldozed through," he claimed. "It looks like another tax on the traders and we don't think that this is right."
He added, in reference to unauthorised entry to the pedestrian area by motorists: "We want to step vehicles going through and people abusing it, but this has gone too far."
Coun Ann Eardley wondered about the position of North Lincolnshire Council's own vans and lorries which needed to access the pedestrian area.
Coun Tom Glossop added of the Town Council's attempt to invoke a review of the issue: "It will do no harm at all to challenge it."
The cabinet system was adopted by North Lincolnshire Council, after due consideration, as one of several options. The aim is to speed up decision-making by allowing certain issues to be decided by very senior figures, rather than taking lesser matters to routine committee meetings.
This is in total contrast to the system employed by Brigg-based Glanford Borough Council (1974-1996) when every councillor sat on every committee, making decisions on even minor matters.

NF adds: Brigg Blog has complained again and again about drivers abusing the pedestrian area, with precious few taken to task for doing so. Without seeing a copy of the permit scheme being proposed by North Lincolnshire Council it's impossible to decide whether it's going to help, or not. Perhaps if the issue is forced into the public domain, through the scrutiny system, we shall get to know. There's no suggestion North Lincolnshire Council intends to charge a tenner for vehicles making lawful deliveries to town centre business premises, or to make a charge for stallholders' vans which need to be in the pedestrian area on market days. The new regulations seem to be aimed at what the town council refers to as contractors needing to "access their tools and equipment" inside vehicles parked in the pedestrian zone outside businesses.