Early Christmas present for Stafford and Stone shoppers as council brings back free festive parking in borough
Stafford Borough Council is bringing back its annual gift of free parking for Christmas shoppers in the run-up to the big day – almost two years after the festive bonus was axed.
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The authority has previously waived parking charges at council-run car parks on December Saturday afternoons before Christmas, but the perk was pulled by the former Conservative administration to cut costs in early 2023.
The move was branded “Scrooge-like” at the time by Labour Councillor Aidan Godfrey, who went on to become the authority’s leader later that year. But his administration did not restore the free Saturday parking offer last Christmas, despite a bid in late November by a Conservative opposition group member, Mike Dodson, to bring back the treat.
It was the new administration’s turn to be compared to the Dickensian miser Scrooge, as Councillor Marnie Phillips said at the latest full council meeting. And on Tuesday (December 3) councillors were presented with a motion by Councillor Godfrey and deputy leader Rob Kenney to approve the lifting of car parking fees from 9am to 11.59pm on December 7, 14 and 21, with the exception of Riverside and Waterfront car parks – although there was no mention of any ghostly visitations to prompt the proposal.
They said: “Stafford Borough Council’s Cabinet hope the lifting of parking fees in Stafford and Stone the three Saturdays before Christmas will help increase the number of people visiting our town centres at this very important time of year for retail, hospitality, and other businesses. The council hope this early Christmas present will be welcomed by traders and visitors alike – merry Christmas!”
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting, Councillor Godfrey said: “Last year I thought the new administration made the right decision; we weren’t aware of the financial implications on taking office. We are clear we have the money now in our reserves to give the town centres of Stafford and Stone a real boost in the festive period.”
Councillor Phillips said: “While I commend the council on the motion I would like to remind you that last year they were likened to Ebeneezer Scrooge, because last year they didn’t do this. Shoppers didn’t have the opportunity at a time when there was an issue with people’s finances.
“I’m really pleased we have decided to do a U-turn and have decided to offer it. But I would suggest an amendment: lifting car parking fees on both Saturdays and Sundays 8, 15, and 22 December, which will help lift footfall to our town centres and smaller businesses and will also allow Saturday workers to take advantage of this year’s council generosity.”
Councillor Phillips’ initial amendment also included lifting parking fees at the Riverside and Waterside car parks. But councillors were told by chief executive Tim Clegg that these two sites had not been included in the original motion for technical reasons, due to part of the sites being used for contract parking, and so the two were removed from the amendment.
The proposal to offer free parking on the three Sundays before Christmas failed to gain sufficient support from the full council however and was defeated, and the original motion was carried.
