Shenfield protesters are preparing to continue their fight against on-street parking charges and have pledged to keep the council's finances under close scrutiny in the coming year.

They claim they will demand the total repeal of the pay and display scheme approved by Brentwood Council on Monday - if they find the council is making excessive profits from parking enforcement.

The Lib Dem controlled council has always insisted its plans are aimed at tackling parking problems within the borough not at profiteering.

But, Maurice Buxton, from Shenfield Traders Opposed to Paid Parking (STOPP), said: "The council has been notified that we may have lost the battle, but the war will continue.

"We will not accept a second rate proposal for our town so the council can impose a stealth tax on residents.

"The council says it is on target to issue 10,000 tickets this year - that would be a minimum of £300,000 in fines!"

Mr Buxton said STOPP is now looking to put pressure on Lib Dem candidates in key wards at the next local election - although he refused to comment any further.

Conservative group leader Cllr Brandon Lewis has backed STOPP's stance on parking and claimed his party would review the whole pay and display system if it seized power next year.

At a bad tempered meeting, interrupted by angry shouts from the audience, councillors approved revised plans for the decriminalisation of parking within the borough.

The proposals include maintaining free short term parking immediately outside Shenfield shops and introducing pay and display in areas of Hutton Road not immediately outside shops.

Chairman of the Environment and Technical Services, Cllr Barry Aspinell, argued any surplus funds generated by parking tickets would be ring-fenced by law for highway improvement projects.

Published Friday, December 13, 2002

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