No deal on yearly charge for council staff parking
PROPOSALS which could see Dungannon Council having to fork out £2,000 a year to allow its staff to park close to their place of work, have been rejected by councillors at a sub-committee meeting.
Despite calls for the annual charge to be implemented, allowing council staff to use the grounds of the old St Patrick’s Primary School in the town, an amendment that no payment be made, and that the existing free parking at the Leisure Centre be utilised, was passed by eight votes to six.
Dungannon Town Ulster Unionist councillor, Walter Cuddy, who seconded the amendment, said the committee had agreed to look again at providing extra spaces at Northland Row, rather than paying a charge for the facility.
“We need to take another look at the issue”, Cllr Cuddy told the Tyrone Times, “to see whether we can get more spaces in the premises we have at Northland Row.”
Cllr Cuddy said there is limited parking space at Northland Row for council staff only, and added: “There are going to be more employees using the offices at Northland Row, so hopefully we can get more space by digging out the hill at the back of the premises.
“We agreed to look at the issue again rather than paying for staff parking. The Council needs to be providing parking for staff and there is such a big issue around parking throughout the town generally.
“We want to work at expanding parking on our own ground before we start charging people.
“It was agreed that we go back and have a look at all the options rather than paying an outside organisation for parking.”
In addition to parking at the council’s Northland Row offices, a limited number of free spaces also exists at Perry Street carpark, which is owned by Roads Service.
At the sub-committee meeting, SDLP councillor Jim Cavanagh originally proposed to investigate the possibility of extending the carpark at the back of Northland Row, but in the meantime accept the recommendation to pay a yearly fee of £2,000.
That proposal was seconded by his party colleague, Patsy Daly.
However, the amendment to the proposal - from DUP councillor, Sammy Brush, and seconded by Cllr Cuddy - was eventually carried.
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Weather for Dungannon
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
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Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
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