Retailers across Perth and Kinross have been handed an early Christmas present by councillors.
Opposition councillors ganged up on the SNP administration to expand an initiative aimed at encouraging shoppers back into the centre of Perth and towns across the district to set the tills ringing.
Shoppers can now look forward to free parking in council car parks after 2pm on Thursdays and Fridays, for two months from November 29 right through until the end of January.
The original proposal by the administration was free parking after 3pm on those days, but only for one month until December 28.
At the outset of Wednesday’s meeting, council administration leader Councillor Ian Miller explained the background to introducing free parking and said a similar exercise was carried out on Thursdays last year.
”It’s clear that the findings from last year’s experiment are inconclusive but, given the fact that retailers are facing extremely difficult times in our High Streets, I think it is right that this council should listen and respond to their request for this short-term, free parking promotion,” he said.
”There is a cost to the council, of course, but I hope that this will be more than overcome by an increase in footfall for traders across Perth and Kinross.
”The aim of this paper is to help our retailers by attracting more shoppers over the festive period and I very much hope that this proposal will do just that.”
The cost of the defeated SNP proposal was an estimated £23,500 from the council’s car park account, but the amended, extended scheme will cost more.
After the meeting, Councillor Alan Livingstone, said: ”The Conservative group were delighted to have the support of the other opposition parties and the independent councillor on the strategic policy and resources committee for our proposals for free parking over the Christmas and New Year period.
”Our successful motion will provide free parking on Thursdays and Fridays from 2pm, not just in Perth, but across Perth and Kinross. It will also be extended to cover the month of January, when we are aware that retail levels often fall.
”I view this as a beginning that will be of help to shoppers and traders alike. We were very disappointed in the very limited proposal put forward by the SNP administration for free parking on Thursday and Fridays after 3pm in the afternoon and only over the Christmas period.
”We are acutely aware of the difficulties retailers are facing at the moment and the need for the council to do all we can to help them.
”Since the budget in February, we have been consistently advocating periods of free parking, not just in Perth, but across the entire Perth and Kinross area.
”We hope that retailers will join us in publicising this widely so as many people as possible will be attracted to shop in Perthshire and Kinross.”
Lib Dem leader Councillor Peter Barrett had also criticised the SNP proposals as being ”too timid and failing to recognise the severity of the crisis that local retailers face”.
He urged the council administration to recognise that local retailers also needed vital support over the post-Christmas sales period.
Various proposals were put forward, but eventually the SNP motion for a one-month parking initiative was defeated by eight votes to seven.
Mr Barrett welcomed the decision, saying: ”The important result today is that we will be providing a better support package to encourage city centre shopping and footfall.”