A BREAKAWAY group of Tories have been branded hypocrites after calling for the return of the original parking charges in William Hunter Way – because they agreed with the proposals when they were first raised in the summer.
Council leader Louise McKinlay this week slammed Brentwood First councillors Russell Quirk, William Lloyd, Phil Baker and Nigel Clarke for criticising the authority's decision to abolish the one-hour 60p minimum parking rate in William Hunter Way.
This is despite the £1.30 two-hour rate costing people 40p less than the previous charge for two hours.
Cllr McKinlay said: "They are being total hypocrites. They have supported these changes from the beginning and agreed these changes when they were made.
"Russell Quirk has been supportive of it since the beginning, which is interesting if you compare it to the comments he's made in the last few days."
She said Mr Lloyd and Mr Baker were on the Parking and Policy panels that later ratified the changes.
The members of Brentwood First hand delivered a letter to Brentwood mayor Ann Coe on Monday in which they called for an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss the parking charges.
The letter read: "The Conservative administration have recently seen fit to increase the minimum car parking charge within our town centre car parks (excepting Chatham Way only) from 60 pence to £1.30, an increase of 117 per cent.
"Brentwood's residents and traders are justifiably up in arms over this decision as it is to the detriment of both."
