IT would appear that comments made on these pages about rash promises made by one of the candidates to be our new Mayor (of North Yorkshire) that he will cut parking charges are controversial with some (Parking suggestion 
is ‘simply wrong’, Craven Herald letters, April 25).

I suggest readers decide for themselves whether the recent 20 per cent rise in parking charges across North Yorkshire is part of a strategy to reduce them and how well this price rise will help local businesses.

Readers might also like to decide whether they think economic development is best secured by central government routinely taking regular reliable real terms per head funding away from local government and then allowing councils to bid to gain back a bit of temporary project funding. Particularly if that funding is then squandered on a temporary reduction in parking charges which can’t afford to be sustained.

Finally, readers might like to decide for themselves whether they would be comfortable if they find themselves represented by a Mayor elected by a minority of votes after a tiny turn out of electors who have heard unfunded promises to buy a hotel in Scarborough that isn’t for sale and reduce car parking charges that his own party has just increased.

Cllr Andy Brown (Green Party)

Cononley