East Lothian Council’s boss has urged North Berwick traders to get behind the new parking charges or risk damaging the town’s reputation.
Chief executive Laurence Rocky wrote to the local trade association ‘extending a hand’ to retailers and businesses who have raised concerns about the negative impact of the meters on them.
The letter, which has not been made public, came to light at a meeting of the council’s petitions committee last week where councillors were asked, and refused, to pause the scheme.
Provost John McMillan heard from council officers about the high level of complaints they were dealing with relating to the charges, which only became operation at the start of the month.
All sides at the meeting united in their condemnation of online abuse which has been aimed at individual councillors but disagreed about whether a proper assessment of the impact of the charges had been carried out before they were introduced.
Councillor McMillan told the meeting: “I do know the chief executive has written to the traders, extended a hand and has actually commented on the perhaps detrimental effect some of those social media comments are having, not only on individual councillors but on the reputation of North Berwick because in many ways there is another side of that.
“There is a view that it is to the detriment of North Berwick and we are hearing more evidence on the benefits people are seeing in turnover and so on”
A council spokesperson confirmed Mr Rockey had contacted local businesses in the town.
They said: “Laurence Rockey, our chief executive, has responded to the Traders Association in North Berwick to acknowledge the strength of feeling around the new parking management measures and set out a commitment to ongoing, constructive engagement.
“He recognised that parking management of this nature is widely used around the country as well as a belief that it is necessary for North Berwick in the context of expected growth in visitor numbers.
“The council, he explained, welcomed the association’s input regarding the impact of the new measures, taking account of a meaningful time frame.
“Given the importance of continuing to encourage visitors, he set out the council’s willingness to work with traders to help promote North Berwick as the excellent destination that it is.
“We are very keen to highlight the fact that the town is accessible and open for business, with lots of great things to experience.”
North Berwick is the first town in East Lothian to introduce the new parking management scheme with plans underway to introduce similar schemes in Musselburgh, Haddington, Dunbar, Tranent and Prestonpans.
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
