Peckham and Nunhead councillors have told residents they will get a chance to say no to a controlled parking zone in their area – but it “won’t change the decision to implement them borough-wide.”
The statement was made at a recent meeting, in response to many people in Nunhead and Queen’s Road claiming the first consultation never gave them a chance to say no.
The meeting, which took place at The Green, was set up by Nunhead’s Voice – a local community organisation that “believes everyone’s voice should be heard.”
Board member of the organisation and chair of the meeting, Cris Claridge, said it was a way for councillors to listen to residents’ views about the CPZ.
There was some confusion about what the purpose of the meeting was. Councillors said they wanted to answer people’s questions, and given the number of questions attendees had, it seemed they wanted responses. But some people complained they just wanted to be listened to.
As a result, the meeting was halted several times due to the hostility between the residents and the councillors. At one point, a woman got up and left because she ‘hadn’t had a chance to speak,’ whilst a few residents commented: “We’re getting nowhere.”
Cllr Victoria Mills said: “People have raised questions that we want to answer – you might not agree with our answers – but we want to tell you what we know so it is a conversation.”
Along with Cllr Mills, others on the panel were Nunhead & Queen’s Road and Peckham Rye ward councillors: Cllr Gavin Edwards, Cllr Sandra Rhule, Cllr Renata Hamvas and Cllr Reginald Popoola.
People wanted to know the finer details about the implementation of the CPZ, which the council have said they plan to roll out across the whole borough by 2025.
The meeting was largely made up of people against the proposal, but there were some people there who were for it.
‘It’s made the place much nicer’: Residents speak about life after controlled parking zones
All along, a worry from those opposing the proposal has been that the initial consultation gave no option to reject the CPZ implementation.
This concern was echoed at the meeting, with one lady stating: “If we’re not allowed to say no, where is the free and open consultation?”
In response, the councillors made clear that there would be a chance to reject it.
Cllr Sandra Rhule was the first to mention it on the night, stating: “You will get the chance to say no.
“The first consultation was to find out public opinion and it clearly worked. But the second one will give you the chance to say no. The statutory one – the official, legal one is the one where you get to say no.”
Councillors were then asked: “All we want to know, is there any way for this not to happen?”
The councillors unanimously replied: “No” – that it will not change anything, with Cllr Reginald Popoola adding it is “not a referendum.”
“If the majority do say no,” he said, “that does not mean we will change the decision.”
The statutory consultation is a legal requirement.
Controlled parking is set to be implemented across the whole borough, a fact that has been further solidified following this meeting.
As for the finer details, councillors said residents with specific concerns relating to conditions like parking discounts for informal carers should write an email or a letter and these specifics will be taken on board for the final design phase.
A Controlled Parking Zone could be coming to the Queen’s Road area of Peckham