1 I have launched my new Website www.paul-andrews.net. Visitors are welcome.

2 Malton/Norton Town Centre Initiative applied to Community Services for a £5,000 grant. They were asked to attend a meeting and make a presentation, which they did on 3rd February. The committee supported the request for a grant and then referred the matter to Policy and Resources on 10th February to find the cash. Policy and Resources turned the request down.

3 The Budget

3.1 I had a total of nine meetings with Council officers, including two with the Chief Finance Officer, over the budget, as I did not like to see the way the Council was going in using car park fee increases to balance the budget. The other market towns have tourist attractions of their own, and may be able to stand a 25% increase, but I think this could be bad for business in Malton/Norton, and so I have fought hard against this increase.

3.2 The purpose of the nine meetings with officers was to try and find a way of reducing the increase. I produced two alternative proposals, but neither of them was accepted. In the end, my discussions with the Council’s Chief Financial Officer identified a sum of £70,000 (out of the £177,000, which is to be raised through the increase in car park charges) which could have been deferred without any undue criticism from the Council’s auditors – although, there would still have to be an officer’s recommendation against it. Relying on this discussion, I agreed the attached statement with Mr. Teasdale. Unfortunately the Policy and Resources Committee of 10th February would not accept this.

3.3 At the same meeting, the Committee resolved that it was their intention not to raise car park charges again. Later on in the meeting, they decided to review the free car parking status of St. Nicholas Street Car Park Norton, with a view to introducing charges there.

PAUL ANDREWS