Free car parking 'pledge' comes under fire as opposition unites against Reform council's charge plan
Members of the public, residents, councillors and the MP for Wellingborough and Rushden have criticised North Northants Council’s ruling Reform executive – and leader Cllr Martin Griffths – for going against election promises to keep parking free in council-owned car parks.
At the meeting at Corby Cube today (Tuesday, September 15), executive members unanimously passed the proposed North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) draft car parking strategy, launching a public consultation process that could see charges introduced.
Affecting all 49 NNC-owned car parks that provide more than 3,000 spaces to the public, residents, businesses and workers, free spaces could be scrapped in Wellingborough, Rushden, Burton Latimer, Rothwell, Thrapston and Desborough.
Brandishing election leaflets in which Cllr Griffiths and other Reform councillors had pledged to keep free parking, some of the 13 speakers threw back pre-elections promises at the executive.
Addressing the executive, Gen Kitchen MP for Wellingborough and Rushden, said: “When parking charges were rumoured last year, I launched a petition to keep parking free. You are now proposing to consult on these charges, but from my conversations with businesses and residents, introducing them could have a catastrophic impact on our town centres.
"Businesses need more customers coming through their doors. Residents need a reason to visit. Charging people to park risks achieving precisely the opposite.
"Your leaflet said free parking was essential to help local businesses survive and to improve the town centre. You pledged to resist charges.
"I fully agree with that commitment, I’m asking you to honour it.”
Now representing Reform, the leader of North Northants Council Cllr Martin Griffiths was once the Conservative leader of the now disbanded Borough Council of Wellingborough.
When running the council in the town, he and his former party colleagues pledged to keep free parking saying – “We will maintain free parking on council owned land in the borough”.
When sitting as an independent backbencher in 2021, Cllr Griffiths put forward a motion to make all NNC-owned car parks free – which was defeated.
His joint council election leaflet ahead of the 2025 polls stated: “Free parking is essential to help local businesses survive and to improve the town centre (Wellingborough) environment. Reform UK councillors will resist any attempts to impose charges.”
Currently users of NNC’s Kettering and Corby car parks have to pay to park whereas facilities in Wellingborough and Rushden are free.
Cllr Helen Harrison, Conservative leader of the official opposition, said when they were in power, the Tories pledged to extend free parking across the area.
She said: “There is a choice between making all car parking chargeable, all car parking free, or all car parking frees for a specified time and thereafter chargeable.
“Given Cllr Griffiths’ previous vocal support for free car parking in our centres, this is disappointing and dispiriting.
“It seems to me that Reform say one thing to get elected and then do the exact opposite once in power, just like raising council tax by the maximum despite pledging to reduce it.”
Rushden resident Zara Cunliffe spoke to point out the effects car parking charges could have for charity volunteers, saying it would become a ‘financial burden’.
Cllr Kelly Duddridge (Lab) highlighted the potential cost to parents dropping off children at town centre schools using Jackson’s Lane car park – the proposed charges could wrack up £285 a year for each school run.
Wellingborough Reform councillor Vinnie Whitrow hit back, saying Wellingborough’s multi-storey car park was a £153,000 ‘drain on the taxpayer’ and said business rates were ‘killing’ the town.
Corby’s Cllr Eddie McDonald said the proposed charges would see an increase for Corby, a small reduction for Kettering users and a ‘modest increase’ for those in Wellingborough.
Wellingborough councillor Dave Baker, deputy leader of the Labour group, pledged to ‘resist any attempts’ to charge users in the town.
Answering the comments, Cllr Griffiths said: “I kind of knew I would be in for some level of criticism today. In May 2025, I became leader of NNC with the huge responsibility of delivering 800 services and representing the interest of 380,000 people across North Northamptonshire.
"I take that responsibility very seriously, as I know my executive members do also.
"We are listening council and we are ‘one council’ and I urge the people here today those watching on social media and the wider community to respond to this important consultation when it is launched.”