NEILSTON Community Council has become the latest critic of off-street car parking charges being introduced by the local authority.

East Renfrewshire Council (ERC) last month voted to approve the introduction of charges at key car parks across Barrhead and Neilston.

Barrhead Community Council was heavily critical of the proposals, saying that it would drive footfall and trade away from the town centre and impact businesses and residents financially.

Neilston Community Council (NCC) has written to ERC outlining its opposition in detail.

In the letter it argues that the plans have been poorly thought through and that key figures are either wrong or misleading.

The letter, drafted and submitted by NCC secretary Jim Sheriff, said: “Given the fact that the proposal appears poorly drafted, the criteria have changed, there are multiple anomalies in the figures, certain car parks have been excluded and we have not been provided with much of the information required to enable a balanced judgement to be made, we propose that the proposal is rejected.

“On the basis that crucial information figures and costs are missing, as is information as to how some of the outcomes have been derived, and as such the proposal lacks transparency or credibility, making it impossible to make a balanced judgement.”

The parking proposals will affect the park and ride car park in Neilston, as well as the Barrhead Foundry car park and a free car park on Cochrane Street.

However, East Renfrewshire Council’s headquarters – which has the largest free car park in the county – will not be subject to the same rates being imposed on residents.

Neilston Community Council claims this is an “elitist” move.

The letter continued: “The biggest car park in East Renfrewshire is being retained as “free”; this will look like a NIMBY (not in my backyard) proposal to many.

“Free and reserved parking are ‘not appropriate’ for the proposers of this scheme, while the council taxpayers have to endure another financial burden and is not in line with the ethos and concept of ‘fairness’ put out by the elected member.

“While budget cuts and hard choices need to be made it is unacceptable they should not affect all.

“This will look like an elitist scheme to many.”

Similar concerns were raised by Barrhead’s Community Council earlier this month at their last meeting of 2016.

Chairwoman Rosaleen Reilly said: “This is likely to achieve the exact opposite of what the council is trying to do in Barrhead town centre and drive people away.”

The charges are set to come in to force in the second quarter of 2017.