Dereham councillor resigns over 'biggest' decision in years

Harry Clarke, who had served on Dereham Town Council (DTC) for 11 years, announced he was standing down after failing to stop the authority taking over the town's car parks and introducing either charges or a tax increase.

It comes after DTC voted to consider two proposals from Breckland Council which would see the ownership of the Cherry Tree, Cowper Road and Swaffham Hill car parks transferred into parish ownership. 

Mr Clarke served on Dereham Town Council for 11 years(Image: Harry Clarke)

If one of the proposals is taken up, it would force DTC to implement parking charges at sites which are currently free-to-use or raise council tax in order to finance the transfer.

In his resignation statement, the Labour councillor expressed his disappointment at the council’s decision to vote to consider the proposals. 

“I’ve campaigned to keep free car parking at the point of use for many, many years,” he said. 

“I can’t remain with any integrity in a council inflicting, in my view, deliberate self-harm on the town now taking this position and would be unable to look residents in the face following any fallout of any kind.”

The public are set to be consulted over the implementation of charges(Image: Newsquest)

He added: “I’m proud to have served as a town councillor for nearly 11 years, and have supported 99.9pc of our decisions.

“But I can’t support this one - probably one of the biggest they will have taken, and will be for a long while.”

Mr Clarke, who will remain in his position as a Breckland councillor for Dereham’s Withburga ward, has long opposed the possibility of parking charges, and campaigned on the issue when he was elected in 2023. 

Mr Clarke will remain in his position as a Breckland councillor(Image: Newsquest)

Last year, he helped launch an online petition against parking fees after Breckland launched a consultation over the possibility of implementing them in various towns in the district, which gained more than 7,000 signatures.

Breckland then put the brakes on the plans in February amid news of impending local government reorganisation, before offering towns the opportunity to take over their own car park sites in March.

DTC is now set to carry out a public consultation over the two options they have chosen to consider.

Reflecting on his lengthy tenure, Mr Clarke said one of his proudest moments was the role he played in pushing through the refurbishment of the Queen Mother’s Garden in Dereham.