Our campaigning reporter, Katie Wheatley, who has passionately fought for independent businesses for more than four years, responds to the opinion piece published yesterday from the leader of West Northamptonshire Council, Councillor Mark Arnull.

You are likely to have seen West Northamptonshire Council leader Councillor Mark Arnull’s scrutiny of the Chronicle & Echo’s latest campaign, Park the Charges.

Launched last Thursday (November 5), this campaign is calling for free parking at all council-owned multi-storey and surface car parks, as well as the premium on-street parking, on Saturdays and Sundays from November 21 until December 20 – as well as Christmas Eve for last minute shoppers.

We, and many of the traders we speak to, believe this is key to the success of the town centre this festive period and the survival of the beloved businesses at the backbone of the Northampton community into 2027 and beyond.

In the WNC leader’s column, he made the statement that “responsible local government cannot be reduced to whichever giveaway makes the easiest headline or generates the most social media clicks” – and this is not only an insult to us, but the town centre businesses we give a platform to.

I have been a reporter at the Chronicle & Echo for the past four-and-half years, driven by a passion for giving a voice to the businesses working hard to make this town and the wider county a better place to live, shop, visit and work.

These founders continue to put themselves out there and share their extremely valuable views and stories with us – and it is no secret that parking has come up as an issue time and time again for those situated in Northampton town centre.

Parking is an issue that affects their livelihoods as business owners. Making the town centre a better place is at the heart of everything they do and what they speak out about, not how many pageviews they can garner for us.

Our campaigning reporter, Katie Wheatley, who has passionately fought for independent businesses for more than four years, responds to the opinion piece published yesterday from the leader of West Northamptonshire Council, Councillor Mark Arnull. | Iconic Media Group

placeholder image — Our campaigning reporter, Katie Wheatley, who has passionately fought for independent businesses for more than four years, responds to the opinion piece published yesterday from the leader of West Northamptonshire Council, Councillor Mark Arnull. | Iconic Media Group

We dispute any claim that our reporting is not impartial. We pride ourselves on offering a balanced take. Councillor Arnull claims that the Park the Charges campaign is not impartial reporting, and instead is lobbying.

There is a fine line between campaigning and lobbying, and be our guest to research the difference – but since when were newspapers passionate about giving a platform to the issues that matter to their communities not allowed to campaign fairly for what they believe is right and needed?

My reporting on car parking started back in early 2023, when we teamed up with businesses and the public to run a campaign against proposed increases to town centre car parking fees. We campaigned vigorously to stop the-then-Conservative-led WNC’s draft budget proposals from scrapping free weekend parking and raising hourly rates across council-owned town centre cars.

Although the council voted to approve the budget hikes, we were proud to stand alongside town centre businesses and members of the public to make their voices heard. And we retain our right to do so in this instance through Park the Charges.

‘There was no time to waste to use our voice and platform’

Councillor Arnull is correct that we acknowledge WNC’s plans alongside its partners to deliver WinterFest and make the Market Square a festive destination, which is why we are working alongside them as a media partner of that programme of events.

As we already have, we will continue to publicise what is coming up for our readers to enjoy in Northampton town centre this Christmas – and that is precisely the reason why Park the Charges was launched in the first place.

Despite WNC’s best will in the world to transform the town centre into a magical, festive destination, fewer people will come if they are deterred by parking charges.

When we first approached WNC on November 3, the authority told us in a one line comment that it did not currently have any plans to offer free town centre parking during the Christmas period.

WNC was approached again following the launch of Park the Charges for comment, to which they described our calls as “not a sustainable solution”.

Off the back of their response, the local authority was subsequently asked to explain, clarify or provide the evidence which shows a vibrant town centre offer, good accessibility and a positive visitor experience are stronger drivers of footfall than free parking.

They were also asked to provide evidence to support their point that the increase in parking charges resulted in no drop off in the use of car parks or on-street parking, which they suggest has not led to fewer visitors to the town centre.

The Chron was told that WNC had provided their response and had nothing further to add at this stage. We were told that if we wish for more detailed service information, we are welcome to submit a Freedom of Information request.

Requesting any further information through FOI would have taken up to 20 working days and with the launch of WNC’s festivities just around the corner on November 21, there was no time to waste to use our voice and platform.

Councillor Arnull’s column was the first we had heard that it would cost an estimated £100,000 in parking income to deliver what our campaign is calling for.

WNC could have included this estimate in the response provided to the Chronicle & Echo when they described scrapping pre-Christmas town centre parking as “not a sustainable solution”, but they did not. This is a conversation we then could have opened.

We do not agree with Councillor Arnull’s suggestion that we have been “recruiting” our readership “to pressure elected representatives” to deliver what our campaign calls for. Anyone who wants to get involved and share their views is welcome to, and not once have we encouraged anyone to apply significant pressure.

As Councillor Arnull knows since he became leader of WNC in May 2025, constituents have every right to raise issues with him and his council. It should not make a difference as to whether that is something a local newspaper is campaigning for or not.

Of course we recognise the financial constraints and difficulties that councils up and down the country face, and we continue to report on them. But the rapidly growing cost of looking after vulnerable children, rising demand for adult social care, and the rise in costs and demand for statutory services does not mean we cannot campaign for town centre parking. You simply cannot pit them against each other.

Having proudly led this newspaper’s campaigns for the past four-and-a-half years, it is disappointing that this is the reaction I have had the first time I challenge the Reform-led WNC in this way.

If you would like to be part of the Chronicle & Echo’s campaign for free parking in Northampton town centre this Christmas, email [email protected].