Sir, - Hambleton is a collection of market towns. The primary purpose of a market town is to provide consumer goods, through shops and market stalls.

The council's own "Vision"

for Hambleton in 2021 is "of vibrant and prosperous market towns and sustainable rural communities", yet they have an economic development department pouring millions into the construction of out-of-town industrial estates with low-grade jobs that no-one in Hambleton wants, so they are being filled by people travelling from Teesside.

Council staff are not entrepreneurs, but the council is spending £40,000 on investigating the establishment of an economic development company.

With an unemployment rate of less than one per cent, according to the council, they should leave job creation to the private sector.

The real need is to support existing businesses and local workers, not cut their wages by £350pa spent on parking fees.

Hambleton's Vision fails to mention that 40.9 per cent of the residents have poor or no qualifications, which is a barrier to more skilled employment opportunities and is a contributory factor to the difference in male and female wage levels.

The average gross pay for female workers/voters in Hambleton is 50.6 per cent of the average gross pay for male workers/voters, ie: men earn twice as much as women.

Shopping and employment patterns have changed immeasurably in the past ten years, but people still come to Bedale primarily to shop.

Our traders cannot compete with internet prices or the MetroCentre, but they can offer service and independence, easy access and free car parking.

Tourists are an increasing source of revenue, and free car parking is a much-needed attraction.

The council's case for introducing parking charges is fundamentally flawed and will damage the local economy. Too many businesses are trading on a knife edge, and any diminution in revenue will tip them over into closure. This will reduce Hambleton's income from business rates, which currently provide 49.5 per cent of their net expenditure, which will mean that parking charges will have to go up and there will be a circle of decline.

If more Hambleton councillors had to fight elections, they would have to listen to their electorate's views for a change and would be able to represent their electors properly in the council chamber.

YVONNE ROSE Chairwoman, Bedale Chamber of Trade & Tourism.