Sir, – I read in the local press that Hambleton councillors are, among other possibilities, considering granting a three-week “holiday” from their proposed parking charges during the 2009 Christmas period, as part of their wish to “do as much as they can for the economy”.

Do they not realise that in the eight months until next Christmas, the effects of the recession on the lives and profitability of the people and businesses of the district will by then have already caused serious financial harm. As usual, too little, too late.

If they are serious about their concern to help people and businesses through the recession, they should be looking to postpone until further notice their ill-conceived introduction of car parking charges. This would save not only hundreds of thousands of pounds of installation costs, but also the costs of the county council for their proposed enlargement of the “on-street” disc parking areas.

They might even consider the alteration of their own allowances, to return to the 1974 vision of local councillors as “undertaking voluntary civic duties”.

J BAILEY Harewood Lane, Northallerton.