I was surprised recently to hear that Wandsworth Council will be closing the Parking Shop on Balham High Road on 12th September, without so much as placing a notice inside to inform the local community.

The only way a resident would have found about this would be if they had asked the question 'is the parking shop closing?' - do Wandsworth Council think word-of-mouth is the most accurate and efficient way of publicising the closure of a local service?

These cuts follow the council’s outrageous 25% increase in the cost of parking permits for local residents, who will now have to pay £20 a year more just to park outside their own house.

A call to Wandsworth Parking Services indicated residents would have to travel all the way to Wandsworth Town Hall to purchase day-passes/permits, which is incredibly inconvenient.

Following a phone call from a local journalist the council revealed permits will be available from Balham Library - which is contrary to the advice I'd received over the phone.

This doesn't change the fact Wandsworth Council have hugely increased the cost of parking services while simultaneously cutting their services and costs - all while the council has sizable financial reserves.

I asked Wandsworth Council more than a year ago to consider running local services like this from our Post Offices, a system that would be far more convenient for local residents, as well as helping to generate business for struggling Post Offices. But they refused.

This is the perfect opportunity for the council to help support the borough’s Post Offices. I will continue to press for this action despite the council continuing to sting local businesses and residents with hidden costs, and silently cut local services.