On February 2, 2026, Independent Councillor Ian McCord announced his opposition to new parking charges in several West Northamptonshire market towns. He warned the extra costs would damage town-centre economies that are currently in a fragile state.
West Northamptonshire Council is considering introducing charges in towns such as Towcester, Brackley and Daventry as part of its draft 2026/27 budget to help close a significant funding shortfall. McCord said: “We should be rolling out the red carpet for shoppers, not a pay-and-display machine,” arguing the council should be encouraging people to shop on the high street rather than imposing new charges.
He highlighted recent private investment — notably from supermarket chain Aldi — as evidence that these towns remain attractive to businesses. McCord warned that making parking more expensive could reverse that progress by sending shoppers to out-of-town retail parks where parking is free.
While the council says the proposed charges are part of measures to balance the budget and protect essential services, some small business owners have warned the change could be severely damaging to independent trade, with traders in Daventry and other towns saying the proposals would ‘kill the town’. A final decision on the draft budget, including the proposed parking charges, is scheduled to be made at West Northamptonshire Council’s Full Council meeting on 26 February 2026.
