## Money-spinning traffic warden plan scrapped due to prohibitive costs A cash-strapped council has scrapped a money-spinning plan to employ traffic wardens which it hoped would bring in £250,000 a year.
The Liberal Democrat-led authority had planned to introduce 12 new wardens to patrol the streets of Oxford in an effort to boost its income.
It proposed charging drivers £70 for each parking ticket issued - significantly higher than the £50 penalty currently in place.
But the plans were abandoned after council officers warned it would cost £270,000 a year to employ the wardens - £20,000 more than the authority hoped to raise.
The u-turn was revealed in a report which showed the council is facing a £25m budget black hole.
The authority has already approved £13m of savings, but it still needs to find another £12m by April 2025.
The council's leader, Susan Brown, said the authority was "facing very difficult financial challenges".
She said: "We have had to make some very tough decisions, but we are determined to protect the essential services that our residents rely on."
The council's decision to scrap the traffic warden plan has been welcomed by the city's Labour group.
Group leader, Liz Wade, said: “This is a victory for common sense. The council should not be trying to raise money by penalizing drivers.
“Instead, it should be investing in public transport and making it easier for people to get around without using their cars.”
The council's cabinet will meet next week to discuss the budget proposals.
It is expected to approve a number of further savings measures, including cuts to library opening hours and the closure of some children's centres.
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