WE, the undersigned, request the Opposition group on Kingston Council call-in the Cashless Parking Decision, passed on 18th November 2020 at the Culture, Housing, Environment and Planning Committee (CHEP) committee for the following reasons:

- The Equalities Impact Assessment did not consider the number of people who do not have access to a bank account, access to which have been made far more difficult by the COVID pandemic with banks less likely to open accounts, or there being significant delay - a material issue not considered;
- The rationale for this is to ‘support the COVID-19 response’, where the proposal is in fact permanent. The claim is that people will touch the machinery less, with no evidence to show this is the case (it is not the case - and therefore a lie and procedural impropriety as Council reports should not contain misleading statements);
- No legal advice was sought on whether there is an argument of discrimination on the grounds of age or race, as older and BAME communities are less likely to have bank accounts;
- Cash remains a legal method of payment, an issue not considered by the committee;
- No consultation has been undertaken with minority and vulnerable groups to assess the impact this will have on their ability to park;
- No consultation has been undertaken with the business community on the potential impact to the local economy; and
- No consideration was made to those without a bank account, which is a significant issue not raised at committee.