TEACHERS could to be offered business permits in an "elegant solution" to a parking row which has left residents furious near a Westcliff school.
Frustrated residents have been at loggerheads with Southend Council over parking surrounding St Bernard's High School, in Milton Road, after it was claimed teachers where clogging up the roads.
A resident's parking zone came into force surrounding the school after complaints from residents who said they struggled to park near their homes.
However, major concerns were raised about the impact this would have on the school and a "pilot educational parking pass" was tested this year to try and find a solution.
But with resident's still frustrated, the new Labour-led administration announced it would scrap the scheme when the pilot ended in September.
Now, council leader Daniel Cowan believes he has found an "elegant" solution which will allow teachers and residents to park and end the parking row. He said: “The trial scheme for educational permits proved successful for the school but created significant distress amongst local residents who were not consulted by the previous portfolio holder.
"What I have proposed is an alternative arrangement that will increase parking for the school whilst addressing the issues local residents experienced. This will see the educational permit sit within the business permit scheme, reducing administrative costs for the council.
"We hope to have this in place for the start of the new school term.
"The scheme is still being developed and needs to go to consultation but the majority of spaces will be in their existing locations with the exclusion of resident spaces on Canewdon Road."
Kevin Buck, former councillor responsible for transport and parking, had written to Mr Cowan expressing his concern at the scrapping of the scheme, but in response Mr Cowan said the use of business permits would be an "elegant solution".
Mr Buck defended the educational pass. He said: “During the entire trial period and following frequent and regular monitoring, there was no evidence either found by officers or myself, or provided by councillors and residents, to show that this scheme had any material impact on the residential parking areas within the Milton Ward CPZ.
“This is particularly poignant, given that only 15 educational permits had been issued to be used within the residential parking area."
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