West End parking: turmoil as chief's shock exit rocks Westminster

Westminster council was today in turmoil following the shock resignation of the leader responsible for its West End parking charges plan.

The unexpected departure of Colin Barrow comes after a sustained campaign against the "tax on nightlife" that left him isolated against senior politicians, London's biggest businesses and ordinary residents.

The capital's largest local authority faces weeks of uncertainty - at the start of a crucial year for London - as a power struggle starts. Pressure was growing on Mr Barrow's close ally Lee Rowley, the Cabinet member responsible for parking, to quit.

Insiders say the parking charge plan is almost certain to be abandoned for good as the leadership battle pits a "young turk" said to be opposed to the charges against the authority's finance chief.

One senior council figure told the Standard they were mystified and "in shock". He said: "We are leaderless while (Barrow) is a leader without power. It's a very strange thing to do." Political leaders said it was almost inconceivable that whoever was elected the new head of London's most powerful local authority could continue with the scheme.

The proposals would have seen motorists charged up to £4.80 an hour to leave their cars on the streets of the West End in the evenings and on Sunday afternoons. Local Conservative MP Mark Field said: "Given the furore, given the strength of the campaign by the Evening Standard, I would be very surprised if Colin's successor runs along with this."

There is no chance of a successor being chosen for at least six weeks until a group meeting on February 29.
Critics of the parking policy expressed delight at Mr Barrow's abrupt departure and said the charges should be immediately consigned to the political dustbin. Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of Westminster city council's Labour group, said the resignation was "a real victory for West End jobs, businesses and residents".

"For the past six months Westminster Conservatives have refused to listen to common sense and now Colin Barrow has paid the ultimate price for his poor judgment and failure to recognise the damage that his 'nightlife tax' parking charges would do to West End jobs and businesses." The charges were scheduled to come into force on January 9 but have been delayed until after the Olympics by a legal challenge.

The race for the succession began immediately with four leading candidates emerging. They are Cabinet members for street cleaning and City management Ed Argar, who is seen as the candidate most likely to scrap the charges; finance chief Philippa Roe; the Cabinet member for enterprise Brian Connell and Jonathan Glanz, who is responsible for housing.

One local Tory activist said: "We would favour Ed Argar, he is bright, businesslike and much more sensible than the others."

However, Glenys Roberts, the sole Tory councillor openly opposed to the charges, said she would support Ms Roe. She said: "Obviously the last person we need is Lee Rowley who should have resigned along with Colin."

Mr Barrow, 59, who has led Westminster council for four years, told stunned Cabinet colleagues of his decision on Friday evening. They were sworn to secrecy until a formal announcement was made on Saturday. He insisted the departure was for personal reasons unrelated to the furore over parking and wanted to "change gear". However, senior Tory sources he had been left with no option but to quit after realising he had become hopelessly isolated within Westminster's ruling Tory group. "He didn't have his ducks in a row and he had no supporters," a source said.

Allies of Boris Johnson, who has been hugely critical of the proposals, said Mr Barrow had been offered a way out but had spurned it.

One source said: "The Mayor felt like he had given Colin an escape route on parking months ago by offering to do a joint economic study into the economic impact of the policy and allowing Westminster to suspend the plans until that happened. But Colin was very stubborn. We didn't think any of this was in his best interest."

Today Mr Johnson said: "I was sorry to see Colin Barrow stand down. Despite recent controversies he has served the city well."

Lord Young, the Prime Minister's business adviser and a former Cabinet minister, said: "I hope very much that [Mr Barrow's resignation] means a change in policy and acceptance that Westminster works for the residents not the other way round."

Mr Barrow told the BBC's Sunday Politics London show he still believed the policy was right but admitted that the council had not taken sufficient account of the economic impact, estimated at £800 million a year.