Tory councillor Jason Charalambous’s letter (‘How to make Enfield ‘business friendly’, Opinion, December 3) betrayed a deficient understanding of the kinds of support Enfield’s businesses need to thrive.
He included the tired old line about free parking being a panacea but what about the complaints we receive when cars don’t vacate their parking spots all day and prevent new shoppers from coming into town?
He also recycles the old line about lowering business rates but neglects to mention that Enfield Borough Council has very little control over them, and even more suspiciously criticises my hope that landlords offer our business competitive rents.
If Cllr Charalambous worked with our businesses as closely as I do, he’d realise that what they want is support with skills, procurement opportunities, finance and coherent local supply chains – all actions that Enfield’s Labour Administration is undertaking to help our businesses survive the vacuum of policy that typifies lazy Tory understanding.
Cllr Alan Sitkin
Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Lab/Bowes ward, Enfield Borough Council
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