IF YOU’RE a trader in Macclesfield town centre, it’s likely you’re feeling the pinch.

You’re probably seeing falling revenues and declining footfall. If McDonald’s can’t cut it then trade has to be tough for independents.

Macclesfield now has more boarded up shops than at any time in its entire history, but there is one organisation doing brilliant business. In fact they’re experiencing a boom the like of which has never been seen.

For a start up business to generate almost a million pounds in its first trading year is nothing less than a miracle…or is it?

Council parking wardens have been dishing out fines at the rate of 1,100 a month, totalling £915,337 across the old borough. Given free parking at Handforth Dean, John Lewis and the Trafford Centre, is it just coincidence that our town centres are dying? I think not.

Add to this the chaotic, unsupervised, roadworks choking every artery, and you have a recipe for the perfect storm.

God knows what they talk about at council meetings? It clearly isn’t the welfare of our town centres. They didn’t drag their feet issuing parking fines, so they can act when it suits their purpose.

I have yet to hear a councillor say anything about the devastating effect on trade caused by the manic outbreak of roadworks, or offer any assurance the same disruption won’t occur the moment the current chaos ends.

I don’t hear any passionate debate about the plight of traders or the financial strain on businesses coping with disruption.

"What do we want?"

"More trade."

"When do we want it?"

"Whenever."

Fiddling while Rome burns doesn’t quite fit. Our councillors don’t even fiddle.

No doubt they are congratulating themselves on their enterprise in raising such a large amount of cash from drivers. I don’t think it’s occurred to them to correlate the decline in trade to the strangulation of our roads and persecution of shoppers, both of which they control.

If they were busting a gut to stimulate trade and manage the roads they’d earn our respect, but it doesn’t look likely.

I’d expect to see sparks flying over the current state of our town centres.

Where are all the firebrand politicians? Councillor Ken Thompson would have fought tooth and nail for Macclesfield, and you’d have heard Steve Carter’s opinion from White Nancy.

Have all our councillors slipped into a coma?

The views on this page are Vic Barlow's and not necessarily those of the Express