"Ely is to be renamed cloud cuckoo land and the the parking problems is to be solved by introducing flying pigs as the new transport system!"
I would not be surprised if this is the new announcement from the council soon as they don't seem to have any grip on reality or finances.
The local churches are so concerned about poverty they are looking at introducing food banks while our councils answer is to increase council tax.
After wasting over £500,000 on the ill fated moving of the Paradise Centre which isn't going to happen our council decide to ignore over 12,000 local residents and introduce parking charges.
While fuel prices are continually increasing our council are considering increasing the reliance on cars by granting planning permission on an out of town shopping centre rather than encouraging our city center to thrive.
While the Ely station bridge continues to be an issue for congestion our council spends who know what on a flawed, bias "consultation" and then chooses the most expensive option.
The Conservatives have a reputation of being the party for the wealthy and being elitist but their grip on finances and reality for the future Ely and East Cambridgeshire is only exceeded by their contempt for the electorate.
Councilor Peter Moakes and his party shouldn't be trusted to run a bath let alone run the council.

As an ex Ely resident and member of the City council, I must say I'm alarmed at the way ECDC seems to treat local public opinion with disdain over various issues, particularly that of car parking charges. As far back as 2000 when I was on the council, charging for parking was an issue resisted strongly by the City council and most of the electorate.
Where do the city council stand this time?. Back in my day only one member was also a member of ECDC and we all stood as Independents not on a particular party ticket. Has that changed? Are there vested interests at play? The City council should be speaking out loud and clear against these proposals in my view. They have a responsibility to protect the businesses in the historic city centre as well as the shoppers and visitors.
Perhaps the members of ECDC would do well to read and digest the content of the Portas Report, on the future of town centres, by the retail guru appointed by and endorsed by, no less than the Prime Minister David Cameron, before forcing through measures which fly in the face of public opinion and commercial logic.

Agree Dave but as Harold Wilson once famously said 'a week is a long time in politics' Unfortunately electors have short memories about these things otherwise they wouldn't vote these people in time after time but of course often they get elected on very low turnouts which don't represent the total electorate. Electoral apathy is the kiss of death for democracy and we have suffered from that for years in March.
Having said that i do remember the Lib Dems in Ely overturning the Conservative control of ECDC when there was a row about the use of the land which is now Jubilee Park so people do get steamed up about local issues. ECDC leader must realise that car parking charges represents a potential big vote loser - that's why they're pushing it through 3 years from the next local elections
Incidentally, it's important to distinguish between the City of Ely Council and East Cambs DC. the City council is made up of people in the city whereas ECDC has councillors spread all over the district as well as some from Ely.
If i were an Ely Elector i would be putting pressure on my city Councillors to take a stand about this parking issue rather than allowing them to sit on the sidelines and blame ECDC when it's done!