03/06/2026
We are saddened to announce that St. Editha’s Church has decided to resign from the Tamworth Strategic Partnership Board, due to ongoing concerns that Tamworth Borough Council is not acting consistently in the public interest.
A key factor in the decision has been the Council’s introduction of Sunday parking charges in the town, which will be hugely detrimental to Tamworth and have been introduced in the face of significant opposition from local businesses, charities and residents.
The introduction of Sunday parking charges is emblematic of a broader pattern of decision-making that prioritises revenue generation over accessibility, community well-being, and inclusive town-centre use.
We feel a responsibility to speak out when decisions disproportionately affect residents, volunteers, and visitors, particularly those who contribute to the social and spiritual life of the town.
Our withdrawal from the Partnership does not in any way signal a retreat from community engagement; we reaffirm our long-standing commitment to serving Tamworth through worship, outreach, charitable work, and collaboration with local organisations and businesses, including chairing the Tamworth Town Centre Forum.
We remain open to constructive dialogue with Tamworth Borough Council, should policies and approaches change. In the meantime it is not possible to work in partnership with a council which consistently takes unilateral decisions that detrimentally affect its partners.
We hope that Sunday car parking charges will be repealed, and that future council decisions will place greater emphasis on transparency and *meaningful* public consultation, promoting policies that genuinely support the social, cultural, and economic well-being of Tamworth rather than simply generating additional revenue for the Council.
(On a lighter note, we thought it was both telling and hilarious that the new parking signage was installed 2 days after the "public consultation" period ended: obviously, as ever, the consultation was a meaningless exercise 🙃)
