In a letter sent to the Diss Express and published today, he described wrangling between South Norfolk district councillors over the issue as a "political drama".

Mr Olander said the town is not being best served by the politicking at the council: "Why have the political debate on who is right and wrong when what they should be doing is finding a working solution.

"Market towns are on the downturn. The longer we argue party politics, the more time passes and more shops close down. They are arguing in-house rather than coming out to the towns to speak to the people that matter."

Mr Olander also accuses the leader of the Liberal Democrat group Murray Gray, of attempting to smear and undermine the integrity of the town council.

He was unhappy with comments made in a letter by Cllr Gray published in the press about Diss town and South Norfolk district councillor Tony Palmer. It said he was acting as a politically affiliated district member, when Cllr Palmer was putting across the views of the non-political town council at a committee meeting this month.

Mr Olander said Cllr Gray should apologise to both Cllr Palmer and Diss Town Council.

But Cllr Gray said he would not be apologising and added: "If people are wearing different hats, it is better if Diss Town Council's views are presented by someone who isn't a district councillor."

Cllr Gray agreed that politics were getting in the way but argued that parking charges were being pushed through as a fait accompli and said: "Sometimes the only way to get things through is to criticise politically and I don't think we should be criticised about politicising the issue."

South Norfolk Council leader John Fuller said it would be naive not to think some councillors would be gaining political capital from the issue and added: "Politics is getting in the way. The politicking has caused a delay of about three to four months that has prevented us from getting the free hour in Diss."

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