Controversial plans to raise car parking charges by 20 per cent to be reviewed

Councillors will have a chance to block controversial plans to hike car parking charges by 20 per cent in several East Devon car parks.

Earlier this month, the council's cabinet agreed to go out to consultation on plans that would see car park charges rise from £1 to £1.20 per hour in high demand car parks.

That decision has since been called-in for further scrutiny, and a special meeting will take place on Thursday, October 24.

However, the scrutiny committee will only make a recommendation back to the cabinet, who would either have the option of accepting or ignoring their findings.

Councillor Paul Millar though has put forward a motion to Wednesday night's full council meeting that would ensure a decision could only be taken by the full council.

His motion would add 'Car Parking Strategy' to the current list of 12 discretionary areas of the Policy Framework whereby full council and not the cabinet makes the decision.

If agreed by the council on Wednesday night, it would mean that at the next Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, October 30, when the matter is referred back to Cabinet from Scrutiny, they would only be able to make a recommendation to full council, who would then have the chance to debate and amend it.

If rejected by the council, then next week's Cabinet meeting would be where the decision would be finalised.

Mr Millar said: "Amending the constitution in the way I suggest ensures that Cabinet cannot ignore the findings of Scrutiny's Extraordinary meeting and gives both Cabinet and Council the opportunity to reflect on the work of the Task and Finish Forum which over the coming months will crunch data and conduct detailed research into ongoing and future management of the operation of the Council's car parks and make recommendations.

"The Council's car park strategy is too important to the health and sustainability of our communities to be left to only nine councillors in Cabinet, who make up less than a sixth of our membership.

"It is necessary to amend the Constitution in this way because Cabinet have given no indication that they intend to await the TAFF's findings so this motion provides a vital constitutional safeguard to ensure Members can veto, if necessary, any Cabinet decision which is felt to be contrary to the public interest."

At the Cabinet meeting at the start of the month, 24 councillors stood up to criticise the proposals. They initially would have seen eight car parks have parking charges imposed for the first time, a 50 per cent increase on tariffs in 12 car parks, and night charges introduced in 12 car parks.

The cabinet agreed to a 20 per cent increase on tariffs on the high usage car parks, and that night charges and the end of free parking would be considered as part of the TAFF.

The car parks that the price rises would affect are the Lace Walk short stay car park in Honiton, West Street short stay car park in Axminster, Orchard car park in Seaton, Central car park short stay in Beer, Rolle Mews car park in Budleigh Salteron, Ham East, Ham West, Roxburgh and Mill Street in Sidmouth, and the London Inn, Imperial Road and Queens Drive car parks in Exmouth.

Cllr Millar's motion has been supported by Liberal Democrat, Conservative and East Devon Alliance councillors.

He added: "By ensuring all councillors get a voice and a vote, this should lead to a more considered policy the design and implementation of which takes into consideration of a multitude of factors, and employs a holistic approach to ensure the bigger picture is seen, and any consultation which eventually goes forwards offers the public a proper and honest choice."