The delayed public consultation on raising council car park charges is set to begin this week.

South Hams District Council promised that they would only increase parking charges at their car parks once in the four-year term of the current council. That one-off increase was meant to begin in spring 2020, after a public consultation.

However, they had no idea at the time that the world would be facing a global pandemic.

Because of the pandemic, South Hams District Council delayed the public consultation and the proposed implementation of a four per cent increase at the council-owned car parks.

Nearly one year on from the start of the pandemic, and after consultation with town and parish councils about the needs of individual communities, the next step is a public consultation to get residents’ views on the proposals.

If agreed, this will be the first price increase at the council-owned car parks since July 2018, when fees were increased by two per cent. It will also follow the council’s previous decision to only raise parking charges once in the current political term (till 2023) and by less than predicted inflation.

Cllr Keith Baldry, South Hams District Council’s executive member for the environment, said: “Although not popular, increased parking charges allows us to continue to provide a parking services to our residents and support the public spaces around it.

“Our officers have been talking with our Town and Parish Councils to find sensible solutions and recommendations about the parking charges, which enables them to be designed to meet individual community needs.”

The consultation will run for 21 days from February 4 to February 25. If the council decides to progress these proposals following the consultation, the changes will come into effect from the 1 April 1, 2021.

For more information and to have your say on the proposals, please go to: www.engagement.southhams.gov.uk/carparkingconsultation