Ceredigion Council’s Cabinet members have been accused of letting down town centres after rejecting a proposal to offer two hours’ free parking in council car parks.

Aberaeron councillor Elizabeth Evans hit out at the Cabinet decision to dismiss a recommendation from the thriving communities scrutiny committee that charging in council car parks should not begin until 11am to help attract visitors to town centres with free parking in the morning.

Cllr Evans urged Cabinet members to back the proposal saying it could be a boost for town centre traders, only for Cabinet members to vote against the recommendation.

She said: “I’m bitterly disappointed Ceredigion’s Cabinet dismissed out of hand the recommendation to offer two hours’ free car parking across all Ceredigion car parks giving our town centres a much needed boost.

“With the recommendations the working group set out, the council will greatly increase its income and could easily offer both residents and visitors two hours’ free car parking. They keep saying they need more information, but they have it all, there is nothing more to add.”

Cllr Evans added that, despite the scrutiny committee abandoning a recommendation that car parks should charge until 10pm, as that would affect residents who use the car parks after 6pm, it was included in the Cabinet papers.

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