An above-inflation increase in parking charges has been agreed by Swale council.

A hike in the price to park at council-owned car parks was supported by the majority of members at a meeting of the full council on December 16.

The fees will be upped from April, with half-hour stays going up from 30p to 50p and from 80p to £1 for an hour.

Prices to park for longer are to be increased even more, with two-hour charges up 50p to £2 and an extra £1, a total of £4, to stay for up to four hours.

Cabinet member for finance, Cllr Duncan Dewar-Whalley (Con), argued there had been no rise in parking charges since 2011.

Ukip leader Cllr Mike Baldock’s proposal to freeze parking charges, just one of many fees and charges reviewed by the council, failed to win the necessary support.