Motorists will have to pay the full charge to park in Maidstone on Sundays and pay £25 for a residents’ parking permit.

Cllr Mark Wooding (Con), the cabinet member for the environment, took the decisions on Wednesday, not swayed by two petitions - one of 519 signatures and one of 990 signatures - against the proposals.

The council had also received a number of individual objections during public consultation on the plans that were first announced in December.

Cllr Wooding expects charging full pay-and-display rates on Sundays will generate an extra £88,000 per year.

He also decided to increase the mid-range tariff for up to three hours parking in all the borough’s car parks by 20p to £1.80. This is estimated will generate another £28,000 in a full year.

The controversial proposal to charge residents in the town’s 15 residents’ parking zones £25 for their first permit - currently free - attracted 328 letters of objection - and was also opposed by a meeting of the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board in February.

Cllr Wooding has also decided to install additional on-street pay-and-display bays in Brewer Street, Union Street and Albion Place, which attracted little opposition.

However, Cllr Wooding has made one concession in response to objections, mainly from the town’s business community.

A proposal to reduce free waiting times and to charge for visitors’ parking permits will be “deferred for further investigation”.

Lib Dem councillors have promised to call the decision in for scrutiny. Cllr Ian Chittenden said: “We will fight this to the last.”

• People will have the opportunity to tell Cllr Wooding what they think of the changes, and any other issues concerning them, when a cabinet “roadshow” visits East ward. It will be held at St Luke’s Church Hall in St Luke’s Road, Maidstone, on Monday at 7pm. All welcome.