Councillors have voted to raise the costs of services after discovering a predicted £1.8m hole in their budget.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is to raise tariffs at all its car parks, except one, and is to hike the price of its garden waste collection service and cremation fees.

The rises are to plug a gap of £1.8 million in its budget predicted within two years.

Garden waste collections will increase by £4 to £56 and cremation prices will go up £25 to reflect the “energy cost increase”

Car parks are expected to raise £408,620 a year.

But plans to introduce car parking fees at Dunorlan Park were put on hold after protests from the Friends of Dunorlan Park.

Labour's Hugo Pound said: “This is a step too far. We should be having further discussions with the Friends of Dunorlan so we can better understand the pricing structure and the use of that car park.

"We have councillors saying it’s a resource and about wellbeing and is beneficial to the health of children.”

Cllr Tom Dawlings (Cons) said: “Some of these increases are perfectly reasonable but the issue I see is the lack of public consultation.

“It seems what some residents are saying on social media suggests further consultation would be appropriate.

“I also know in Cranbrook we have low parking charges and the reason for that is the parish council pays for the business rates for the car park. I wonder if that could be explored for other wards?”

Richard Barsley, boss of Barsley's department store in Paddock Wood, also complained about the increases at the council's finance meeting on Tuesday.

He said he was “stunned” when he heard the proposals and warned that the changes could force businesses to close.

He said: “Paddock Wood has a good but delicate economy. There are no vacant shops. The only one empty is under offer. But we need to nurture and save this fragile economy.

"Our footfall was falling before Covid and now it is worse. If we don’t get councillors' support we will see business closures.”

He said a survey by businesses in Paddock Wood found customers were not spending more money because they had to go back to their car as parking time was running out.

He said: “Customers lack the incentive for more considered shopping or just time for a coffee and a snack. Dwell time is crucial to many businesses in the town and the council has said it aims to promote this."

Members agreed to delay the introduction of charges at Dunorlan until further consultation but carried other rises by seven votes to two.