Tunbridge Wells council has agreed not to scrap free parking periods in Paddock Wood and Southborough.

A meeting of the council's cabinet last week confirmed planned price rises would be implemented at car parks across the borough, but contentious plans to scrap free parking in Yew Tree Road, Southborough and in Paddock would not go ahead.

The council says it will engage with Southborough Town Council and/or Paddock Wood Town Council to discuss raising money that would have been funded by bringing in charges.

A report put before the council's cabinet in July said planned price hikes were needed to "bridge some of the £944,000 revenue budget deficit for 2022/23 and support the budget setting process for 2023/24, thereby protecting other council services".

It was proposed the new parking charges would have contributed £408,000.

But the contentious plans to scrap free parking in Yew Tree Road, Southborough and at Commercial Road East and Commercial Road West in Paddock Wood would not go ahead.

Following last week's meeting finance cabinet member Cllr Chris Hall said: "Since my appointment as cabinet member for finance in August, I have been re-examining our in-year budget plans as well as our strategy on parking. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the parking fees consultation and who spoke up for residents at various public meetings.

"Consultation is an opportunity to listen to the views of the public we serve, and take stock on Council decisions. As a new member of Cabinet, I have been able to look at this again and was pleased that we were able to reach an agreement to modify our initial proposal, by listening to businesses and residents about the impact on their areas.

"While the main charges will need to go ahead in full, to ensure that we address a very significant budget deficit in future years, we will also engage with our colleagues in Paddock Wood and Southborough on how best to maintain the free parking their residents so clearly value. The Borough Partnership is committed to getting things right, and sometimes that means being willing to change our minds."

Richard Barsley, who runs Barsley’s Department Store in Commercial Road and is the chairman of the Paddock Wood Business Association previously said the changes would have resulted in less people visiting and would harm trade.

Speaking this week, he said: “We appreciated that they listened, but I think the council was slightly surprised at the feedback from the residents.

“To rely on that form of income is so shortsighted, and in the long run it would have been worse and more damaging to our economy.

“People would have voted with their feet and the council wouldn’t have got the money they wanted.

“The council seriously needs to think about this for the future - for example why does Paddock Wood get one hour parking free, but Southborough gets two?”

He added: “The wording of the proposal makes me question that if they do have a shortfall of funding, they may go back on their word.

“At the moment they won’t charge, but never say never. The idea will always be there.”