A RAFT of changes to Mid Devon District Council car parks parking charges are closer to being adopted, after a new group, made up of local businesses and councillors, put forward a series of changes.

The Mid Devon Parking Consultation Group is made up of business and community representatives along with town and district councillors.

It was formed in the Autumn to ensure communities and businesses were listened to when planning future car parking charges.

These meetings have now led to the group’s first proposed changes which include:

• Long-stay car parks in Cullompton, Crediton and Tiverton to have a wider choice of time slots and related tariffs, such as new one-hour time slots, rather than a minimum of two hours parking.

• The cost of parking to rise for a two-hour period from £2.70 to £2.90.

• Maintaining the free parking on the five Saturdays before Christmas in Tiverton’s multi-storey car park, the High Street car park in Crediton, and Cullompton’s Station Road car park.

Councillor Guy Cochran (LibDem, Crediton Lawrence), Chairman of the Parking Consultation Group, said: “I am delighted with the positive collaboration established between the Council and our community and business representatives in such a short period of time. This bodes well for the future and hopefully we can continue to work together for more progress over future months.”

Councillor James Buczkowski, (LibDem, Cullompton), Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “I look forward to our Cabinet being able to consider these important proposals which our representatives believe will make our community more accessible to residents and visitors.

“I am very pleased to see the positive input that the Parking Consultation Group is already making and the way it is informing future decisions that are considered by the Council.”

The Liberal Democrats on Mid Devon District Council previously campaigned against parking charges being increased in its car parks.

The proposal will now be discussed at a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet tomorrow, April 2.

If approved there will be a further five day calling in period before any changes could be approved.