Free Sunday parking in Teignbridge will be axed as part of budget proposals that have been approved

Teignbridge District Council’s budget plans for 2020/21, which also funding to employ a climate change officer and enhanced planning enforcement, were given the go-ahead by councillors on Monday morning.

Council tax will rise by £5, or 2.94 per cent, to £175.17, to help fund the budget and to help bridge a £315,000 deficit in the amount of cash Teignbridge District Council receives from Central Government.

But as part of the council’s budget proposals for 2020/21, a recommendation that a flat nominal charge for Sunday parking of £1 has been included within the fees and charges for car parks across the district.

A nominal £1 charge will be imposed between 10am and 4pm in all car parks the council currently charge for on Monday to Saturday. This excludes the Multi-Storey car park in Newton Abbot, which will remain closed on Sundays.

Councillors voted by 28 votes to 17 to approve the budget.

Cllr Gordon Hook, leader of the council, said: ’We will not duck difficult decisions. We have been left with a black hole of finances and we are not responsible for the problems we are trying to resolve.

’We are determined to invest and we have to raise the money somehow. This is a responsible, pragmatic, sensible, caring budget, and I urge members to vote for this excellent budget

Cllr Alistair Dewhirst urged colleagues to support the budget, saying: ’This seems to be a budget for the people and to improve Teignbridge. As far as I can see, this is a fantastic budget and I will support it.’

Cllr Andrew McGregor added: ’Because of the cuts from central government, we are having to cut our cloth to a much tighter fit and there is no spare cloth at all. We are trying to deliver services for the whole of Teignbridge.[

But opposition councillors raised concerns about aspects the budget, including the recommendation that a flat nominal charge for Sunday parking of £1 is included within the fees and charges for car parks across the district in place of the current arrangement, introduced back in 2011, which means motorists are currently able to park for free all day on Sunday in all of the car parks Teignbridge District Council manages.