Criticism over council's parking charge increases

Residents' groups and opposition councillors have criticised a council's plans to raise parking charges to help balance its budget.

East Grinstead could see charges increase in some car parks by up to 30% and Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath will start charging on Sundays and evenings.

The Lib-Dem controlled Mid Sussex District Council said it needs to make the changes to help balance the books.

The council Conservative opposition group said residents "had not been properly consulted".

Some of the planned changes are due to come in later this year, the council said.

Burgess Hill Residents Association has started a petition opposing the proposals.

A council statement said "the time was now right" to implement changes and also "commit to using the external parking sector".

It added these were "not easy decisions" and "Mid Sussex remains an affordable, competitive place to park".

Councillor John Belsey, leader of the council's Conservative group, said: "We fully object to the proposals to extend parking charges into evenings, on Sundays, Bank Holidays and to introduce differential parking charges.

"For the first time it will now cost a different price as well as a much increased amount to park in each of our towns."

The council has forecast a shortfall of £1.5m for 2025-26, growing to £5.4m by the following financial year.

Councillor Chris Hobbs told BBC Radio Sussex: "At Mid Sussex over the next four years we're looking at a funding gap of £12m.

"We want to keep running the services that we provide."

A council meeting was told earlier this month that raising fees - such as parking charges - was "the only other mechanism" the council had to plug its funding gap after deciding not to cut any services or staffing levels.

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