The meeting will discuss the proposals to change car parking charges across the district. The review also outlines changes to permit parking in towns and villages.

Proposed car parking changes could be taken to public consultation if approved by district councillors next week.

East Devon District Council cabinet will meet on Wednesday [February 7] to review tariffs and permit parking across the district including changes to car parks across the district.

Under the proposals car parks including Church Street in Sidford and Canaan Way in Ottery would be brought into line with the council’s standard long stay tariff of £1 per hour, £3 for 24 hours, applying 24 hours a day Monday to Saturday.

The council also propose more reserved spaces are being considered in Temple Street in Sidmouth.

Currently the car park has 31 spaces, 12 of which are reserved. The council is proposing to create another eight paying bays to meet demand and leave 11 spots for visitors.

A council spokeswoman said the proposed parking fee adjustment would allow it to provide the best possible service to car park users and additional revue would be reinvested into electric plug-in charge points or new ticket machines.

Councillor Tom Wright, portfolio holder for the environment, said: “In this review we are being careful to try to balance the needs of our residents alongside the demand for parking from visitors and to consider the impact of any changes on our local businesses.

“However, we do have a number of car parks with significantly lower tariffs and these needs to be reviewed due to increasing demand and a limited supply of parking availability. This is a review that will take into account representations from those affected and ward members.”

There are also proposals to change the parking permit structure across the district which has been called ‘unfair and financially unsustainable’.

The proposals also plan to end town and area permits and replace them with a range of single town or village permits, which will be priced according to parking availability or demand.

Sidmouth, Honiton, Axminster Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Lympstone, Beer and Seaton will still cost the current price of £134 but the permit would be valid in only one of the places.

Permits for Colyton and Ottery St Mary would be reduced to £85 per year.