A county council committee charged with reviewing and ensuring the transparency of council decisions has backed a move to increase on-street parking charges.

The increases were approved in September by Cabinet Member for Highways Dan Thomas – however some councillors had concerns and ‘called in’ the decision, a process whereby a decision or proposal is re-examined by Scrutiny.

At the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday 22 October, some councillors were concerned that the increases could affect trading conditions and impact residents.

But Councillor Thomas said that the increases were part of Devon County Council’s long-standing parking management policy to reduce congestion by encouraging drivers to use car parks over on-street parking bays by implementing slightly higher tariffs than district council-owned carparks.

He added that by law any surplus income from parking charges could only be used for local transport schemes - such as bus services or for highway maintenance.

The committee voted to back the original decision but also requested that the cabinet reviewed the frequency of future car parking charge adjustments, as well as the maximum price cap.

Members also supported continued partnership working with district councils regarding the future uplift of their car park charges.

Chair of the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Helen Brown, said: “I want to thank all committee members and officers for their thorough and constructive engagement.

“Scrutiny committees do not make decisions, but play a crucial role in holding decision-makers to account as a ‘critical friend’.

“Our role is to examine proposals in detail, ask the difficult questions, and ensure that the best possible outcomes are being pursued for the people of Devon. Where appropriate, we make formal recommendations to Cabinet based on our findings.

Councillor Thomas said: “The scrutiny committee has looked closely at the original decision and has supported that decision.

“I want to thank my colleagues on the scrutiny committee. Their work continues to ensure that the decisions we take are transparent and accountable.”