Parking fees in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge town centres and Berrow beach will stay the same this year, councillors have decided.
Sedgemoor District Council’s Executive has decided to freeze the parking charges for 2015, having made small increases in previous years.
The council raised car park prices in April 2013 by more than the level of inflation and then also increased season tickets again in April 2014.
A spokesman said: “The portfolio holder and budget officer have considered the current charges and are not recommending an increase.”
The move has been welcomed by Burnham’s Chamber of Trade and Burnham’s Town Centre Manager, Beverley Milner Simonds. She told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I am very pleased that SDC have frozen parking fees for 2015. We rely on the availability and affordability of car parking in and around the town centre. This is a step in the right direction.”
The district council’s decision comes despite parking income across the district in the current financial year being approximately £30,000 down against the council’s estimate due to a three per-cent reduction in customers.
Meanwhile, Sedgemoor District Council’s charges for parking on Berrow Beach during the summer months will also not rise from this April. The fees there were last increased in April 2014 by more than RPI and the Executive considered the current charges and felt they should not be increased.
“Income in Berrow was up against budget last year due to the good weather and it’s predicted that it should be in line with the budget this year,” says the council.
