Pay to park for Bexhill?

The revelation came from Rother leader Cllr Carl Maynard speaking to the Observer this week.

But he stressed there are currently NO plans for 'decriminalised' parking in the town centre.

Cllr Maynard also said neither Rother, nor East Sussex County Council, would be looking to impose a pay to park scheme without the support of Bexhill residents.

However he did say a situation could exist where a regenerated town centre would require paid parking spaces.

He added a periodical examination of town centre parking should be welcomed and Rother will be carrying out a review later this year.

The debate over possible decriminalisation, which would see the county council take control for parking from the police and raise the possibility of on-street meters, came about after an answer Cllr Maynard gave to a question on the Ask The Leader section of Rother's website.

He revealed discussions were underway to transfer traffic wardens from police to county council control, and the subject of parking would be under review during 2008.

But Cllr Maynard told the Observer that Rother would be against any unsuitable scheme and would ensure residents and businesses were fully consulted should East Sussex County Council take up control of on-street parking.

He said: "We would not go into the process of decriminalisation if it wasn't something that was a) financially needed for Bexhill or b) what the residents wanted.

"In the first instance, we wouldn't want to do anything without consulting the residents. If we went down that road it would be a county matter, but I would be keen that the residents of Bexhill had their say.

"There is no question of the county council implementing a parking scheme in Bexhill that wasn't wanted by Bexhill residents.

"However, I do think it is something that should be reviewed on a periodic basis and, in the future, there may be grounds on which we could see some kind of parking scheme in Bexhill.

"With the redevelopment of the town centre that we want to see, it may be that in the future a controlled parking scheme is appropriate and would be supported by residents. If we have a regenerated town centre, with a lot more visitors coming than now, it may be something that is required."