Decision details

To support the local retail and business community and town and parish councils during festive celebrations, it is the intention to allow 4 days when charges do not apply in each town and village centre car park.

These days are:

•Small Business Saturday (this year on the 6th of December 2025)
•The last weekend before Christmas (20th/21st December 2025)
•An additional day where Town and Parish Councils may request free parking in support of their respective Christmas events

On 3 October 2025, Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability made the following decision:

That the Council allocate 4 days of free parking in town centre car parks to support local businesses and communities during December 2025.

Any member of the Council, who is not a Portfolio Holder, who considers that this decision should be reviewed should give notice using the call-in facility at the top of this page on the Council’s intranet / extranet site. Alternatively, notice can be given to the Monitoring Officer (Matt Wisdom) (in writing or by e-mail) to be received ON OR BY 5.15 pm on 10 October 2025.

Details of the document the Portfolio Holder considered are attached below.

This recommendation supports the public at what is for many a difficult time of year financially, as well as promoting the use of local businesses for Christmas shopping. It supports the aims of Prosperity Priority 2 from the Corporate Plan 2024-28– “Supporting our high-quality business base and economic centres to thrive and grow”

See report