MALVERN Hills District Council is to look again at its contentious car parking charging policy in Link Top and Newtown Road.

The council's executive board met on Tuesday to determine whether its current policy on charging at the sites should be "reaffirmed or revised".

In a report to members it was revealed that the Link Top car park was £1,646 down against budget with an actual income of £864.

Newtown Road was £508 down with the council taking £192 against a budgeted income of £700.

MHDC's total car park account is currently showing a shortfall of income against budget of £14,800.

Pay and display charging at the two car parks was introduced in April. Overnight parking was permitted in the Newtown Road car park only in June.

Corporate director Colin Davis told the meeting that a survey issued to residents and traders in the vicinity of the car parks had showed that charging was causing "procedural problems" for some traders.

It had also, he said, highlighted complaints about Link Top car park being used by skateboarders and that a large majority of respondents thought residents should not get free parking on Newtown Road.

He added: "If I had to summarise it would be to propose one solution, that the first hour of parking is free, which would meet most of the traders requirements."

After chairman Reg Farmer had proposed a district-wide review of charges, Coun Graham Myatt suggested that whatever was done in isolation in Link Top might not solve any problems.

He added: "I think we'd all like that review to come forward pretty soon and be completed before the next financial year."

Coun Tom Wells added: "Quite clearly we need one (policy) that is so flexible to allow us to respond to local circumstances. Quite clearly there are issues specific to Link Top."

The committee agreed to a review of car parking throughout the district, to be looked at initially by a transport panel.