PARKING charges are to be scrapped in Buckley as the town council has voted to cover the costs for at least a year.

Buckley Town Council has agreed to include the money it would cost Flintshire Council to keep the town’s car parks free of charge as part of their draft budget for 2018-19.

The authority introduced parking charges at 38 sites across the county in 2015 to help plug an £18 million budget hole that year.

This move has not proved popular and with Buckley Town Council looking at ways to regenerate the high street, bringing back free parking is one initiative some members feel will help.

Currently, parking in the car parks at Precinct Way, Argoed Road and Bistre Avenue costs 20p for up to two hours, 50p for up to four hours and £1 all day from Monday to Saturday.

The Black Horse car park costs 20p for up to two hours, as does the one at Brunswick Road.

But from April, for the year 2018-19, they will be free again once the budget has been agreed.

Buckley Bistre East Cllr Richard Jones had been working with Flintshire Council’s Streetscene since the summer, towards a figure the town council could pay to cover the cost.

Initially, the figure came to £36,000, but talks since with the owners of Buckley Precinct (Spurstow Ltd), Iceland, Bistre Farm Shop, Greetings Cards Shop, and Buckley Travel Agency, has meant their contribution will bring the figure down to around £33,000.

Cllr Jones said: “This brings the figure down to around £4.50 per household.

“It would benefit businesses in Buckley and come in in April.”

Pentrobin Cllr Ian Peters queried whether it would be something the council paid for every year, or whether it would be reviewed to see whether there would be an impact on businesses.

Town mayor, Cllr Dennis Hutchinson said: “Home Bargains is coming here in February and there could be more free parking with that.

“That could also affect council owned car parks.”

Bistre West Cllr Neville Phillips questioned whether the tax payer would be willing to cover the costs.

He said: “Are we seriously going to ask people for another £4.50 on their precept? We’re talking about a lot of money here and not everyone uses the car parks.”

Buckley Mountain Cllr Carol Ellis urged other members to support the proposal and thanked Cllr Richard Jones for his work towards it.

Members voted unanimously to go ahead with the proposal, and review it after a year.

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