Minehead town councillors are to protest to Somerset West and Taunton Council that increases in parking fees will be higher in West Somerset than Taunton – but only the county town will benefit from the extra money raised.

At their meeting last week, councillors agreed to ask the council’s chief executive James Hassett why there had been no local consultation on the changes to parking fees and why Sunday parking was free in Taunton but not in West Somerset.

The new charges were agreed at Somerset West and Taunton Council’s budget meeting, where councillors were told that of the extra £500,000 they would raise, £200,000 would be spent on the Taunton park and ride scheme and £140,000 on the upgrading of the Creech Castle road junction. The remainder was accounted for by inflation.

Cllr Terry Venner, chairman of Minehead Town Council’s finance committee, told councillors that West Somerset was being discriminated against over the new parking fee proposals and that the increased revenue would largely benefit Taunton.

“West Somerset will not see any direct benefit from the extra money raised,” he said.

“There is a massive inconsistency in parking charges in what was Taunton Deane council and what was West Somerset.”

“How can anyone justify the fact that Sunday parking in Taunton and Wellington is free, while in places like Minehead, Watchet and Williton it has to be paid for, when we are all under one council?”

Cllr Venner said that while Taunton parking charges would increase by between 8.3 and 11.11 per cent, Minehead’s were set to rise by 11.54 to 12.5 per cent and the biggest West Somerset increase would be Dulverton’s 14.29 per cent.

“It is blatantly unfair that smaller authorities should be discriminated against,” Cllr Venner added.

“What makes matters worse is that there was absolutely no prior consultation with West Somerset parish and town councils before the proposals were approved by SWAT.”

More on this story in today’s Free Press.