The Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Warwickshire Council met on Wednesday 7 January 2026 to consider a call-in regarding the annual on-street pay and display charge review. The committee made recommendations to the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning to reconsider the decision on the 15-minute parking charge increase, the introduction of a 10-minute free parking period, and to engage with local businesses on future increases.

Call-In: Annual On-Street Pay and Display Charge Review

The committee discussed a call-in lodged by several councillors concerning the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, Councillor Jennifer Warren's, decision on 12 December 2025 to increase on-street parking charges in Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth, and Stratford-upon-Avon from 1 April 2026. The primary concern raised was the 50% increase to the 15-minute parking charge, from £0.30 to £0.45, while other charge bands saw a 12.5% increase.

Councillor Jan Matecki, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, who initiated the call-in, argued that this disproportionate increase for short stays contradicted the Department for Transport's guidance to encourage high turnover in town centres. He stated, If you're going to make it the same cost pro rata, then you're not discouraging anybody going around because it's the same cost. And what this does is it damages the businesses in the south of the county because this only applies to the Stratford District and Warwick District Council areas. Councillor Matecki also questioned the Portfolio Holder's assertion that the 15-minute charge had not been increased for a considerable period, presenting evidence of previous increases. He further highlighted that the decision disproportionately affected businesses in the south of the county as Rugby Borough Council had not increased its charges.

Councillor Lorraine Grocott shared these concerns, emphasizing the need for equitable policies across the county, especially in light of local government reorganisation. She also raised concerns about the reliance on single-month figures for financial calculations. Councillor Crump echoed the sentiment for standardization and rationalisation across the county, noting the importance of synergy between on-street and off-street parking charges.

Portfolio Holder Councillor Jennifer Warren defended the decision, explaining that the increase aimed to align the 15-minute charge with other bands, representing a consistent 3p per minute. She stated, So the 45 minutes is 3P per minute for 15. Well, can you not interrupt me and let me finish my questions, if you don't mind. Anyway, so that's the principle it brings in. No, it doesn't bring a lot of revenue in, but I think it's important to say that we need to bring in additional revenue into this council. Councillor Warren also confirmed that benchmarking had been conducted nationally, though she acknowledged not having the specific data readily available.

Emily Brough, Acting Service Manager for Parking Management, clarified that the benchmarking was primarily against off-street car park prices in Stratford and Warwick Districts, rather than a national comparison for the 15-minute band. She confirmed that increases had occurred in previous years, contrary to the Portfolio Holder's initial statement.

During the discussion, Councillor Senthil Karadiar spoke passionately about the impact on vulnerable residents, using the example of an elderly person needing to collect medication. He argued that even a small increase could be significant for those on a state pension. Councillor John Waine, County Councillor for Warwick Town Centre, expressed concern about the lack of a cohesive parking strategy across county and district council responsibilities and the potential for parking charges to act as a tax on businesses.

Councillor Matecki proposed three recommendations to the committee:

1. Limit the 15-minute charge increase to 35p, with any necessary revenue generation shifted to the one-and-a-half-hour and two-hour charges.
2. Introduce a 10-minute free parking period.
3. Engage with local businesses affected by the 15-minute charge increase on any future increases.

The committee voted to recommend all three proposals back to Councillor Warren for reconsideration. The committee noted that while they could make recommendations, the final decision rested with the Portfolio Holder. The recommendations were carried unanimously by the committee members present.