Purpose

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

Decision

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.

Reasons for the decision

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”

Alternative options considered

See report