UNPOPULAR plans to introduce new parking charges in Poole are up for discussion at the Civic Centre this evening.

These proposals, which have already been overwhelmingly rejected by visitors and local residents, are on the agenda of Borough of Poole’s (BOP) overview and scrutiny committee.

A significant number of residents opposed to the parking charge plans look likely to attend the meeting, which is set to start at the Civic Centre’s Cattistock Room at 6pm.

The Daily Echo also understands there will be a protest outside the building ahead of the meeting.

Council chiefs want to introduce parking charges at some of the borough’s parks, on residential roads near the town’s beaches and at Upton Country Park.

During this evening’s meeting, committee members will note the results of a public consultation - which revealed strong opposition to the proposals - and make final recommendations to cabinet.

Council officers are recommending the committee considers “many detailed concerns” raised on the on-street and Poole parks plans.

However, they also recommend members agree to introduce parking fees at Upton Country Park - after the public consultation did show significant backing for this idea.

Five petitions with more than 10,000 signatures calling for the local authority top abandon all parking charge proposals have already been handed into the council.

Bob Lister, who has presented two of the petitions to council, told the Daily Echo: “We believe that the issue of car parks is a revenue raising issue, and as such the relevant parliamentary acts do not allow the council to do that.

“They have to spend any money raised this way on the car parks or on the roads, which we believe is not happening

“A lot of people are saying they just won’t use it, they’ll either park somewhere else or not bother going to the beaches and parks. So the chances of them recovering the money in five or six years is very remote.”

In the public on-street parking section of BOP’s consultation, just seven percent of respondents backed plans to bring in the pay and display fees.