PARKING charges will increase in Ferndown and Wimborne despite objections from residents and business groups.

Members of East Dorset District Council’s cabinet agreed the parking charges for 2018/19 at a meeting on Wednesday, after considering the responses received from a public consultation.

The review will see changes in parking fees in East Dorset for the first time in ten years.

Councillors approved a ten pence increase in shorter stay daytime parking charges for car parks in Wimborne and Ferndown and also changes to charges for parking permits in Wimborne and Ferndown. The new charges will be introduced from April 1, 2018.

However, having reviewed the responses received from the public consultation and recommendations from the scrutiny committee, cabinet members agreed not to introduce overnight parking charges in Wimborne.

They also agreed not to limit Wimborne residents’ parking permits to two per household but instead agreed to one per vehicle owner in each qualifying household.

Cabinet members also decided that no charge would be introduced for tax exempt disability parking permits for those in receipt of council tax benefit.

All charges will be further reviewed in two years’ time.

Cllr Ray Bryan, cabinet portfolio holder for performance said: “It was important that cabinet listened to the feedback from both the public consultation and the scrutiny and policy development committee and taking into account the comments received we felt it was necessary to revise some of the proposed parking changes.

“It is extremely important we support our night-time economy to ensure Wimborne remains a vibrant place to visit during the evenings and we felt that removing the proposed overnight charge would continue to encourage people to enjoy what’s on offer in the town.

“This is the first time that parking charges have been increased in ten years and by agreeing that there will be a district-wide review in two years we are ensuring we will be comprehensively revisiting our parking policies in every car park.”

Residents and councillors in Wimborne and Ferndown had spoken out previously about the proposed changes, questioning why Verwood was not included in the measures.

During the consultation both Wimborne Chambers of Commerce and Wimborne Business Improvement District voiced their objections.

These views made up part of the 78 responses submitted during the consultation.