THE leader of BCP Council has made an apology for failing to fully consult over the decision to not offer free Christmas parking across the conurbation this festive season.

The decision, when it was announced, attracted criticism from business leaders and several ward councillors.

A joint statement from the Business Improvement Districts for Bournemouth town, Bournemouth coastal, Poole and Christchurch said that the loss of the concessions was a ‘hammer blow’ to thousands of businesses across the towns.

Read more: NO free Christmas parking in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole this year

The statement said: “It shows a lack of understanding of and support for our businesses as a whole and the pressures and issues they are facing.

“The Christmas trading period is often described in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors as vital to see them though the first quarter of the next year, when rents are due and consumer spending drops.

Neighbouring authorities, including Dorset Council and New Forest District Council, are offering several days of free Christmas parking in the weeks running up to the big day.

Read more: 'They're strangling us': Traders across BCP hit out after free Christmas parking axed

Poole councillor Mohan Iyengar asked BCP Council's Conservative leader Cllr Drew Mellor about how the engagement had been handled.

Cllr Mellor said: “I have had conversations with Bournemouth BID, I have had conversations with the Christchurch mayor, I apologised on both of those occasions for the fact that there was no consultation or engagement about that.

"That is wrong. The one caveat around that is we are asking our officers to work at such pace around this but it is a hands up, that was not handled well, that is not how we should be going business and I personally very much want to apologise to anybody for the consultation and level of engagement on that – it wasn't good enough."

Read more: 'Another nail in the coffin': Council slammed over Christmas parking decision

The decision came after the council ramped up its investigation into areas where savings could be made after inflation reportedly added an estimated additional £25million of unforeseen costs to its budget this year.

It is also currently reviewing fees and charges with a view to increasing some in line with inflation.

Cllr Mellor said the authority was not looking to put up prices by the absolute maximum.

"We’re looking for prices to increase by inflation, as a starter, otherwise we end up subsidising services by those people who do not use it,” he said.