RUSHED through plans to increase car parking charges across East Hampshire are to be looked at again.

The parking charge increases, in some cases more than 60 per cent, were agreed at an East Hampshire District Council cabinet meeting on April 27.

They were the sole topic on the agenda and pushed through as an “urgent item” by council leader Ferris Cowper.

Now five Alton area district councillors have asked for the increases to be looked at again, saying the impact on communities needs to be understood.

They also say representations about the proposals should be heard, and consideration given to concessions proposed in the increased charges.

The council’s governance, audit and scrutiny committee is due to look at the decision on Monday, May 15, at 5.30pm and could force a cabinet rethink.

In a report, council executive director for strategy and governance, Tom Horwood, said: “If having considered the cabinet decision, the scrutiny committee has concerns about it, it may refer the decision back to the cabinet for reconsideration.

“This necessitates a delay to the implementation of the car park charge changes.

“Every week’s further delay will negatively affect council income by around £8,000 relative to the original decision to increase the charges.”

If the scrutiny committee is happy with the changes to parking charges, they will go ahead as planned.

But if the committee isn’t happy, the plans put forward by councillor Julie Butler may have to be rethought, or could even be scrapped.

There is an extraordinary cabinet meeting to discuss the outcome of the scrutiny committee meeting immediately it finishes.