CORNWALL Council is inviting members of the public to give their views on plans to equalise parking charges next year. The council is seeking to set countywide parking charges in time for next April and has set up a parking policy panel to look at the best way of setting car park rates.

Parking charges for the coming year were recently agreed by the council with the first hour rates frozen across Cornwall, while others will increase by an average 5%.

Car parks were previously controlled by the former district councils and so Cornwall Council inherited six different charging policies. It is now looking to create a more level playing field. Parking panel chairman Cllr Andrew Wallis said: "Parking is a very important issue which affects almost everyone in Cornwall and it is vital for both local residents and the viability of our towns and villages that we get it right. We need local people and organisations to give us their views so that we can make an informed decision."

The panel is carrying out consultation with city, town and parish councils, the business community and public, who are being asked to complete a questionnaire on the council's website at www.cornwall.gov.uk