Meeting planned over parking row

A new pay-parking scheme for Eastbourne is on hold

Two feuding councils are planning a meeting to try to find a resolution to a legal dispute which has postponed a pay-parking scheme for a town centre.

New parking meters were set to be activated in Eastbourne, East Sussex, on Monday - but a late challenge from the borough council put them on hold.

The county council said it would welcome "any costed proposals that the borough might put forward".

Eastbourne councillors said they were "happy to talk about alternatives".

The Conservative county council's pay-to-park scheme has been long-opposed by Liberal Democrats in the town, who took over leadership of the borough council in the May local elections.

'Parking problems'

Councillor David Tutt said: "We wanted to meet East Sussex County Council from the start of the new administration, but in the past we were told the only option was pay-to-park, like it or not."

Mr Tutt said it was hoped the legal technicality raised would see the unactivated parking meters removed "in the near future".

The threat of a High Court injunction was made on Friday.

Councillor Matthew Lock, from the county council, said: "What we don't want to do is take the easy option and impose our own solution without considering the borough council's ideas.

"If they can propose a way of dealing with the town centre parking problems that is costed and workable, we will seriously consider it.

"I would rather have this delay to make sure we get the right scheme than risk wasting taxpayers' money by allowing this difficulty to end up in court."