Stockport council has been accused of withholding information about new charges at its free car parks.

New fees for some of Stockport's free car parks were agreed as part of last year's council budget, and were expected to save nearly £300,000 in a parking review.

A list of 25 car parks was drawn up to be included – but more than a year later these have not yet come in.

During a council meeting on July 10, Stockport council's Lib Dem leadership team was accused of holding back details about the scheme until recently.

Labour councillor Joe Barratt said a document with information explaining why each car park was chosen and the cost of implementing the new charges was made public by the council on July 9 – despite these details being requested at 'numerous' meetings previously.

"We're now more than a year after this decision made its way through full council, we're no further on in terms of savings, in fact it's going to cost £370,000 to implement this scheme," Cllr Barratt said.

"I don't see where these savings are coming from anytime soon, in terms of good scrutiny of us being able to hold you to account there's a lack of transparency and there's dither and delay."

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Lib Dem councillor Grace Baynham, Stockport council's cabinet member for transport, responded: "This is an ongoing piece of work, we've been working on this spreadsheet since the start of the process, it has been requested and we've provided it."

Conservative councillor Peter Crossen also criticised the council's handling of the scheme, saying it has 'not been properly scrutinised' by councillors because of the new information.

"The scheme in my opinion lacks both political and legal legitimacy," he added, calling for the plans to be brought back to the council chamber for another vote.

Cllr Baynham said the council's procedures have been followed throughout the process, and that the council has consulted with residents on the change as part of the town-hall's medium term financial plan.

Last month, a council official said the new car parking charges are set to come in by the end of the year.

The proposed new charges start at 50p for an hour rising to £2.40 for ten hours, according to a report.

Permits could be brought in alongside the charges for local residents living near one of the car parks, or those who regularly use them such as commuters or traders.

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