Car parking charges are expected to go up following a council cabinet vote this morning.

The Dover district councillors voted to push up hourly costs in most car parks from £1.10 an hour to £1.30.

The increases are expected to take effect from the start of the 2020/21 financial year in April.

The council argues that this is the first increase in four years.

Cllr Stephen Manion, portfolio holder for finance and governance told the meeting: "We need to raise charges. We give something back to the community from charging."

Cllr Nigel Collor, portfolio holder for transport and licensing, said: "We have an increasing number of vehicles on our roads and that is problematic."

Fees are due to go up from £1.10 an hour to £1.30 at the following car parks:

Dover: Bench Street, Camden Crescent, Ladywell, Maison Dieu, Pencester Road, Priory Road, Stembrook, Castle Street and the Seafront.

Sandwich: Market Street and New Street.

Deal: Beach Street, Middle Street, South Street, Stanhope Road, St George's, Town Hall.

Where staying times allow, the rise for two hours is proposed as £2.20 to £2.60, for three hours £3.30 to £3.90 and for four, £4.40 to £.5.20.

These proposals are for on and of-street bays.

In one car park, Albany Street in Dover, charges, currently 60p, are to be scrapped following the vote.

Officers said the spaces generate little income anyway as they are underused.

They said free spaces would help encourage visitors to the area.

However councillors voted to defer a vote to imposed charges at four rural car parks for further consultation with parish councils.

Officers had recommended charge £1 for two hours at the spaces at Reach Road, St Margaret's-at-Cliffe, The Street in Ash and Eastry and Wingham High Streets.

Cllr Oliver Richardson, portfolio holder for environmental and commercial service, proposed deferring.

He said: "Rural car parks are unique and need to be looked at separately.

"We should defer the decision on present arrangements to allow detailed engagement with each parish council."

He said he had had representations residents from Eastry, Ash and especially St Margaret's.

Read more: All the latest news from Deal

Read more: All the latest news from Dover

Read more: All the latest news from Sandwich

.