Would YOU pay more council tax to keep free parking in Cranbrook?

That's the million dollar question many residents are being asked to consider in the New Year, when a public consultation will seek opinion from home and business owners in the town.

Tempers flared last week when the parish council found out Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was planning to consult on charges for the three car parks in Cranbrook, despite ongoing talks about the parish council running them to keep parking free.

Just days before the cabinet was due to discuss this, parish councillors agreed to freeze their portion of the council tax, with a view to taking over the car parks no earlier than 2013.

The borough council cabinet opted to put its consultation on hold but insisted a decision be made by the end of January on whether the parish council would take on the Regal, Tanyard and Jockey Road car parks.

Vice chairman Brian Swann said: "The parish council needs to discuss this but my feeling is that we shall have to hold our own public consultation.

"We have got to assess how much it will cost and ask the taxpayers.

"We had hoped that nothing would happen until 2013 but that got changed by the cabinet as they want it settled.

"The big thing we are waiting to find out is whether we can get the car parks exempt from business rates."

What do you think? Would you pay more to keep Cranbrook's free parking? What impact would paid car parking have on the town in your opinion?