An extraordinary town council meeting has been called to discuss controversial proposals for short term parking charges in a Suffolk district. 

Sudbury town councillors will meet at 7pm on Tuesday in an extraordinary meeting of the full council, following the announcement that Babergh District Council is set to consider options for changes to parking tariffs in a bid to balance the books. 

Three hours of free parking is currently available in car parks in towns and villages throughout Babergh, including Sudbury, Hadleigh and Lavenham.

East Anglian Daily Times: Sudbury town centreSudbury town centre (Image: Newsquest)

But the cost of subsidising the free parking has cost the authority about £425,000 last year and it is set to increase this year.

Now the authority, which is facing a budget cap of £1.5million next year, says it can no longer afford to fund the subsidy if it is to continue to deliver other essential services.

READ MORE: Getting rid of free parking will kill Sudbury town centre

The new tariffs would only apply to council-run car parks, with existing on-street parking remaining unchanged and blue badge holders still able to park in the council’s car parks for free.

If the proposals to change parking tariffs at Babergh's cabinet on Tuesday, January 9 are approved, officers will meet with town and parish councils early in the New Year.

A further report will then go back to cabinet in April.  Councillors on the authority's overview and scrutiny committee will also consider any changes to car parking tariffs alongside wider draft budget proposals in the New Year.

In December, an online petition was set up to help save free parking in the three locations, which now has more than 2,900 signatures.

The town council will meet on Tuesday at 7pm and all are welcome.