CONTROVERSIAL plans to introduce parking charges for disabled drivers in Monmouthshire have been scrapped by the local authority.

Opposition had mounted against bringing a charge against blue badge holders – saving £45,000 – since Monmouthshire council announced their 2019/20 draft budget last year.

Charging the ‘most disadvantaged in society’ would send a message of a council ‘without a heart’, according to the Disability Advice Project.

But after public consultation, the Conservative administration has shelved the idea and will not revisit it for the remainder of the political term up to 2022.

The council has also committed to improving car parking enforcement and funding improved signage and ‘associated infrastructure’ for disabled parking users.

A 10 per cent hike in parking charges will go ahead for consideration but parking on Sundays will be free for two hours, with visitors asked to pay £1 to stay longer.

Charges to heavy goods vehicles parking at Abergavenny bus station, and the reintroduction of fees for Christmas parking, have also been reconsidered.

The council had planned to cut two teachers from its special learning difficulties service, but this has been deferred pending a wider review.

Councillor Phil Murphy, cabinet member for resources, said the authority had listened and that the proposed changes were based on what matters to residents.

But he said the budget-setting process was informed by a £600,000 reduction in Welsh Government funding – the largest cut of any local authority in Wales.

“Monmouthshire receives the lowest funding per head of population of any local authority in Wales,” he said.

“Our approach continues to be to change, improve and adapt our services rather than to close them down.

“We refuse to lose our ambition for the county although financial realities are restraining our abilities somewhat.”

David Cummings, chairman of Monmouth and District Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the allocation of a targeted fund of £100k for high street traders, but said the parking charges could be "another nail in the coffin" for businesses.

"We are aware that MCC last year received an estimated £100,000 less in car park revenue from Abergavenny than planned, mainly due to the free two hour facility offered by Morrisons supermarket," he added. "Why should those using pay and display car parks be made to soon pay 25 per cent more for a two hour stay?

"The increase in charges is likely to add another nail in the coffin for struggling shops with decreasing footfall.

"It is three years since plans were approved for the Wyebridge Street car but still no sign of work being commenced. Businesses also face increased costs as they will at the end of the month have to pay for additional categories of commercial waste disposal. So at a time of great uncertainty especially in retail with competition from online and out of town, Brexit, the end in 2019/20 of transitional business rate relief and a lack of car parking spaces in Monmouth, MCC decide to increase parking charges and so reduce the number of shoppers."