Campaigners for free parking in the Stroud district claimed victory last night now that the final decision to introduce charges will be taken by all councillors.

Stroud District Council is currently consulting on whether to end free parking in Dursley, Nailsworth, Stratford Park and Wotton-under-Edge in an effort to get more shoppers into the district’s towns.

Before a council meeting last night, the charges would only have needed approval by a small proportion of councillors who sit on a particular committee.

Go ahead could have been given by a majority of just 7 councillors on the strategy and resources committee, out of a total of 51 councillors on Stroud District Council.

But Conservatives have claimed credit for forcing a wider vote, having tabled a motion at a full council meeting on Thursday, July 19.

Tom Skinner, a Tory from Hardwicke, was prepared to argue that “parking charges … is an issue for all residents in Stroud District” and so all councillors should be able “to not only voice their opinion on this important issue, but record their vote”, according to the motion he tabled.

However, at the start of the meeting Doina Cornell announced her Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat administration would accept the motion.

She told the room: “We felt, bearing in mind the public interest, it would be appropriate to take it to full council.”

"I'm not sure whether this was a decision based on common sense or the lack of Labour members present including one who has just left the party over the issue,” said cllr Skinner after the meeting, referencing the recent resignation of Nailsworth councillor Sue Reed from cllr Cornell’s party.

Cllr Reed, who also sits on anti-charge Nailsworth Town Council, denied she became an independent over parking, instead telling the SNJ: “Party politics just isn’t for me.”

After the meeting cllr Cornell explained: "As an administration our intention originally had been to wait until we got to the end of the public consultation before deciding if it needed to go to full council or not, although we had already discussed if we should do it anyway."

Though cllr Cornell’s announcement nixed another lengthy debate on parking at Ebley Mill, another Conservative Debbie Young from Chalford put questions to cllr Cornell.

Aside from looking for reassurance public responses to the consultation would be heeded, cllr Young asked if any future increases to charges if introduced would be voted on by councillors.

Cllr Cornell was unable to guarantee this, admitting such a decision could instead be delegated to the council's officers.

SDC's consultation on charges ends on July 29.

Councillors will then decide whether to introduce charges through a vote in October