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Free parking at council-owned car parks should continue on a permanent basis, the leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Independent group has said.

Parking charges at council-owned car parks have been waived since last year and will remain free until the end of September.

The policy has been in place in an attempt to support high street businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge has written to council leader Philippa Marsden and chief executive Christina Harrhy, calling for the charges to be scrapped for good.

He said the move would “help all traders in our town centres”.

He said the number of shoppers on the high street has “increased hugely over the last two months” and said that car parks had been full as a result.

He added: “It is essential to our communities in these towns that free charges are a permanent feature to help businesses and traders, and I call on the Cabinet here in Caerphilly to support the traders and I in abolishing charges.”

A Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesperson said: “The council has offered free parking in its pay and display car parks since the start of the pandemic last year.

“We are committed to supporting the local business community during these difficult times.

“We will continue to keep the situation under review as we recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic over the coming months.”

Earlier this year, parking charges were axed at a number of council-owned country car parks.

Charges were removed at Bargoed Woodland Park, Parc Cwm Darran, Parc Penallta, Pen y Fan Pond and Sirhowy Valley Country Park – but not at the newly-reopened Cwmcarn Forest Drive.

The changes were recommended by the council’s joint scrutiny committee, following findings by a group of councillors on the council’s cross-party Car Parks Task and Finish Group.