FREE weekend parking is set to return at three council car parks.

The move has been revealed by newly-elected Conservative Leader councillor Andrew Baggott, in a bid to boost the high street economy in Wickford, Billericay, and Basildon.

The parking charges will be dropped at Towngate, Billericay High Street and Wickford Main car parks from Saturday May, 26.

Councillor Andrew Baggott said: “As an administration we are committed to doing everything we can to boost businesses and get as many people as possible into our town centres.

“I believe this move will do great things for our economy.

“I have seen firsthand that small businesses in Billericay have been affected by the charges, and so this move should go some way towards reinvigorating the town centres.

“If we get the town centres moving again, we’ll get the whole borough moving again.”

However, the news of dropped parking charges was greeted with scepticism by the Basildon Labour Party, who introduced the measures.

Deputy party leader David Burton-Sampson said: “I would be very interested to see exactly how the funds will be replaced without affecting the vital services provided by the council.

“We brought in the parking charges because we had to.

“Due to Tory government funding cuts to our services we were left with a £4.1million hole in our finances at the start of our administration that we had to fill, unless we wanted to lose vital services.

“The introduction of weekend parking charges was a small but necessary charge we had to bring in so we could ensure we could continue with as little disruption as possible. If this administration can balance the budget without the charges then that would be great, but I just don’t see how that could happen.”

The exact method of replacing the lost revenue has not yet been confirmed, and will be announced after a full review of the council’s budget is undertaken.

Councillor Baggott confirmed any hole in the council’s finances as a result of the change in policy would be covered by a number of adjustments across the overall budget, rather than another single source. It is hoped the move will encourage more shopping.