Parking charges are set to rise across Wiltshire after an amendment put forward by a Malmesbury councillor was voted down.

Charges will go up by 10p per hour at Burnham Road, Station Road and Cross Hayes, while fees will also be introduced on Sundays and for Blue Badge holders. Free event parking will also be removed from town councils.

Malmesbury's representative on Wiltshire Council, Gavin Grant, and leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Ian Thorn, put forward an amendment calling for the proposals to be scrapped.

They suggested the money lost through not raising parking charges, £710,000 in 2022/23 and an additional £120,00 in 2023/24, should be paid for out of the £1m High Streets budget.

Cllr Grant said: "The direct impact of these charges will have a tangible, immediate and significant impact on the viability of our high streets and the independent traders who operate there.

"Our traders deserve all the support we can possibly give them and I believe the right thing to do is to encourage people to come and park in our town centre car parks and trade in our high streets.

While his argument had the support of Labour group leader Ricky Rogers, it failed to win support among the Conservatives who control the council.

Leader of the council Richard Clewer said: "The idea that keeping parking prices where they are is going to do anything to transform our towns is just economic illiteracy.

"The future of our high streets is going to rely on a combination of retail, eating out, meeting friends, attending exhibitions, listening to live music, attending events, exploring our heritage."

Cllr Grant had said in a Facebook post that the High Streets budget 'will not support any project specific to helping or supporting Malmesbury'.

But Cllr Clewer argued: "It's there to help our high streets transform from the old retail model into a dynamic, experience driven place that people will visit for a day out.

"That's how we are going to help our towns thrive, not by offering the ability to buy things you can buy more cheaply online, but by offering the kind of experience you just can't get online.

All four parts of the amendment were voted against. The budget, which passed following a lengthy meeting on Tuesday, also included a three per cent council tax rise.