EAST Hampshire District Council is looking at increasing car parking charges in the district.

The content of a consultation document - produced by the council - and the results of subsequent meetings, which have all taken place behind closed doors and carried out over the past several months - are set to be revealed at a meeting of the East Hampshire District Council cabinet on Thursday.

With the cash-strapped district still struggling to balance its books, Adam Carew, the Liberal Democrat leader in opposition to the Tory-run district council, who is understood to have sat on the committee debating the issue, said: "It's no secret that the district council is looking into car-parking charges yet again."

But he continued: "Sadly, all our discussions to date have been exempt.

"In an era of open government, I believe the public have a right to know. I am told this will come to full council for debate.

"Although I am not legally allowed to expose the details of the report or what was discussed at recent meetings, the public can draw their own conclusions as to what the likely direction of the charges will be."

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.