At a recent Somerset Council Executive meeting (Oct 2026), they agreed a proposed 10% increase starting in January 2027 in most Somerset Council Car Parks and confirmed the new Tiered and the extremely unpopular Sunday charges due to be initialised in the Autumn of 2027. These were due to be implemented this year, however the public and business outcry brought about a change of mind. Instead of bringing them in now, they were pushed forward until after the Somerset Council Election in May 2027.
Many have suggested they are simply ‘kicking the can down road’, I’d have to agree. However, as you’ll hear in the video above, I received confirmation from the CEO that: “Obviously, any council in the future can consider what it wishes its policy to be on car parking and change the strategy.” I would strongly suggest that we can all take this as a good result. No, we have not stopped it happing, but we have managed to stall this for another year by which time we will have many new Somerset councillors who will hopefully share the view of the 93% who voted against parking charges on a Sunday. The Tiered charging system also needs looking at properly, which always should have been done in consultation with local people, parish councils and the Somerset council division members representing each area. A consultation that actually listens to the views of the people of Somerset.
The video above. I have added a ‘cleaned up’ dialogue below to show my questions and the answers from Somerset Council leader Cllr Bill Revans and the CEO Duncan Sharkey. My questions confirmed what I didn’t want to hear, that the Council Executive will not be changing their mind, hence my questions: “can you confirm that whatever the public, businesses, councillors, city, town and parish councils say against tiering and Sunday parking, will these charges happen anyway?” followed by “If, therefore, there is another 93% of the public, businesses, etc, that say, ‘We don’t want this,’ one assumes then that would change your mind, yes?” and “So your minds can’t be changed.”
Here is the ‘cleaned up’ transcript:
John Hunt: “Thank you, Bill. Good afternoon, everybody.
With the elections coming up in May 2027, obviously a few months prior to this (tiered and Sunday parking charges coming into force) taking place in the autumn of 2027. If there is a change of heart from the current incumbent, the Liberal Democrats, in charge at the moment, if you change your mind over that period, is this reversible? If there is a change of administration in May 2027, again, is this situation reversible having already been agreed by the Executive? I imagine it is, but I would just like confirmation of that.
And can I also ask, please, can you confirm that whatever the public, businesses, councillors, city, town and parish councils say against tiering and Sunday parking, will these charges happen anyway in the autumn of 2027?”
Council Leader: “Okay, can the Chief Executive respond on that one, please?”
Chief Executive: “Thank you, Leader. If the decision is taken today, then that is a decision of the council; these charges and the recommendations will be implemented. Obviously, any council in the future can consider what it wishes its policy to be on car parking and change the strategy. It wouldn’t mean that these decisions will be overturned particularly. It will mean they could be supplanted with new decisions in the future if that were appropriate.”
John Hunt: “I’m glad to hear that perhaps there is a possible change of mind after consultation for the autumn situation. So, I’m specifically talking about Sunday parking here in Taunton. If, therefore, there is another 93% of the public, businesses, etc., that say, ‘We don’t want this,’ one assumes then that would change your mind, yes?”
Council Leader: “Let’s be really clear that this is about consistency and fairness across all of Somerset. We are now one unitary council. Nobody wants to see a big change in car parking rises in one area.We believe that we have put in the mitigation packages that will work to support Taunton in this, and we have worked closely with the Town Council to do that. We will continue to work with Taunton Town Council and with the Chamber of Commerce, but we cannot make a special exception for one community and expect other communities to pay more for their car parking.As a result, we need to have fairness across the system. We wouldn’t do it with council tax; there is no reason why we would do it with car parking fees.”
John Hunt: “So your minds can’t be changed.”
Council Leader: “There will be discussions with Taunton Town Council as to what mitigations, further mitigations, can be put in place, but let’s be really clear, the decision to implement Sunday parking by this authority was made.”
John Hunt: “I understand that, Bill, but if Taunton Town Council help out, that would be great, but it’s still the public’s money that’s paying for that.”
Council Leader: “I’ve extended the courtesy well beyond the bounds of our standing orders here, but I will reiterate the point that if we give a special favour to Taunton because this is unpopular in Taunton, I get it.Whatever you do to increase parking charges anywhere in the county is not going to win you friends. The simple fact is, we must be fair to all towns in Somerset, and that is the policy that we’re pursuing, thank you, John.”
For full details of the new 10% increase in Parking charges for car parks in Taunton and Wellington, together with the Tiered and Sunday charges due in the Autumn of 2027, please click here.
If you’d like to view the entire content of the Executive meeting, please click here.
