Council officers say free parking in Rugby town centre on weekends, paid for with rates from Elliott's Field, should continue

Before February 2019, when the scheme was first approved, parking was free in many borough council car parks on Sundays and weeknights from 7pm until 8am.

But the proposals saw free parking all day on Saturdays and Sundays, with parking free between 6pm and 6am on weeknights.

This only applies to borough council car parks - not on-street parking, which is managed by Warwickshire County Council.

It came in an effort to increase footfall in the town centre at a time where high streets across the country struggle against challenges including the rise of online shopping and retail parks.

The money to deal with lost income from parking was paid for with some of the town centre improvement fund - a £150,000 budget funded by business rates from Elliott's Field.

And council officers have proposed that, at Rugby council's cabinet meeting on January 6, councillors consider continuing to offer free parking for another year while a town centre masterplan and car parking strategy is developed.