COUNCILLORS have thrown their weight behind a proposal for pay and display car parking on the cobbles in Barnard Castle.

The scheme was described as an "emotive subject" by Mark Ladyman, Teesdale District Council's director of community services, at a policy meeting on Wednesday.

Coun John Watson was quick to criticise. As a member of the working group set up to progress the recommendations of the traffic management strategy, he felt the proposal counter-productive. He put the argument for disc parking, saying case studies had proven it to be effective.

"There is keen interest in incorporating the frontage there with the Witham Hall redevelopment and it's right that attention should be focused on the cobbles, but not resulting in pay and display," he said. Residents were unhappy with the proposals, feeling it a revenue-raising exercise by the council.

He moved they halt for more consultation, getting into an altercation with chairman, Coun Ken Robinson, who directed him to a paragraph in Mr Ladyman's report regarding planned consultation.

Coun David Blackie, not a member of the committee, was allowed to speak. Also a member of the working group, he too felt it in direct conflict with the traffic management strategy.

"When the group met on Friday there was considerable opposition to this," he said, feeling that approval was somewhat premature.

Coun Newton Wood said drivers parked there for 24 hours and some kind of control was needed.

"If it's our responsibility we can argue we should have a good say in what happens to it," he said, welcoming any kind of charge. Where else in England could you park in the centre of town without paying?

Twelve members supported the recommendation, with Coun Watson the lone dissenter.