Ripon seems likely to remain a political battleground in the run-up to the local elections, despite a move to mollify people unhappy about having to pay to park in the city centre.

Liberal Democrat district councillors have confirmed they will be lobbying the leadership of Harrogate Borough Council to quash parking fees on the city's market square at a meeting later this month.

With local elections looming, Conservative campaigners used the issue to turn up the heat on the borough council's ruling Liberal Democrat group.

Should the authority's cabinet members agree when they meet on April 24, parking fees on Ripon's market square will be abolished immediately - just a week before electors go to the polls on May 2.

The move was confirmed at a public gathering in Ripon Town Hall on Friday - where Conservatives had been hoping for a vote in favour of a parish poll on the issue.

However, it was ruled that the meeting had not been convened within the regulations laid down by local government law and could not, therefore, make any formal resolutions.

That also meant that the suggestion that Ripon should defect from the Harrogate borough to join the Hambleton district, or that Harrogate should be declared a parish and its residents pay a precept similar to Ripon's, were also not debated.

However, Conservatives said they would not be giving up.

"The annual Ripon parish meeting - which was originally scheduled for March 25 - still has to be held before June,'' said prospective Conservative councillor Stanley Mackintosh.

"I certainly believe in parish polls on these issues but, as a campaigner, I am simply facilitating debate on matters which electors have raised with me."

Liberal Democrat deputy mayor, Councillor Bernard Bateman - who chaired Friday's meeting - said he hoped Tory campaigners would think again.

"There is no harm in the usual political cut and thrust, but I don't think it is right that the parish poll procedure should be used for party reasons - especially when they cost the taxpayer money," he said.