Drivers will be charged for using council-owned car parks and on-street parking once again in Wirral.

At a meeting of Wirral Council's policy and resources committee last night, an "immediate" return to parking charges was voted through.

In practice, charges are likely to be brought back in the next few weeks.

Last night's vote ends a period of nine months when parking has been free in the borough.

Labour councillor Liz Grey brought forward the plan to reintroduce charges.

Cllr Grey said charges needed to return given the severe budget pressure Wirral Council was under.

For the upcoming financial year, the authority needs to address a shortfall of around £16m.

To meet the target, the authority is consulting the public on closing Birkenhead's Europa Pools, moving to three-weekly bin collections and closing all four municipal golf courses in the borough.

Cllr Grey argued that the public would not look kindly on the council if it had to "raid" budgets for other services to offer free parking which had not been in place before the pandemic.

She said studies show local businesses overestimate how many of their customers visit them by car and that people spend more when they arrive on foot or by bike, meaning parking charges would not harm small businesses.

Cllr Grey also thought free parking going forward would be an unfair subsidy from non-drivers to drivers through council tax.

However, Conservative councillors wanted to see parking remain free in the borough, with the policy to be reviewed again in April.

Cllr Tom Anderson said a return to charges could create a problem as it may encourage people to use public transport at a time when that is being discouraged due to the pandemic.

He also worried about charges at country parks deterring people from using them, at a time when exercise is considered particularly important for people's physical and mental health given the restrictions.

The Greasby, Frankby and Irby councillor concluded that it simply was not the right time to bring charges back.

Labour councillors disagreed with this, asking Cllr Anderson and his Tory colleagues to explain how they would pay for the money lost in parking fees.

No direct answer was given, although Cllr Anderson asked officers how much money the government is providing to subsidise the council for lost income.

Council officer Simon Fox said that between last July and January 4 this year, when the third lockdown was imposed, the council could not claim compensation for lost parking income meaning between £350,000 and £600,000 was lost to the council.

This was based on the assumption that 40% of parking spaces would be filled, far lower than was the case at some points in the summer according to Mr Fox.

During this lockdown, the government will give Wirral Council 75% of the last 95% of income lost in its compensation formula.

For the Lib Dems, Cllr Chris Carubia was in favour of resuming charges, but with country parks exempt.

The Eastham councillor feared charging might stop people going out to exercise in the parks.

Asked how much parking costs at country parks, Mr Fox said it was 50p for the first hour, rising to £2 for more than two hours.

Green councillor Pat Cleary wanted charges to return as soon as possible.

He said the environmental costs of encouraging people to use their cars were clear.

Cllr Cleary added that free parking was a "socially regressive" policy, as less well-off people who do not drive are forced to in-effect subsidise those who do as the money for free parking has to be found through taxation.

The Birkenhead and Tranmere councillor asked the committee to consider how those who were worried about losing Europa Pools or other council facilities would feel when thinking about the income the council has forgone over the last nine months of free parking.