A motion for the review of "eye-watering" parking charge increases from Labour councillors was defeated last night at a special meeting of Barnet Council.

An amendment put by Councillor Brian Coleman was instead passed, noting that the increases were "necessary".

The amendment also clarified that "there are no proposals to increase on street parking charges in the current consultation".

Labour had originally called for the Special Council meeting to take place before Christmas, suggesting a parking amnesty over the Christmas, but claimed it was "blocked" by the Conservative administration.

Cllr Coleman defended the charges, saying that an increase was necessary to meet the special parking account budget agreed by the council and that any surplus would go back into the borough.

“The surplus pays for pavement repairs, parking repairs, for consultations on CPZ and maintenance in CPZs.

“The cashless system works in Westminster – 163,000 people have registered to use it.”

Cllr Coleman’s comments were met with shouts of “rubbish” from the public gallery.

Labour’s Environment spokesperson, Cllr Kath McGuirk, who moved the original motion said: "Local people have made it abundantly clear that these unfair parking charges are crippling our town centres, but instead of stepping back and agreeing to review them in the light of issues residents and traders are raising, the Tories have decided to plough ahead regardless. "They don't listen, they don't care, and they just don't get it."