People will have to pay to leave their cars at the borough’s parks if plans put forward by Barnet Council are approved.

The local authority could start charging £6 for people to park their cars for a whole day at 14 of the borough’s parks and green spaces, with smaller fees for shorter stays.

A council report says the charges could raise £150,000 a year and ensure the borough’s parks and green spaces are well managed.

The authority needs to make £23 million of savings in 2019-20 and is carrying out improvement work at several sites, including Barnet Playing Fields and King George V Playing Fields.

The council’s environment committee voted yesterday (Monday) to hold a consultation on the proposed fees.

But Labour environment spokesman Cllr Alan Schneiderman called the plans “another Tory money-making scheme that is going to cause problems for residents”.

He told the meeting: “Instead of people parking at the park where there are a lot of CPZs [controlled parking zones], they will simply park in neighbouring streets and take up residents’ parking permits.

“This is not the way to solve your budgetary problems. It is not even worth consulting on.”

Chairman of the environment committee Cllr Dean Cohen challenged Cllr Schneiderman on whether he agreed with the existing charging scheme at Hendon Park.

Cllr Schneiderman said the circumstances were “slightly different” at Hendon Park, pointing out it is “right next to a tube station”.

He said he did not agree with the proposals and they should not go out to a public consultation.

Cllr Cohen replied: “You do not agree with anything”.

The committee chair said: “It is about managing the car parks so it brings in enough money and manages the network.”

Cllr Peter Zinkin, Conservative member for Childs Hill, said: “I do not understand why the Labour group is opposed to the concept of having a consultation, getting the results and considering the implementation of that before we implement the decision.

“It seems to be an entirely logical thing to do.”

Labour councillors opposed the proposals to consult on car parking charges, but Conservative members voted in favour of the plans.

Responses to the consultation will be considered at a future meeting of the environment committee before a decision is made on whether to roll out the charges.