PEOPLE in Gedling have voted to pay for parking to help fill a £500,000 hole in council budgets.

Around 3,000 residents took part in a consultation offering three different options to balance the borough council's books.

Nearly two-thirds backed introducing parking charges at council car parks ahead of increases in council tax or big cuts in services.

But opposition councillors claim the questions were loaded.

It asked people to vote for either:

Lib Dem leader Tony Gillam said he believed the second option led residents to think they were voting for a 20% tax rise, when in fact it would be capped by the Government well below that level.

He added: "They wanted to get everybody to vote for car parking charges; they used scare tactics."

In the poll, 23% voted for service cuts and just five per cent for the tax rise.

Labour group leader Coun John Clarke said he also believed the questions led people to opt for parking charges.

He said: "I'm not in favour of parking charges, particularly at this time as they will hit small businesses."

Council leader Roland Spencer said: "These are difficult times. We asked people for their advice and we're grateful to local people for sharing their views. We will give careful consideration to these results."

A final decision on next year's budget is due on March 4.

sarah.firth@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk