More councillors have jumped to the defence of Shotley peninsula residents after two Tory councillors defended protecting free car parking while putting up council taxes in the midst of an cost of living crisis.

A number of councillors and residents have questioned why Babergh has increased its council tax by 2% but failed to implement the car parking charges agreed by Cabinet in February last year.

The car park changes include reducing free car parking in Hadleigh and Sudbury from three hours to one hour.

During Monday's full Babergh council meeting to debate the budget, Green's group leader Leigh Jamieson asked: "Are the residents at the likes of Shotley, Brantham Pinewood paying increased council tax charges so he can protect Conservative seats in Sudbury and Hadleigh?"

Cllr Barrett's the Conservative councillor from Great Cornard, said: "If you look at the Shotley peninsula and those other people and look what they put into Babergh's coffers compared with Sudbury and Great Cornard, which is our major economical hub who put in millions.

"Ganges, Berners etc put in £1.5m total. To say they are subsidising costs just does not stack up."

However, Cllr Barrett's figures were immediately questioned and disputed and also, as Berners no longer exists as a Babergh ward, his argument was undermined.

Green Cllr Jane Gould, who represents Orwell ward, responded to Cllr Barrett and said: "I am going to stand up for the Shotley peninsula residents, and you would not expect me to do anything else.

"I have had a number of comments come in from my parishioners saying what should we be paying for the people of Hadleigh and Sudbury to park.

"It is not equitable and fair that people in Shotley, and in my ward, are paying the 29p a month and they are not using the car parks. It is the people who use the car parks that it would be equitable fair to pay for the car parks."

Cllr Hinton also said he disagreed with Cllr Barrett's figures.

To add to the apparent lack of understanding about the Shotley peninsula, Cllr Sian Dawson claimed there was an uptake of less than 50% in Pin Mill and Holbrook car parks.

Stour ward councillor Mary McLaren pointed out to the hapless Cllr Dawson that Babergh did not own a car park in Holbrook, but 'would welcome one'.

Cllr Jamieson question why there were always caveats into any money being spent to tackle climate change.

Cllr Barrett replied: "Would you give someone an open cheque with no benefits? Which is what you (the Greens) are asking me to do and I would say no. We would want benefits.

"I agree we have a climate emergency but it is more a 111 than a 999 but we would not do it with an open cheque."

Cllr Barrett went on to describe climate issues as 'someone's pet subject' and public money should not be used.

Last week Cllr Barrett made a disparaging remark about living on the peninsula, which Ganges ward member Derek Davis, who lives in Shotley responded. Full story here...