A South Kesteven District Council committee met yesterday to discuss establishing a working party to review car parking arrangements.

But vice chairman of the group Coun Bob Adams (Con) said the issue had been deferred so as not to conflict with the proposed £27m redevelopment of the town.

Coun Adams said: "Until that is resolved it seems pointless to carry on. We need to get one situation resolved before we look at another.

"I don't think charges will be looked at again until the Bourne town centre redevelopment is complete."

District council leader Linda Neal (Con), who attended the meeting, said she was delighted the introduction of charges had been put on hold again.

She said: "I think it will be a relief for shopkeepers, particularly with the economic downturn and budgets being tight. They want to encourage people into the town and charges would discourage people.

"I'm being told that people do believe that charges are inevitable once the redevelopment is in place, so I think people would be less opposed to it then."

In September, plans were dropped by from a full council agenda because of fears they would conflict with the revamp of the town.

The agenda to yesterday's committee meeting was published last week when it emerged members were looking to resurrect the proposals.