ALONG with residents and campaigners, I attended the special council meeting at Wallasey Town Hall to consider the plan for parking charges in our country parks.

The four country parks are used by people from across Wirral and I know many of my friends and neighbours in Moreton and Saughall Massie use the parks and value them.

It was surprising to hear that the charges were based on a "guestimate" rather than hard evidence and, even worse, to hear that nobody from the council has been in touch with those small businesses located in or near the country parks.

If Wirral Council wants to balance its books, it should scrap the Wirral View newspaper instead of introducing these parking charges.

Cllr Bruce Berry, Moreton West & Saughall Massie ward