AGGRIEVED motorists facing car parking fines may soon be able to appeal to a special panel against their penalties.
Tavistock member Cllr Roger Mathew proposed setting up the panel at a recent meeting of West Devon Borough Council in Tavistock.
Cllr Mathew said: 'There have been rumblings about the degree of flexibility, or lack of it, which appear to be shown in relation to our car parking policy.'
Cllr Mathew said there should be a 'presumption of innocence' when reviewing appeals against fixed penalty car parking tickets and a panel of three councillors would provide a 'fall-back position'.
He suggested three councillors should sit on the panel, once 'appropriate procedure for the allowing of appeals' has been recommended and approved by the council.
Cllr Dick Eberlie said: 'There is concern in the town and amongst our visitors — the sooner we can deal with it the better.'
Cllr Ted Sherrell said he had even had letters from as far afield as Aberdeen, complaining about parking fines.
He said it was a matter of 'basic justice' and it was 'imperative' to have a new system in place 'as a matter of urgency'.
Cllr Mathew's proposal will be forwarded to the council's strategic development committee to work out terms of reference for the policy.