LEDBURY Town Council will foot the bill for new signs to Herefordshire Council's money-spinning car parks, because the county council won't pay.

The decision was taken at last week's full town council meeting in the Community Hall; but not every town councillor was happy with the decision.

Herefordshire Council's revenue from the town centre car parks is around £300,000 a year; but the county council won't pay for the additional signs because it says they are "non-statutory".

Local people, on social media, have also expressed dismay that Ledbury town council will fund the signs instead.

Tina Mitchell, on Voice of Ledbury, simply called the decision "disgraceful".

Other residents called it "shocking."

And Kayleigh Morgan asked: "Who gets the money from the ticket machines? Surely that money could be used to pay for new signs?"

Sam Jones, with a reference to the poor state of Ledbury's roads, said: "They could always chuck the old signs over the pot holes and that would probably have a longer lasting benefit than the poor Tarmac repairs on the road that usually involve six men and two lorries."

And Erwin Marshall added: "When are they going to spend money on road repairs?"

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Annette Crowe said: "I don't think it's the responsibility of Ledbury Town Council to pay for the signs, as Herefordshire Council is getting £300,000 a year from the residents and visitors who use the car parks."

Several town councillors say that existing signs are confusing and better signs are needed to help visitors find the car parks. This in turn would mean that fewer visitors would use the short stay bays in the town centre and more would park up in the car parks of St Katherine's, Bridge Street, Bye Street and Lawnside, and they might stay longer.

But Cllr Crowe said: "I don't think the signs we have are all that confusing. We owe it to the residents of the town not to waste money on the investment of Herefordshire Council."

Cllr Tony Bradford said: "If this issue is that important, our county councillors should be lobbying Herefordshire Council to dig into its own pockets."

But Cllr Martin Eager said he regularly spoke to visitors who had been unable to spot the existing signs to the town's car parks and had to park up in the town centre's short stay bays as a result.

He added: "There's little chance to do much in one hour. I agree that Herefordshire Council should pay for this; but it's a matter of fact that councils like ourselves will increasingly bear the burden of minor infrastructure jobs."

And Cllr Bob Barnes said: "We do have a budget for signage that cover the cost of this."

Ledbury Town Council will pay for eight new signs, at a cost to the public purse of £854, plus VAT.

Eight councillors voted in favour, five against, with one abstention.