THE two largest political parties on Powys County Council are battling over car parking charges in the battle for County Hall.

The Liberal Democrats are promising to introduce two hours free parking in council controlled car parks while the Conservatives are pledging an hours free parking and a council tax freeze next year.

Meanwhile members of the council's biggest group, the Powys Independent Alliance (PIA), which has controlled the authority for the past year in coalition with the Lib Dems, have hit back in the row over a 40 per cent rise in cabinet allowances.

Independent and Lib Dem candidates have been briefed to flag up an order from the body which sets councillors' allowances in Wales that Tory controlled authorities must reduce the allowances they pay their cabinet members.

It comes as Powys Conservatives have sought to make political capital of a decision, approved in a tight full council vote last year, to increase the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) paid to cabinet members.

The rise meant the council leader's SRA increased by 50 per cent, from £16,292 to £24,092 and the SRA paid to the nine other cabinet members was increased by 40 per cent to £13,675 from £9,775.

The new allowances were introduced last May when the council's political management was overhauled, and the previous 15 member all party board was replaced by the 10 strong cabinet.

The increase was funded by redistributing the £48,000 saved from reducing the size of the executive and the percentage rise is based on the SRA previously paid to board members.

The £11,925 basic allowance paid to all 73 councillors was frozen.

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