Councillors have handed shoppers an early Christmas present after voting for free parking at five Brighton and Hove car parks.

Charges will be waived at car parks in Trafalgar Street, High Street, Regency Square, London Road and Norton Road on Saturday December 7 and Sunday December 8, 15 and 22.

Last week the Green administration called the plans “anti-business” and said it would cost £112,000 in lost income.

But opposition councillors Conservative Ann Norman and Labour’s Warren Morgan joined forces to ensure the proposals went ahead.

Speaking at last night’s meeting, Green leader Jason Kitcat said he “loved the optimism that people will turn up for free parking and spend lots of money shopping all day fuelled by caffeine intake”.

He said the scheme would be equivalent to “giving away free tickets to the cinema for a Saturday matinee that would be packed anyway” and a “waste of taxpayers’ money”.

Coun Norman said: “Lots of other local authorities already offer free or reduced parking. “ A quick Google search found Plymouth, Poole and Stratford-upon-Avon to name a few.

“If they can do it why can’t we?” Coun Morgan asked.

“My own search found 25 councils offering reduced or free parking in the run up until Christmas. Have they all got it wrong?”

Later Coun Kitcat said: “A lot has been made of the Google analysis of free parking in places like Lancaster and Morecambe.

“I must say they’re slightly different to Brighton, where some places here are the most densely populated in Europe.

“For that reason such research is inappropriate.”

Despite objections from the council leader who voted against the proposal, support from Coun Morgan and Coun Norman pushed it through.

Councillors also agreed to investigate a permanent reduction in Sunday tariffs at London Road car park, which will be brought to a future meeting of the Policy & Resources Committee.