Campaigners are delighted the council has made a U-turn on plans to transfer its car parks to private enforcement firms.

Residents, councillors, MPs, businesses and the Sort It Out, Don’t Sell It Off campaign group have welcomed the decision by the new Cabinet at Cornwall Council to cancel the plans to lease 19 council car parks to Corserv Solutions in order to “protect vital services.”

Sort It Out, Don’t Sell It Off was launched to fight the car park transfer plans following concerns it would result in higher parking fees as well as limit affordable access to beaches, town centres, and essential services. Businesses feared town centres could see a drop in footfall if affordable parking was lost.

Residents were worried the car park transfer would have a detrimental effect on residential areas due to concerns the scheme could see the end of free winter parking.

A protest was held at Watergate following fears the scheme would disproportionately impact the Newquay area as Tregunnel, Belmont, Dane Road and Watergate Bay car parks were earmarked to be transferred.

Jessie Jacobs, the driving force behind the Sort it Out, Don’t Sell it Off’ campaign says it’s “great news” that Cornwall Council has bowed to public pressure and reversed plans to delegate management of the assets.

She secured 3,000 signatures from members of the public in a petition against appointing Corserv to manage enforcement of parking fines. Local people had voiced concerns about potential price hikes and more ‘predatory’ approaches on fines.

Jessie Jacobs, town councillor for Newquay Central and Pentire, said: “This is great news for Newquay and I am thrilled that the new cabinet has seen sense and put the people of Newquay first by reversing this decision. This shows the power of being working cooperatively and will come as a huge relief to local people.

“I would also like to thank Noah Law MP for his support on this issue.”

Noah Law, MP for St Austell and Newquay, said: “I was elected on a pledge to revitalise towns and I hear loud and clear from tourism and high street businesses about the criticality of fair parking provision.

“This is a great step in terms of giving tourism businesses the support they need.”

Newquay mayor Cllr Drew Creek added: “One of my very first actions as a Cornwall councillor last month was to call on the leader to call on him and the Cabinet to scrap these ridiculous plans to hand over our vital community assets, five of which belong to us in Newquay so by far the most impacted town in Cornwall.”

Newquay Central and Pentire Cornwall councillor Joanna Kenny said: “Thankfully there’s no significant cost in reversing this daft policy and we councillors can continue to protect the free charging post 4pm and in winter.”