There should be no rise in short stay parking charges in Helston this year - although it's not such good news if you want to park overnight at one of the town's beauty spots.

Cornwall Council is proposing to keep the fee for up to one hour at 60p and one to two hours as £1.40. There will then be a 10p rise to £3.40 for two to three hours.

This applies to all its pay and display car parks in the town, at Trengrouse Way, the Trengrouse Way Extension and Tyacke Road.

There will also be a 10p increase for three to four hours at Tyacke Road, and a 20p increase for 24-hour parking, although the rise is only 10p at Castle Green.

All car parks will remain free of charge from 4pm to 9am Monday to Saturday, and all day on Sunday.

The Fairground car park opposite Coronation Park will also remain free of charge at all times, but Cornwall Council is proposing to prevent motorhomes and camper vans from parking there between 11pm and 8am.

There are also changes being planned over the way parking permits will be given out at the Castle Green and Penrose Road car parks.

Instead of a fixed fee for unlimited vehicles, there will now be a sliding scale for up to five registered vehicles. This in fact brings the price down for anyone needing to park just one vehicle at Castle Green, to £43.84 - a saving of almost £11. A maximum of five vehicles can be registered, for the existing cost of £54.80.

This is the same in the Penrose Road car park, where the price of one registered vehicle will be £222.04 through to five vehicles for the current cost of £277.55. However, to continue parking unlimited unregistered vehicles the price will soar to £700.

Overall the changes have been welcomed by Helston's town councillors, with John Boase saying: "I think we have got off very well actually.

"One thing I was impressed with is the parking permits at the bottom of Castle Green - somebody has had some sense there."

Mike Thomas, who is also a Cornwall councillor for Helston, described the small increase as "a very conciliatory move" on the part of County Hall.

Members agreed to support the changes as part of the ongoing Cornwall Council consultation, which members of the public can also take part in via the online consultation finder on cornwall.gov.uk.