Mayor Patrick Goldstone has apologised for misleading town councillors about proposals to increase car-parking charges in Malmesbury.

Coun Goldstone, who is also a district councillor, blamed the Government for the hike in charges at the town council meeting on January 11.

At that meeting he said the district council would be fined if it did not follow the order from Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

He said: "Every local authority has been told they may not run free car parks. We were given a timetable. All I can do is try and get the best possible deal. I do not like it. But it is the best we can do. If we did not do it, the taxpayers of North Wiltshire would be fined."

However, town clerk Phil Rice told councillors on Tuesday night, Coun Goldstone had misled them.

Mr Rice's e-mail said: "Patrick has asked me to inform you that he made an error when discussing car park charges at this meeting.

"In good faith he explained a question regarding this that orders had come down from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which is not true.

"However local authorities are being encouraged to better manage council tax increases and this is one method to do so."

After reading the note, furious town councillor Martin Snell said: "I know the mayor has apologised. But I feel we have been let down in our representation. One of the most contentious issues in all the time I have been a councillor is car parking."

North Wiltshire District Council's executive committee has supported a proposal to introduce charges at the long-stay car park in Station Road, on top of increasing the cost of using the short stay car park in Cross Hayes.

But the move, which could generate an extra £129,000 in revenue from Malmesbury alone for the district council, has angered traders and councillors.

Mr Snell is leading the lobby group.

He said: "Where do his loyalties lie? The mayor was a member of the district council working group that looked at these charges, but he did not consider the repercussions on the town. It will have adverse effects.

"It would cause chaos because people who normally park in Station Road will park and block up Reeds Farm instead. The district council is just trying to generate money."

Defending himself, Coun Goldstone said the Deputy Prime Minister had told local authorities to raise money from their assets, and he understood free car parking to be such an asset.

Coun Goldstone said: "The district council has been told we cannot raise council tax and we must capitalise on our assets.

"Some £487,000 is expected to come in from North Wiltshire by the measure. This could mean we may not have to increase council tax. Malmesbury is no different to other local towns."

Under the proposals, townspeople would have to fork out £4 to park for more than four hours at the Station Road car park.

In Cross Hayes car park, the charges would rise from 25p to 50p for the first hour and from 50p to £1 for up to two hours.

Coun Goldstone said the hike in charges was modest compared to neighbouring towns. He added: "I think £4 a day is quite economic. If you go to Swindon, or Cirencester, they charge a hell of a lot more. There is no such thing as a free lunch."

District council spokesman Paul Langcaster said the council made its own decisions about parking charges.

"It seems as though there is some confusion with the decriminalisation of off-street car parking enforcement, but there is no dictate from central government at present, although there is talk that they may legislate for changes in the future."