His comments come after it was revealed the council spent $33 million, or 37 per cent of its total budget, on employee costs. Mr Sycopoulis said the council “must immediately reverse its economically damaging policy of taxing almost every available car space”.

“I believe the number one killer of the CBD is the proliferation of paid parking in our shopping precinct and the ridiculously difficult and confusing parking ticket machines,” he said. “Our councillors need to be honest enough to admit that there is a problem and must insist that our chief executive’s supposed reliance on meter income is reconsidered. I believe greater efficiencies can be found in many areas of the council operations, especially in the growing numbers of managers of various council activities and departments.”

Mr Sycopoulis said he had advocated for free parking in the city centre and hospital precinct, including all day parking for workers as well as perimeter parking around the CBD to alleviate congestion while he was on council.

“Excessive paid parking is the scourge of our city and a testament to this is the vacant shops that are currently in the CBD,” he said. He also called for the council’s CEO position to be advertised. He said no major funds had been secured for Reid Oval or Warrnambool harbour upgrades.

“No wonder city council relies so heavily on funds received from parking meter money and unpopular traffic fines,” Mr Sycopoulis said.

“Considering the above and many other issues, I believe that the most pressing decision that our councillors need to make right now, is to advertise the chief executive’s position in order to attract the right dynamic leader to help steer our city into the future.” 

Mayor Robert Anderson said meters kept traffic flowing. He said in a certain area of Geelong parking meters had been scrapped, but businesses had asked for their return as workers had filled the parks. “It’s not directly for revenue raising. It’s to keep the city moving,” he said.