A council has been forced to suspend an administration fee for parking fines after an investigation found it was being dished out without proper authorisation.

Anyone who got a parking ticket in one of Cherwell District Council’s car parks and had it over-turned, was charged £16.

But at a meeting last night the council withdrew the charge and said it would refund anyone who has paid the fee.

The move came amid a series of parking fee changes that have been recommended to its executive.

The joint committees’ recommendations are expected to be rubber stamped at a special executive meeting on July 26.

But the changes will not come into force for at least three months due to a legal process.

Cash saved internally by managing investments in house and interest from cash set aside for Bicester’s redevelopment will offset the cost of making the concessions.