A city councillor has accused the county council of treating the residents of Oxford with "total contempt" before a meeting about charging for parking permits.

Gill Sanders has described Oxfordshire County Council's public consultation about plans to charge people living in some areas of Oxford to park their cars as "a sop".

The county is proposing to make residents pay £40 a year for each of the first two permits issued in most residents' parking zones. And a third permit would cost another £80.

Ms Sanders's comments come just three days before County council leader Keith Mitchell and highways chief David Robertson finally meet with residents to discuss the proposals at Oxford Town Hall.

She said: "What is the purpose of the meeting? How can a one-hour meeting, with a very limited time for questions and comments from the public, be of any use?

"In addition, if what is said will have no additional standing, why is the meeting being held?

"Is it merely a sop to pretend that the Tory controlled County Council have been listening to the concerns of the residents of Oxford? Is it something that they are legally bound to do before finally promoting the traffic order?

"This is no real consultation. The county have treated the residents of Oxford with total contempt and disregard."

Nearly one in five of the 26,000 people sent a questionaire about the issue by the county council responded.

The results are due to be released at a county council meeting on Monday and the overwhelming majority are expected to show strong opposition to the proposal.

Mr Robertson said: "Why would the county council spend money on a consultation, if it was not going to listen to what is going to be said?

"There would have been no point in having a public meeting where people were just shouting 'We don't want parking charges.' "The best way is to give information to them, so they have time to digest it and then come back to us with their comments.

The meeting will be held at Oxford Town Hall, from 7.30-8.30pm on Tuesday.

The public will be able to ask questions about the proposal and there will be a discussion of ways to reduce pressure on residents' parking.