Aberdeenshire council is seeking views from members of the public and business owners on the future of town centre parking.
The authority is considering taking over the responsibility for on-street parking which currently lies with the police.
Two online surveys – one for businesses and one for the public – have been launched until the end of October.
The council is currently in charge of the public car parks in the towns and villages across the region, but is seeking views on whether they should take control of on-street parking as well.
And the authority wants to improve the “management and vitality” of town centres, by freeing-up misused on-street parking spots.
Peter Argyle, chairman of the council’s infrastructure services committee, last night said that the police “don’t have the resources” to enforce all parking violations.
He added: “This is not a money-making exercise, but it is about ensuring more spaces are there for people to park in – and they are not being misused by the small minority of selfish people.
“This is a very open consultation and will help us to establish a range of facts, including how people currently park in town centres, what influences them in their parking choices and their views on any potential decriminalisation of parking across Aberdeenshire.
“Depending on the responses we get back, we may or may not go forward with the proposal of bringing in extra council staff to act as parking wardens.”
Aberdeen city council is currently responsible for its own on-street parking enforcement, in common with Highland council, who took back control in April 2016.
The surveys are looking for views on parking in the main towns of the region; Ballater, Banff, Banchory, Ellon, Fraserburgh, Huntly, Inverurie, Oldmeldrum, Peterhead and Stonehaven have all been listed.
If implemented, the council would be able to issue penalties for parking on double or single yellow lines and for overstaying in limited waiting spaces.
The consultation can be found at: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GQ8LSGF and www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7Q88XHW