Council rethinks car parking charge freeze

9:03am Wednesday 8th October 2008

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COUNCILLORS have warned they may have to raise car parking charges in Weymouth and Portland if the budget requires it.

Traders celebrated when Weymouth and Portland Borough Council said it would consider 'freezing' charges for 2009-10 and keeping pay and display for both on-street and off-street parking at this year's level.

But members of the council's management committee meeting amended the recommendation to say 'generally' keeping the pay and display charges at this year's level.

Councillor Peter Chapman said: "Parking charges are a huge income stream and it would be unreasonable at this stage, so far in advance of the budget setting, to tie ourselves in terms of parking charges."

Coun Tim Munro said: "We should not hold ourselves hostages to fortune.

"We can't afford to decrease the amount of funding we have available to do other things with. We don't know yet - we might have to double or halve charges."

Committee chairman Coun Mike Goodman suggested councillors also revised the wording of keep the estimated income figure for off-street parking the same' to read: 'maintaining the required income '.

Councillors voted in favour of using the proposals as a basis for further discussions with the Chamber of Commerce, Town Centre Management Group and Waterside Weymouth.

Other items for discussion include raising off-street permit and season ticket charges by 10 per cent and raising residents' parking schemes to at least £49.50 - a rise of 3.1 per cent - subject to a review.

A five per cent increase to all other on-street permits and dispensation charges is also in the pipeline.

Councillors voted against considering charges on car parks that are currently free to use in Church Ope, Easton, Fortuneswell, Hambro, Lord Clyde, Oakley Place, New Ground, Southill and Wellington Place.