AN INCREASE to the amount residents pay for services across Basingstoke and Deane has overcome another hurdle.

As part of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s (BDBC) budget strategy for 2018/19, fees and charges, which includes the cost of parking and burials, will rise by at least 3.5 per cent.

This will give BDBC an estimated £231,000 in additional income which it says will be reinvested into other areas.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 5 December, councillors heard how the increase matches the rate of inflation and where the rise is higher than 3.5 per cent it is from services the borough council had previously subsidised.

Cabinet member for finance, service delivery and improvement, Councillor Robert Tate said that the changes represent an important element of the borough council’s revenue.

Cllr Tate said: “This is an important element of our budget and where there is an increase it is in accordance to the rate of inflation.

“The fees and charges account for over £6.6 million of the council’s income and this year we expect to see a return of around £230,000.”

In most of the areas, the proposed increases are in line with the average increase target of 3.5 per cent, with some exceptions.

One such increase is of 101.2 per cent for evening parking charges in many of the town centre car parks.

This means people leaving their cars in Brinkletts, Castons yard, Churchill Way, Churchill Way East, Sarum Hill and Southern Road car parks from 7pm- 8am will now pay £2.

However, there will be a freeze in the daytime, Sunday and Bank Holiday parking charges to make the charges lower than those in other centres, with two hours in Basingstoke’s central car park costing £2, compared to up to £2.80 in Winchester and £4 in Reading. No increase in residents’ parking or visitors’ permits is also proposed.

Cllr Tate added: “It is a balanced approach to our fees and charges and I believe it represents good value for our residents.

Fees and charges are part of the budget proposals that are out for consultation until Friday 15 December, for more details visit  basingstoke.gov.uk/budget2018.

“The proposed increases meet the criteria that has been previously set by the council.”

Other services on the rise include the cost of new graves going up by 13.6 per cent to £1,590 and the price of a four-week shuttle bus pass by 25 per cent to £35, as well as a charge to replacing black bins, which had previously been subsidised by the borough council.

The proposed changes to the fees and charges will now go before a BDBC full council meeting set to be held in February next year.