Cabinet looks set to reject car park fee hike proposal (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Cabinet looks set to reject car park fee hike proposal

12:41pm Monday 3rd December 2007 in Local By David Connop Price

CAR parking fees in Basingstoke are unlikely to go up next year.

Borough Cabinet chiefs are set to ignore a suggestion from officers that fees for council-owned car parks should rise by more than five per cent.

At their meeting tomorrow, they will say they prefer to wait until a parking review has been completed.

Council leader Councillor John Leek said: "Cabinet will be disagreeing with the proposal of officers. Cabinet is proposing there be no increase in car parking charges, pending completion of the borough parking strategy."

Cllr Leek said the car park fees were being reviewed because rates in the town centre varied between car parks.

Echoing the reasons offered in February, when increased car parking charges were last proposed, Cllr Leek said the officers were proposing above-inflation increases because prices had to go up in increments of 10 or 20 pence.

He added: "It is important that we consider the long-term requirements, both for the public car parks and residents' parking.

"We do need to make sure we have the car parks in the right place. We need to make sure car parks aren't built on without regard for the long-term demand, which will rise as more and more people live in Basingstoke."

The Cabinet is, however, set to approve rises of about 2.5 per cent for many of the charges for various services offered by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Fees relating to planning matters, room hire, market stalls, cemeteries and the dog warden service are all expected to rise by about 2.5 per cent.

Cllr Leek said a plan to add £2 to the £28 charge for the garden waste sack would be rejected because the council did not want to hinder recycling.