New Forest District Council proposed to hike car parking fees and Keyhaven river charges as it faces £2.443m deficit
PARKING charges are set to be hiked across the New Forest as the district council faces a deficit of up to £2.443m.
Members of the cabinet will meet today (Wednesday) to approve the increase in fees, which will come into force on 1st January 2025.
This includes an increase in the first hour rate from £1 to £1.50, which the council says has been frozen since 2018 and is no longer financially sustainable.
A £5 increase to the annual short stay car parking clock and a £10 increase to the long stay is also proposed.
The charges are outlined in a report of the NFDC’s medium-term financial plan, which considers its finances over a four-year period and seeks to support the council’s aim of a balanced budget.
Other changes in the plan include raising Keyhaven river fees and charges by 5%, which is forecast to deliver £25,000.
This includes increasing the mooring fee for a small vessel from £534 to £561 and a large vessel from £1,069 to £1,122.
The single launch of a kayak, canoe or paddleboard will rise from £11.88 to £12.47, while jet skiers will have to pay £115.49 – up from £109.99.
The report adds the council is facing a forecast deficit of £628,000 for 2025/26, increasing to a cumulative £2.443m by 2028/29.
The report adds: “It is vitally important that the council continues to proactively address this funding deficit and create valuable headroom for resources to be directed towards the delivery of corporate plan priorities, which will undoubtedly include difficult decisions on service delivery, council tax and fees and charges yield over the period.”
Speaking ahead of the meeting, the council’s cabinet member for finance and corporate, Cllr Jeremy Heron, said: “It is vital that we keep abreast of the financial challenge ahead of us as predicted through our medium-term forecast.
“The annual review of our fees and charges is one lever we have to ensure that we remain financially sustainable and can continue to provide the vital services that our residents rely on.
“This is especially relevant considering a new government and a lack of clarity at this time on what our funding support might look for next year, and beyond.”
The council’s cabinet member for environment and sustainability, Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, explained a benchmarking exercise, comparing NFDC against comparable and neighbouring authorities, proved the tariffs and parking clocks “continue to offer extremely good value in supporting residents, businesses and the environment across the district”.
