HALF-hour car parking could be scrapped in Worcester’s city centre car parks under budget plans announced by Worcester City Council.

The council says the 30-minute option discourages shoppers from spending time in the centre of Worcester, adding they want to change the shortest charging period to one hour.

Meanwhile, the £1 charge for parking between 7pm and 9pm could also be ditched as the city council says that it has produced no increased use of car parks in the evening.

The moves come as part of a draft budget plan by the city council, which aims to save almost one million pounds in the next financial year to meet a government funding cut of 15 per cent.

Other car park alterations include changing the Croft Road car park from a ‘long stay’ to ‘medium stay’, resulting in a projected £85,000 extra revenue each year.

Copenhagen Street, Cornmarket and Providence Street – the highest turnover car parks – will have their long stay rates increased, with four hours costing £6 instead of £5.

Elsewhere in the draft report, set to be debated by Cabinet next Tuesday, the price of adult cremations will increase from £610 to £700 to include a service, music and a biodegradable urn.

The optional garden waste service, which has 5,000 customers, could also increase by £10 to £47 per year, which the Worcester City Council says is “excellent value”.

An estimated £1.3 million in New Homes Bonus cash, awarded to the council by central government in recognition of how many new homes are built in the city, will be received by the city council in the next financial year. Councillor Richard Boorn, the cabinet member for delivering value for money, said: “We recently revealed our vision for Worcester as a city of ambition, a city of opportunity and a city where no one is left behind.

“This budget is designed to help us deliver that vision while continuing to provide the quality services that our residents have a right to expect.

“We’ve also taken a detailed look at our future finances and this budget will give us a strong foundation – despite the intense financial pressures caused by the Government’s funding cuts – for balancing the books in each of the four years ahead.”

CCTV maintenance will be covered by a different company with no scheduled increase in cost.

The 2014/15 proposals are the first part of a four-year plan.

 

THE KEY PROPOSED CHANGES

 Croft Road car park to change from Long Stay to Medium Stay.
 The 30-minute city centre parking to be scrapped.
 £1 flat rate parking charge between 7pm to 9pm to be scrapped.
 Garden waste scheme to be increased from £37 to £47 per year.
 The cost of adult cremations cost to go up from £610 to £700.
 £1.3 million central government cash injection from New Homes Bonus scheme.