By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
There are concerns over plans to hike fees such as parking and cemetery charges along with council tax in Gloucester again from April this year.
Civic chiefs are proposing a rise in the proportion of the council tax bill residents pay for Gloucester City Council services will rise by 2.99 per cent to just over £237 for band D properties for the next financial year.
The final full council tax bill residents receive will be higher as it includes Gloucestershire County Council, police and town council costs for those living in Quedgeley.
Council leaders say they have included price inflation on selected fees and charges and these will rise on average three per cent overall in 2025/26 and 2.5 per cent in subsequent years.
Off street car parking charges in the city is split between Zone A which includes Kings Walk, Easgate, Longsmith Street, Southgate Moorings, Ladybellegate Street, Hampden Way, Westgate, Castlemeads, Hare Lane South, Station Road, St Michaels Square and North Warehouse and Zone B which includes Great Wester Road and Hare Lane North.
For Zone A the minimum stay fee for two hours is rising from £2.50 currently to £2.70 from April while parking for three hours will cost £4 up from £3.80 and those staying for four hours will see an increase of 30p to £5.10.
The cost to park all day will also rise from £8 to 8.50 while a 12-week season ticket costs will increase by £20.
For Zone B, a two hour stay is rising by 10p to £2.50, three hours will cost £3.70, up from £3.50 currently, while parking for four hours will cost £4.90, an increase of 30p.
All day parking will cost £5.30 up from £5 currently while season tickets are due to rise from £347 to £368.
Parking at GL1 Leisure Centre will also rise by 10p to £4.20 for the 2.5 hour maximum stay.
Conservative Councillor Sajid Patel (Barton and Tredworth) raised concerns over the increase in parking charges at the budget overview and scrutiny committee meeting last night (January 20).
“When you add up 30p over days and weeks and months it can be very costly,” he said.
“Frankly, I think we’re killing the town centre completely. They will have an indoor market but they won’t have any customers at this rate.
“Perhaps you want to consider reviewing the parking charges. Now may not be the right time to increase charges when people are struggling financially.
“We want to encourage them to go into the city centre and spend money in the shops, not scaring them away.”
Liberal Democrat finance cabinet member Declan Wilson (Hucclecote) said he took his point and said the authority was faced with a difficult decision to make.
“I’ve made similar points myself in the past,” he said.
“If you want to propose a budget amendment for the council meeting, by all means, do so.
“These decisions are never easy and when you’re faced with the finances we have you have to sometimes make these decisions.
“I accept that not everyone will agree with them. By all means put forward an amendment and we will see what we can do.”