Rochford District Council is expecting to be £95,000 out of pocket this year due to a drop in income from parking charges.

The news comes in a report by head of finance Yvonne Woodward to the full council at its meeting today.

Mrs Woodward said part of the decrease could be accounted for by allowing free parking in the council car parks in the lead-up to Christmas. The scheme will continue to be in place this weekend.

She said the council’s investment income was also forecast to be £100,000 below budget, following the fall in the value of investments since the beginning of 2008.

Another likely reduction in the council’s income over the financial year, ending in April is expected to be £110,000 in charges for bulky waste collection from homes.

Until this year, the service was free but a £15 charge was imposed by the council to make more money. The take up has been considerably lower than expected.

On the plus side, recycling income has been £275,000 above the original budget due to the council’s success in exceeding targets and expenditure on concessionary fares is set to be £80,000 lower than forecast.

Mavis Webster, deputy leader of Rochford District Council, said the council was managing the budget to minimise the impact on residents.

She said; “We have been successful in managing the council’s budget well for this year.

“I hope we are a council which always looks after the concerns of its residents. I hope it will be clear when next year’s figures are public, how we try and help the people in the area,”

Mrs Woodward said: “At the start of the financial year, the challenge was to reduce a perceived gap of £780,000, through savings of £378,000 in the council expenditure identified by a review of all service budgets and increased income.

“Up to mid-year, £275,000 savings have been achieved and the remaining £103,000 will be made by the end of the financial year.

“Although there have been a number of changes to individual budgets, overall revenue estimates are within the original budget.”

Next year’s budget estimate is currently being prepared and will be discussed by a special meeting of the council on January 26 next year.