EXTRA fines, more residents parking schemes and additional pay and display charges could be introduced across Castle Point in a bid to generate more income.

The proposals, suggested by the South Essex Parking Partnership, have been drawn up in a bid to alleviate budget pressures following concerns Castle Point Council will incur a major shortfall over the next six years.

Based on current trends, Castle Point could lose £92,741 by 2019, an average deficit of £15,457 a year.

The parking partnership has suggested the authority:
- Introduce additional residents parking schemes
- Additional pay and display parking schemes
- Giving out more penalty notice charges or parking tickets
- Improving absence levels of staff and subsequently penalty charge notice rates
 

The South Essex Parking Partnership estimates an additional £3,800 could be generated by issuing an extra 200 parking fines each year.

The report states: “Increasing income from introducing Resident’s Parking Schemes is an obvious way forward to reduce Castle Point’s deficit. This, combined with the scheme to be introduced by Essex County Council will bring in valuable income.”

Councillors will be considering charging residents £52 a year for the a Residents Parking Permit and an additional £5 for 10 visitor parking permits of up to two hours at a cabinet meeting yesterday.

Colin Riley, cabinet member for environment said: “We are already looking at a number of residents parking schemes and obviously we will be consulting with them. We must realise because we are a small borough we cannot generate as much income from parking as our neighbours. The partnership is supporting us in bringing in better measures on our parking arrangements.”

Mr Riley stressed the discussion was premature as the council’s environment scrutiny committee would be meeting to decide a detailed parking policy for the borough next week.

He said: “Next week we will be looking at introducing a parking policy which will enable us to increase our revenue, and at the same time provide vital improvements to our borough’s car parks which will hopefully encourage more people to use them.”