COUNCIL tax payers in Southend look set to be asked for 4.95 per cent more to save vital services in the borough.

Car parking costs are also likely to rise by an average of 7 per cent across the town to help balance the books, if the budget proposals are accepted by councillors.

The council tax rise would mean an average band D property would pay £1,229 - about £60 more than the current £1,171, but still among the lowest charges in the country.

In Leigh, band D council tax payers would be asked to a total of £1,249 to include the town council's precept, which is rising by 5.9 per cent.

Southend Council leader Nigel Holdcroft said the extra money would enable it to retain all its services without cutting jobs.

Bringing in new senior staff, cutting some bureaucracy and a cheaper waste collection contract were all helping produce £6million in savings.

Mr Holdcroft said: "We've had a somewhat tumultuous time over recent years, trying to reach a balanced budget and have had to make a lot of difficult decisions.

"This budget has also been challenging for us, but I think it's fair to say we have now seen the light at the end of the tunnel, partly because of difficult decisions in previous years."

All the town's car parks - starting with the one in Tylers Avenue - may be converted to a new, pay-on-exit system.

Environment director Andy Lewis said parking costs would still compare favourably to seaside towns such as Brighton and Bournemouth.

He added: "What we have tried to do, in terms of the charges, is maintain a reasonable tariff for visitors to the seafront. We clearly recognise they come, both residents and tourists, and do a lot of business down there.

"Businesses say how important it is to them for the vitality of their businesses.

"We have looked at the economic vitality of the town centre and seafront and we won't be putting in charges that have the risk of compromising that."

Mr Holdcroft said pay-on-exit machines would also be seen as fairer by many drivers. He explained: "A major criticism is people coming to the town centre don't know how long to stay and cut short their visit because they know their time is about to run out. Research shows pay-on-exit increases the time people stay in town."

Parks rangers to make a comeback

WARDENS are to be reinstated in parks across Southend to reduce the fear of crime and antisocial behaviour.

Southend Council has earmarked £100,000 to employ three uniformed wardens to lock park gates at night and help people feel safer.

The posts were removed last year as part of cuts in the council's budget and some park gates have been left open ever since.

Many residents complained about antisocial behaviour since the wardens' removal, with Priory Park suffering frequent graffiti and vandalism of its famous walled garden. In one instance, two police community support officers were locked in a burning toilet block by youths.

The council made a saving of £19,000 when they removed the wardens, but they will cost much more to replace because they will have extra roles.

Chief executive Rob Tinlin said there was no evidence of increased crime in parks, but both residents and police had asked for them to be reinstated.

He said: "People were saying there aren't any park wardens and what happens if I fall over and I'm elderly?

"There's a fear sometimes when you get into dusk, and the whole thing about monitoring what's going on in the parks."

Council leader Nigel Holdcroft said since the wardens had been removed there had also been a problem with people using facilities without paying, particularly at Belfairs golf course.

He said: "Why should people use a facility and not pay?

"That money should be going into the pot to improve the course or enable us to spend on other things."

Graham Longley, leader of the Liberal Democrats, welcomed the news, but said park wardens should never have been removed in the first place.

He said: "It's ridiculous they make these silly cuts and then they correct them by spending a lot more money. I suppose they'll say park wardens will do more and the public will get better value for money.

"But maybe if they hadn't made the cuts in the first place, they wouldn't have to do it this way."

Resident Rita Able, 56, of Byfield, Eastwood, said park wardens were a good thing because they had always kept the place safe in the past.

She said: "There should be park wardens and teenagers should be made aware they are about.

"When we were young, you had park wardens and we were wary of them. They also help police to cut crime."

A further £400,000 will be spent on improving park toilets over the next four years to bring them up to standard.

£500,000 for Southend Pier

SOUTHEND Pier could be in line for a £500,000 investment to help attract private business, says Southend Council leader Nigel Holdcroft.

The money would go to improve the infrastructure of the pier, including a new sprinkler system and a substation to ensure a constant power supply.

Mr Holdcroft said the money could be spent to make the pier more attractive to private investors. He also confirmed the council had not ruled out handing the running of the pier as a whole to a private firm on a long-term lease.

Mr Holdcroft explained: "It is such an iconic structure it is of paramount importance we get the right person and the right use. The work, which was recommended by experts following the last fire, will improve the basic structure."

The last pier fire in October 2005 destroyed Fran McGinty's bar at the pierhead. After hearing the latest news, Mr McGinty said he would not be tempted to return, adding: "The problem is the council sees the pier as the jewel in its crown, but it's a liability. To really get people interested, the council needs to butt out."

Toilets open longer

TOILETS along Southend seafront will be open for longer this summer, because the borough council has earmarked £50,000 to solve ongoing problems with them.

As part of its budget proposals, the council is offering cash incentives to seafront firms who offer the public use of their loos.

The move follows constant complaints from residents and visitors.

Following the closure of public toilets along the seafront, the council came to an agreement with Ocean Beach Bar, in Eastern Esplanade, to allow members of the public to use their facilities.

However, beach users complained the private toilets were often not open when they needed them the most - times when cafes were closed.

The council will now use the extra money to negotiate with private companies to keep the toilets open longer.

They will also require any business taking over the old public toilet block in the Leas, Westcliff, to make toilets available for the public to use.

The availability of seafront loos has been a problem for beach-users and walkers for several years.

The only toilets available to the public between Southend and Leigh are at Adventure Island and by Chalkwell Beach.