COUNCIL bosses say car park charges could be set to rise as part of its “toughest budget yet”.

Braintree Council has released plans for its budget for 2023/24, which include a string of charges and increases which will affect the public.

Among the proposals is an increase in its share of council tax bills and car park charges, as well as the introduction of charges for garden waste collections.

There is also an increase in costs to use cemeteries and chapels for various services, and an extra charge being added for road closures for events.

Papers show a proposed hike to parking charges, but the exact amount has yet to be confirmed.

Council bosses want to axe the current 10p after 3pm parking concession, which was designed to attract more people into towns, and also switch to a cashless service.

The council says those two changes are expected to increase income by £50,000 and reduce operating costs by £10,000, as well as reducing operational risk on cash storage and handling.

The total additional income from changes to car parking set out in the proposed budget is £234,000, starting from June 1, 2023.

Regarding funerals, the use of a chapel is to go up by £60.

For burials for 18 and over, one plot is set to rise by £200, with a double plot rising by £100 or more.

The cost for burial of cremated remains is also rising, as is the charge for people to have a new bench installed.

The documents also detail the cost of a temporary road closure for an event rising by more than £200, from £226 to £450.

An increase of 2.5 per cent for 2023/24 is also proposed for the district council's share of council tax bills, which is an increase of £4.68 for the year or 9p per week for an average Band D property.

The budget also confirms a commitment to introduce a charge for garden waste collections by spring 2024 for residents who choose to use the service.

If approved, this would be over a 12-month period unlike the current service which stops during the winter months.

The draft budget will be considered by the council’s performance management scrutiny committee on February 1 and cabinet on February 6.

The final budget is to be discussed at full council on Monday, February 20.