ROCKETING car park charges have been defended as still “reasonable and cheap” by the council leader.

Slough Borough Council is raising fees at its car parks as well as parking permits by 10 per cent in order to absorb the inflation pressures.

For example, the £5 parking charge at the 448-spaced Herschel car park for up to five hours could go up by an additional 50p.

The council, which effectively declared bankruptcy in 2021 and needs to find about £20m annual savings for this decade, is also proposing to increase parking permit charges above 10 per cent to net an additional £48,000 income.

According to the 2023/24 proposed fees and charges report, the current £45 first parking permit will cost £75, a £90 second permit could increase to £125, and the £135 third permit could increase by 85 per cent (£250).

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Despite this increase, council leader James Swindlehurst (Lab: Cippenham Green) defended the hike by saying the borough’s car parks are still “reasonably priced” compared with neighbouring local authorities.

Speaking at an overview and scrutiny meeting on Tuesday, February 7, he said all-day parking at Hounslow is about £15 and the Datchet car park in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead charges about £8.50.

He said: “You will go to any other multi-storey car park; you will see our car parking fees are still cheap and reasonable.

“If you look at any other boroughs round about charge for resident parking permits, we are still a reasonably priced authority for that compared to what other people pay, and I do think sometimes the noticing that we’re putting a charge up actually erodes the point that we’re still a reasonably priced authority for most things.

“I would make that point and defend it quite happily to all colours.”

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Cllr Wayne Strutton (Con: Haymill & Lynch Hill) raised concerns if the fees and charges were “correct” as the council is giving away up to £40 of its electricity to electric vehicle owners when their charge their vehicles at the Herschel car park, he claimed.

“That is obviously not charging the amount of money for the facility and use, and I have to have concerns because of that,” he said.

However, the council leader said this was a “red herring” as this initiative was promoting electric vehicles as a better form of transport than petrol and diesel vehicles.

Cllr Rob Anderson (Lab: Britwell & Northborough), lead member for financial oversight, the charge will be “revised” and could be changed.