Further increases to council tax and rises to car parking charges could be put forward in a bid to balance the books at Lichfield District Council.
A draft survey has been drawn up ahead of a public consultation on the future of services across Lichfield and Burntwood.
But as well as helping decide the future of services the council does not have to provide, the draft questionnaire – set to be discussed at a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday (April 1) – has outlined a number of ideas to boost the coffers as part of the Fit for the Future programme.
These include:
- Charging £30 a year for brown bins to raise £790,000.
- Charging for evening parking in Lichfield city centre to raise £36,000.
- Charging for council car parks in Chasetown to raise £10,000.
- Charging for disabled car parking to raise £40,000.
- Increasing council tax by between £2 and £5 per year to raise £70,000.Charging more for activities such as swimming and badminton to raise £30,000.
- Charging for events such as Lichfield Proms in Beacon Park to raise £5,000.
Twenty proposals to save money will also be put forward if the survey is approved, inlcuding a reduction of the money given to the Lichfield Garrick, axing the driver of the chairman’s car and axing the grants scheme.
Other proposals could see less street cleaning, the closure of public toilets, reducing CCTV and handing leisure centres in Lichfield back to schools.
A report by Cllr Martyn Tittley said the working group behind the consultation hoped it would be launched in May.
He said: “After a broad discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches to engagement and consultation, the Working Group has focused its discussion on designing a questionnaire survey which would be administered using various methodologies.”
What do you think of the ideas to save and raise money? Tell us in the comments below…
