Parking fines and weddings will go up in price as part of a raft of increases by Moray Council to generate extra cash.
The bankruptcy-threatened authority is currently considering cuts of more than £6million to balance the books for next year.
Yesterday, a raft of increases to charges were approved by councillors in an attempt to generate as much extra income as possible.
Transport bosses initially proposed adding only an extra £2 to the fines imposed on motorists flaunting restrictions in council car parks, on top of rises to pay-and-display fees which have already been approved.
However Graham Leadbitter, co-leader of the authority’s SNP group, pushed for the penalties to rise from £65 to £80, and from £40 to £45 if they are paid within two weeks.
He said: “The vast majority of people pay for their parking when required to but those that don’t shouldn’t be surprised to get a ticket.
“While I disagreed with the increases to parking charges that were pushed through by the council administration, it makes sense to increase the fines by the same proportion.
“The bottom line though is that if people pay for their parking then they won’t be stung with a fine.”
Increases to parking charges in Elgin, which have already been approved by councillors, are expected to net the authority an extra £79,000.
New prices agreed at yesterday’s policy and resources committee, including a collection charge for white goods, increasing the cost of booking the marriage room and introducing a cost for temporary road closures could raise nearly £30,000.
The proposals also included higher charges to book school rooms, community centres and equipment hire in line with a 3% rise in inflation.
A separate review of sport and leisure charges will be done to increase income from the service by 10% to generate an extra £132,000.
Council leader George Alexander told yesterday’s meeting he had been hit with a parking fine in Elgin once – and had never risked having to pay out again since.
However, the Forres councillor feared hitting motorists with a “double whammy” of increased parking fees and fines.
He added: “Against a challenging financial backdrop, it makes sound business sense to try, where appropriate, to cover the entire cost of providing council services.
“A great deal of work has gone into identifying which services can be charged at a higher level.
“We have benchmarked our fees against those of other local authorities and recognised where we shouldn’t be levying an extra charge.”
The price changes will come into effect on April 1.
Price increases that will come into effect on April 1:
Sale of burial lair – £697 (up £20)
Interment charge for over 16s – £861 (up £25)
Elgin Town Hall hire, for voluntary group – £398 (up £12)
Marriage room, more than 10 guests – £153 (up £8)
Saturday surcharge for weddings – £178 (up £8)
School meeting room – £12 (up 50p per hour)
