Committee to discuss proposals around car park charges

Date published: 9th October 2024

Members are to consider increasing charges from April 1, 2025 in 30 car parks the Council owns and/or manages across North Norfolk where charges apply.

This review is part of the Council’s ongoing efforts to responsibly manage costs and increase revenues to address a projected £1.8 million shortfall in the 2025-26 budget. The options, presented by officers, include potential increases to both the hourly parking rates and the cost of season tickets.

Current hourly parking charges have been frozen since July 2022 and season ticket prices have remained unchanged since 2016, despite the rising cost of maintaining facilities and significant increases to annual national inflation rates during the intervening years.

Now officers have laid out several options for new car park charges and detailed the additional revenues these would generate for the Council – including possible increases to the casual hourly rate of 10p, 20p or 30p and a possible increase to season ticket prices.

Officers have included their recommendations for members’ consideration which, if approved, could generate an extra £500,000 to £600,000 annually for the Council helping to offset the financial pressures faced by the Council.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which includes representatives from all political groups, will evaluate these options on Wednesday, October 16, providing recommendations for Cabinet to consider before a final decision is made at their next meeting, Monday, November 4.

You can read the paper to be considered at next week’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in the agenda published on the Council’s website here.

Finances, Assets and Property Services Portfolio Holder, Cllr Lucy Shires, commented:

“North Norfolk’s car parks play a crucial role in supporting tourism and local businesses, ensuring easy access for residents and visitors to our popular towns and coastal areas. We are proud to have kept parking charges frozen for several years, making them some of the most competitive in the region. However, given the financial challenges we face—driven by rising inflation, energy costs, and the growing demand for essential services like temporary accommodation—we must now consider modest adjustments to help sustain these services.

"Maintaining and operating car parks comes with significant costs, but they also provide a vital service for residents, visitors, and local businesses. They contribute meaningfully to the Council's overall revenue, which is essential for funding public services. These factors will be thoroughly evaluated by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee before any recommendations are made to Cabinet for a final decision.

“Any changes will be carefully considered with a focus on balancing revenue generation with affordability and ensuring our car parks continue to provide good value for residents and visitors alike.”