Council may introduce charges for free services

And discretionary fees already being charged are set to rise above the rate of inflation, a report to the council's cabinet shows.

The council can apply discretionary fees to a range of services, such as the removal of bulky waste, access to leisure centres and the provision of personal care.

Now senior officers are to be asked to identify free services where charging can be introduced, which would come into effect in January.

The report said: "Given current budgetary pressures, there is an urgent need for heads of service to ascertain whether there are any areas in which discretionary charging is permissible but not currently applied.

"Where such opportunities exist, charging should be introduced by January 1."

The review of the authority's fees and charges policy recommends discretionary charges are increased by the rate of inflation, or Consumer Price Index, plus one per cent.

The charges would be increased annually from April 1, 2012, and the policy would be reviewed every two years.

Discretionary fees and charges were frozen along with council tax as part of the 2010/11 budget.

The council received 45m from service users in 2009/10, with the biggest source of income being from residential care provision (13m), followed by rents and leases (5.8m), and parking (3.3m).

The report estimates the proposed rises would generate an extra 500,000 a year.

Charges may not be introduced if they affect specific policy objectives, such as the use of concessionary charge for leisure facilities to promote healthy living.