Jobs could be cut and parking fees put up - so Maldon District Council can keep its council tax low.

The Government has told local authorities that council tax must be increased by no more than five per cent on the previous year to avoid being capped.

Maldon District Council's finance and corporate services committee has recommended members to approve its council tax base rate for a band D property of £144.45 for the next financial year, when they meet at full council on February 10.

Andrew Claydon, the district council's chief financial services officer, said the figure represented a £6.85 increase, equivalent to 4.98 per cent - just within the Government's guidelines.

If members approve the recommendation, the cost of parking in Maldon would go up by as much as 50p for a three to four-hour stay in council-owned car parks, except the one at Promenade Park.

Mr Claydon said: "We still had to make a number of changes to make the whole thing balance."

He said two support roles in legal administration and council tax benefit had been taken out of estimates to make savings, as well as a review of fees and charges.

Published Monday, January 31, 2005

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