WAVERLEY is on course to agree a £5 increase for band D taxpayers to plug a £1.5 million hole in the budget for 2017/18.

Despite an outcry about proposals to increase car parking charges for season-ticket holders and in town centre car parks, members of Waverley’s executive agreed at Tuesday’s meeting to recommend a charge of £1 (now 90p) for an hour at Haslemere’s High Street car park and 80p (now 60p) at Chestnut Avenue car park.

Making a last-ditch appeal before Waverley rubber stamps the proposals on February 21, borough councillor David Round said he disagreed with “raiding car parks” to plug the budget deficit and urged the borough to implement an alternative proposal that would raise “pretty much the same revenue” put forward by Haslemere Town Council.

Waverley leader Julia Potts, who chaired the meeting, said the town council’s proposal was being looked at, but the “figures didn’t appear to be correct”.

Farnham Residents councillor Jerry Hyman said: “I have no problems with a small increase, but a 10 per cent increase in central car parks does concern me.

“For workers that can be quite important. I don’t like to push them out to more distant car parks.”

Miss Potts responded: “It’s important to realise it’s not just about raising income but it’s incumbent on us as a local authority to use the assets we have to maximise and generate revenue.

“We tried to look at usage and how it affects motorists at peak times.

“In Haslemere, one of the frustrating things for people is driving round and not being able to find a space.”

Presenting the budget, Ged Hall who is also a Haslemere town councillor, said: “We either raise revenues or cut front-line services. There’s no free lunch.

“I know people feel uncomfortable about parking so we have reduced not only the magnitude of the increase, but also the number of car parks affected.”

The meeting agreed to a recommendation that the executive rather than full council should be allowed to authorise sums of up to £100,000 to finance the borough’s new economic strategy of investing in “income generating” property to help balance the books.

Mr Hyman asked if it made sound economic sense to borrow in order to invest and wanted to know if delegating more powers to the executive could weaken Waverley’s required “checks and balances”.

Members were advised the idea was to release funds to invest more quickly in order to capiltalise on beneficial loan offers and investment opportunities.