COUNCILLORS have criticised a hike in charges for council services to generate an extra £114,000 a year as a “money-grabbing” exercise which will hit the Thameside Theatre.
A financial report outlining services, which are set to rise from October 1 under a “mid year review”, includes extra costs for planning, burials and cremations, marriages and civil ceremonies and residents parking permits.
In a bid to have “full cost recovery” and to “enable services to be delivered in the future”, the council will also introduce a rise in charges for the Thameside Theatre, including and 18.5 per cent increase in performance charges, up from £205 to £243.
Valerie Morris-Cook, chairman of the cleaner, greener, safer overview and scrutiny committee, which met on Tuesday, said the increases would hit the theatre and those who use it. She said: “If I look at some of the charges you are proposing to increase there, it’s an average of around 14 per cent but similar services charged for in the council offices have only gone up by approximately 6 to 7 per cent.
“Is that really another way of pushing the Thameside to be closed because it is very clearly in the report that this will have a dramatic effect on the footfall? It will also have a dramatic effect on schools because schools will not be able to have those higher charges.”
The cash-strapped council, which is struggling to cope with a £1.5 billion debt from ill-judged investments, is currently under the management of Essex County Council commissioners. It will introduce the increases from October 1, with more planned under another review later in the year.
Cathy Kent, Labour councillor for Grays Thurrock, said: “With the current cost of living crisis, the fact that we’ve put council tax up ten per cent and now we’re putting up fees and charges – the people haven’t got the money.
“Have we done an impact study into what’s going to happen those people or those clubs that can no longer afford pitches or to rent venues for dance shows or other shows, those young people and the skills they are going to miss, what’s going to happen to them and how are we going to help them?
Ms Kent added: “It’s not just we increase the charges and get the money in, there’s a bigger impact with this. We just seem to be thinking about money-grabbing and I’m really shocked by it. It’s not right. Our residents have been through enough.”
