Car parking charges and council tax could rise in the Cotswolds next year.

Cotswold District Council finance chiefs believe they could increase their revenue from car parks by £300,000 to balance their budget in 2022/23.

The council currently provides a ‘free after three’ scheme in six of its car parks across the district.

And parking is free on Sundays except in Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold and during evenings and overnight at all car parks.

The local authority is also considering increasing council tax which works out at 10p a week for the average band D properties.

Finance cabinet member Mike Evemy said the council is facing significant reductions in Government funding.

“We still need to raise more revenue if we are going to deliver the services to the standards that people expect and to tackle the key priorities that the council has outlined,” he said.

“Up until the end of June this year the Government has been sharing our loss in car parking income.

“We are now having to meet the total cost of any loss of revenue in car parking in the current financial year.

“We feel it is prudent to allow for a £250,000 shortfall next year against our pre-pandemic levels of income.”

He said the consultation be asking people if the agree with their approach for next year’s budget.

And members of the public will be asked for their views on the changes to car parking charges

“We have in the draft budget outlined a potential revenue increase of £300,000 from our car parks,” he said.

“We will be asking people what their views are in terms of when we charge in our car parks and the periods in which we don’t charge.

“We as a cabinet will consider the feedback when we meet in January.”

The final budget proposals will be debated in February.

People can take part in the budget consultation which runs until November 19 by clicking here.