PROPOSALs to be debated this week will see borough residents charged for parking permits to park outside their own homes.

And the cost of parking in metered zones and in council car parks will rise.

An extraordinary meeting of Thurrock Council's planning, transport and regeneration overview and scrutiny committee will hear a report suggesting the introduction of new fees and rises on 1 April.

Though the cash-strapped council is putting the blame partly on the increase in interest rates, the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the local economy and and the continued implications from Covid-19 the significant pressure for change comes from the fact the council is hundreds of millions of pounds in debt due to the Conservative authority's failed 'borrow to invest' policy.

The council says: "The strategic ambition for Thurrock is to adopt a policy on fees and charges that ensures that all discretionary services will full cost recover wherever possible."

It is proposed to introduce a fee of £10 payable by residents for their first resident permit and £20 for a second permit. A third permit will increase by £5 from £75 to £80 (6.5%) for 2023/24.

Each household will still be gifted with 100 hours of free visitor parking though a small charge will be introduced for individual additional visitor permits.

On street pay and display car park charges will rise by varying degrees, in some instances as much as 42 per cent.

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Some long stay car park charges will increase and changes will be made to introduce long stay charges on current short stay zones, for example Thames Road in Grays.

Other charges, such of the cost of planning applications, will also be increased.

The full report to Thursday' (24 January) meeting can be found via this link.