01 Feb 2024
Plans to balance the books at SADC include charging under-fives to swim in the district’s pools, and drastically reducing opening times for the Verulamium splash park.
Under proposals put forward by the council’s public realm committee, the splash park will only be open for eight weeks – six during the school summer holidays, and another week either side – down from the existing 22 weeks a year.
If you flashback to 10 years ago, the then Tory-run council looked at introducing a £1 charge for children using the splash park, prompting Lib Dem Cllr Anthony Rowlands to describe the suggestion as “barmy” and an unworkable toddlers’ tax. Yet this same charge was also considered by the current administration as a means of raising £3,500 a year.
Motorists are once again being hit in their pockets, with an increase in car parking charges and parking permit fees, including Sunday parking charges rising from £1.50 to £2.50 and means-testing for senior citizen parking permits.
Limited waiting bays in Harpenden, St Albans, London Colney and Redbourn could also be changed to charging sites following a period of consultation.
And replacing your rubbish bins, whether that be garden waste, recycling or landfill, could pick up a fee of £45, and a new food caddy £10.
SADC needs to find budget savings of £2.4m for the financial year 2024/2025, with the public realm committee proposing a £1.53m cut to its budget to help.
Their suggestions must now go to the strategic and resources committee, which not only examines its own budget, but also looks at the authority as a whole, before ratification of the budget at full council.
