OVERNIGHT charges for BCP Council-owned car parks are being considered by the authority as it tries to improve its financial position.

Chief executive, Graham Farrant, has confirmed that the idea is one of many cash-generating proposals being considered, but says the council is far from making a decision.

The suggestion has led to councillor Jackie Edwards saying that the move would be a major blow to many town centre flat owners who have no private parking and have no alternative other than to use public car parks., or park on streets where there is no parking limits.

She said that if a change is being considered the council’s overall parking policy would have to be debated first.

Mr Farrant said that although the overnight charging is being looked at the council is also investigating if it could further harmonise parking fees as a first step to getting more income from parking.

“We would need to look at all the implications if we were to introduce something like that (overnight fees)” said Mr Farrant.

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In recent years Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has had a policy that new flats, in many circumstances, can be built with no associated car parking spaces. Officers have argued that for most people a public car park, whether private or council-owned, would not be too far from their homes and many areas also have on-street parking available.

The council has also been trying to reduce car ownership in its town centres in response to growing concerns about congestion on local roads, encouraging people to walk, cycle, or use public transport where they can.

Finance officers say that the council is currently facing £55million of unexpected inflationary pressures largely relating to cost of living, fuel and commodity increases.

Deputy leader Cllr Philip Broadhead, said at a recent meeting, that although it hopes to balance the books at the end of the financial year, possibly with a small surplus, it is still anticipating a £14million deficit in the medium-term and will also need to achieve on-going savings of around £50million a year from continuing to streamline services.