Residents and patients could face new charges for parking when attending doctors appointments, with the council considering proposals.

Maldon Council is looking into new parking charges for Foundry Lane Car Park, Millfields Car Park and Riverside Park Car Park in Burnham. The plans were discussed at the strategy and resources committee on Thursday November 21 and the plans if agreed could apply to residents visiting Burnham Surgery in Foundry Lane.

Residents and independent councillors have raised concerns about the plans and are worried about the impact on residents in the town and those seeing their doctors. Council bosses say plans were sent back to the drawing board and will go back to a committee meeting in the new year.

Adrian Fluker, Independent councillor for Southminster, claims most residents are unaware but some have raised concerns with him about it. He said: "I was staggered to see parking charges for Burnham on Crouch included in the schedule of proposed fees and charges as there has been no formal consultation with Members and more importantly the public. 

"The proposals will apply to Burnham Surgery Car park so basically if you go there for an appointment you will have to pay Maldon Council for the privilege of parking your car outside.

"Despite me asking, the council couldn't confirm the costs of maintaining the car parks and without that information it looks to me that all the council is doing is introducing new charges to reduce its financial deficit rather than considering the big picture of making efficiency savings and thereafter reducing council tax"   

 Richard Siddall, Independent leader of Maldon Council, said: "Councillors and officers work together to look at any new proposals for the annual review of fees and charges and at the meeting of the strategy and resources committee on November 21, councillors discussed this report.

"The report included proposals that had come through two councillor and officer working groups, to introduce car park charges in Burnham, so that the cost of maintaining all of our car parks is fair and consistent and funded by all car park users and not just those who park in Maldon.

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"However, the strategy and resources committee, did not agree with the inclusion of these new charges in Burnham and have asked for more information, which will be presented as a separate report in the new year."