Parking charges could be introduced in Buckie and Keith
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Car parking charges could be on the horizon for other towns in Moray.
At the moment Elgin is the only place where the council imposes fees.
However, Rhona Gunn, the council's deputy chief executive, told members of the economic development committee earlier today that it was being considered.
The issue came up during a lengthy debate on problem parking in Elgin town centre.
Mrs Gunn told the meeting that an upcoming public consultation was likely to include charging for parking in other towns.
She added that this needed to be looked at in the context of the local authority having to make £20 million of savings over the next two years.
Mrs Gunn warned members there were "no good options left" to plug the gap, only the "least intolerable" ones.
She said: "I would say at this stage it’s likely we’ll be asking for perspectives for an option to introduce car parking charges beyond Elgin.
"It’s certainly something that is very much on officers’ horizons and it has been raised repeatedly in the chamber.
"So it seems it is a matter we should be seeking the views of our communities on."
In regards to Elgin's parking problems, councillor John Divers (Elgin South, Labour) highlighted recent figures that showed only 51% of the town's car park spaces were used.
Arguing against increasing parking charges in Elgin, he said: "We’re killing the town centre."
Council officer Nicola Moss, whose remit incldues parking, told the meeting that a decriminalised parking plan – where a local authority takes charge of enforcing illegal parking – would cost £380,000 and would not be financially viable.
Amber Dunbar (Elgin North, Conservative) gained unanimous support for scrapping the recommendation to double fees from £1 to £2/day on 'low turnover car parks' including Lossie Green and Lossie Wynd.
She said: "This will drive even more people to park problematiclly or illegally on the streets.
"We want to be encouraging people, particularly those who work in the town centre, to use these car parks more."
The increase would have taken in an estimated £250,000 a year for the council.
Members agreed to get rid of both the 50p parking rate for 30 minutes and the £1.50 charge for up to an hour.
These will be replaced with a £1 fee for up to 60 minutes.
Councillors also agreed for a review of disabled parking as well as provision for parent and child bays.
In addition, the committee's chairman, Marc Macrae (Fochabers/Lhanbryde, Conservative) will write to the UK government calling for an increase in fines for illegal parking.
