Drivers and leisure centre users will have to pay more as a local authority seeks to plug a multi-million-pound hole in its budget.

Medway Council plans to increase a range of charges, including parking, from April to balance its books for the 2025/26 financial year.

The Labour administration has ruled out making further cuts to services and has prioritised increasing revenue and finding ways to work more efficiently with artificial intelligence (AI).

The cost of parking across the Towns is to go up by 60p for both on-street and off-street parking - meaning a one to two-hour stay, for example, will cost £2.90 rather than £2.30.

Sports centre memberships will also increase, with the premier-plus monthly fee* for Cozenton Park in Rainham to rise from £55.95 to £60.40 and the family premier-plus monthly membership* will increase from £115 to £124.20.

Council tax will be hiked by the maximum amount allowed without requiring a referendum - 4.99%.

The council had asked the government for another 5% on top without having to consult the public but the request was rejected.

Officers say had it been allowed the authority would have needed no additional support from the government and its long-term financial issues would be resolved much sooner.

Council leader Cllr Vince Maple (Lab) said the budget had included difficult decisions.

He said: “These are never easy decisions for any administration. We've had to deal with a really challenging financial set of circumstances.

“In the cases of parking charges and leisure facilities, actually, from last year, we saw an increase in memberships at our brilliant facilities across Medway, including Cozenton Park, and in places like Rainham we saw an increase in car park usage.

“These are difficult choices, not ones we take lightly, but I've got a responsibility to deliver a balanced budget and to deliver the very best services that we can within a financially responsible approach.”

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA) has been advising the council since 2023 on ways to get on a strong financial footing and officers say they are following the pathway set out.

The council had believed it would require £26.2 million in exceptional financial support (EFS) from the government to make up for the shortfall in the next financial year.

However, this figure has been revised and the authority now believes it needs £18.5m.

Whether the council will receive the EFS - which means it can borrow to cover day-to-day spending - has not been confirmed, although officers say they are confident the request will be granted.

The reduction in EFS needed is partially because of increased funding from the government through grants and from progress in the plans set out by the CIPFA.

Officers say the EFS will also allow the authority to invest in long-term solutions which will make the council more efficient and save money.

These include investing in recruitment and retention to reduce reliance on expensive agency staff.

The council also intends to use AI to reduce time-consuming assessment work for social care and other services to speed up processing and administration.

It will also continue reviewing its property portfolio, to understand how buildings it owns can be better utilised or sold.

The council has requested £8.2m in EFS to cover an overspend for the current financial year which, combined with the original £14.7m it was granted in February last year and the £18.5m it has now requested, brings the running total of EFS for Medway to £41.2m.

Officers predict, if the plan set out by CIPFA is followed and they receive the EFS, the council will be on a firm financial footing by 2027/28 and will no longer need government support.

Cllr Maple added: “Within the period of our administration we will get to financial sustainability. We've got more decisions to take as we go forward.

“We're looking at this each and every month and we’re having detailed conversations each and every month.”

The draft budget will be considered by the council’s cabinet on Tuesday (February 11) before going on to the Full Council on February 27.

*Medway Council has asked us to clarify that although the premier-plus memberships are included in the council’s budget, they are not currently available to purchase - though they may be in the future.