Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Things aren't looking good for the Conservatives 2011/12 budget.

Wiltshire Council is being punished as a result of its miscalculations over the increase in car parking charges.

A report to next week's Cabinet reveals that there is a £1,650,000 shortfall for car parking on the latest budget estimates.

The biggest overspends are on adult care services (£1m) and car parking (£1.65m). The former is due to increased expenditure whilst the latter is reduced income compared with the original budget.

WC officers have admitted that their assumption that doubling car parking charges would automatically double income was wrong. They, and the Conservative cabinet, must have been the only people not to see the flaw in this presumption!

Other significant overspends include highways(£810k), leisure (£265k), and the council's 'transformation' process (£350k).

Reserves are likely to be reduced from £14m to £11.5m. If this use of reserves were to continue, WC will have no reserves by 2017.