FEES and charges for a wide range of services are set to rise in April as part of Vale of Glamorgan council’s latest budget plan.

Horse riding, docking boats and dedicated benches will all become more expensive if the council’s budget proposals are voted through on Thursday, March 3.

Elsewhere, the budget involves raising council tax by 2.9 per cent and investing millions in local public services.

Most of the council’s income comes from Welsh Government grants and council tax, but a large amount also comes from charging fees for certain services across the city.

Some fees are increasing, based on a review of costs and market conditions. Here’s a list of all the key fees and charges set to rise at the start of the next financial year in April.

Dedicated benches will increase from £512 to £527.40, and dedication trees will increase from £320 to £340.

Beach hut booking fees will increase. During summer renting a large beach hut for a full day will go from £32.50 to £33.50, and for a half day from £16.50 to £17; while a small beach hut will increase from £19 to £19.60 for a full day and £11.50 to £11.90 for a half day. Annual passes for large huts will go from £760 to £782.80, and small huts from £560 to £576.80.

Two excursion boats which stop at Penarth will have to pay much more to dock at Penarth Pier. The Waverly is an old paddle steamer, while the Balmoral is a pleasure steamer. Both boats currently pay £20.50 in docking charges, but this will increase to £53 on weekdays, £67 on Saturdays and £80 on Sundays.

At Cosmeston Lakes, launching boats, riding horses, and orienteering will increase in price. Tours around the Mediaeval Village will also increase slightly in price. Horse riding and orienteering will also increase in price at Porthkerry Country Park. The price of getting married at all three venues remains the same at £1,000.

Last year the Vale council controversially brought in new charges for cafes and restaurants to have outdoor tables and chairs. Their aim is to limit how much space some cafes take up on the pavement, “decluttering” town centres across the Vale, but businesses some objected to the fees. These fees, for ‘public furniture’, will not increase in April.

Charges for bowling greens are no longer set by the council, as these were transferred over to bowling green clubs.

Details of all the planned increases were revealed in a cabinet report. The council’s cabinet will meet on Monday, February 28, to sign off the budget proposals before they go to the full council for approval on March 7.

The cabinet report said: “As public funding becomes increasingly constrained and under more intense scrutiny, greater emphasis has to be placed upon self-generated income and developing and presenting products and services that will resonate with paying customers.

“As revenue budgets have reduced in recent years, income from fees and charges becomes ever more important as a way of sustaining priority services.”