THE cost of garden waste collection, Commandery weddings, allotment hire and littering fines all look set to rise - after the city council announced a host of increases to its charges.

Worcester City Council has set out what it would charge for the majority of its services ahead of next year’s budget and the plans are to be discussed by councillors next week.

If the plans are approved, admission to The Commandery would rise from £5.95 to £7 per visit.

Annual family passes for city residents to the popular attraction in Sidbury would also be introduced at a cost of £12 a year. Tickets for groups of ten would also rise to £7.

The cost of collecting garden waste would rise by 2.6 per cent to £59 a year.

The charge is the second highest in the area behind £70 for collections in Malvern Hills but ahead of the £47 fee in Wychavon.

The cost of a wedding at The Commandery would also rise by ten per cent to £2,200 for an afternoon and evening’s hire of the Great Hall. The council said the increases were to keep costs in line with inflation.

Room hire for weddings at the Guildhall would also increase in line with inflation.

Weddings in January and February would enjoy a 20 per cent discount to encourage couples to tie the knot at quieter times of the year.

Those wishing to hire Worcester City Museum and Art Gallery for the evening will see a ten per cent price increase across the board with the cost of hiring on a commercial basis jumping to £330 per evening.

The city council’s car parking charges would all freeze next year.

The council has said it would also keep the fee for animal licence renewal, premises licences and gaming and entertainment licenses at the same level as it did last year.

The fee for removing bulky waste and sales of the electoral register would also freeze.

A fine for littering in the city would rise to £100 from £75 as per the government’s recommendation. The maximum a council can fine a person for littering is £150.

Green-fingered residents would be paying five per cent more for most allotment plots next year. Charges for archaeological services such as evaluations and excavations would all rise by ten per cent.

For the fees and charges changes to be put in place, the city council’s income generation subcommittee must first agree to the alterations at a meeting next Tuesday (January 15).

The proposal is then passed to the council’s policy and resources committee which also needs to agree to any changes and a final decision would then be made at a full meeting of the city council on February 19.