COUNCIL staff who drive to work could be asked to pay £1 a day to park.

Braintree Council employees park for free at two sites in Braintree - Causeway House in Lakes Road and the upper floors of George Yard car park.

The authority is consulting on plans to charge £1 a day or pro rata depending on length of stay.

Disabled parking will remain free.

Graham Butland, council leader, said: “Business people and people working in the centre of Braintree are absolutely amazed they have to pay for parking for their work and people at the council do not.”

He said the potential changes, along with overtime limits, reduced mileage allowances and increased employee contributions for lease cars, would save jobs.

The GMB and Unison staff unions and most of the staff who responded to a consultation were opposed parking charges.

There were mixed views on the other proposals, which come at a time of pay freezes and pension changes.

Phil Barlow, councillor, said: “People don’t just have an employment contract they have a psychological contract with their employer.

“There are certain things I am sure Mr Butland has said they will be prepared to live with to make some savings to protect some jobs.

“But there is a line and it varies from person to person. Once you cross that you start to have an effect on morale.”

Malcolm Fincken, councillor, said: “All the proposals mean our staff will have less to spend in local shops and businesses, which would lead to more closures and bankruptcies.

“We would be contributing in our own small way to a continuing downward spiral.”

James Abbott, councillor, said: “We find the proposal to charge staff to park at their own office incomprehensible.”

The full council voted in favour of the overtime, mileage allowance and lease car changes.

No decision has been yet on the parking charges.