DRIVERS have been warned to expect a rise in parking charges.

Kirklees Council leader Robert Light said a £2.6m black hole in the budget may force his Conservative administration to put up fees - or bring in Sunday charges.

He said: "This was a bombshell discovery."

And the councillor blamed the previous administration for the shortfall.

"We found out last month that the Lib Dems had left us this black hole," he said.

Clr Light said new car parking charges would be decided at next month's Cabinet meeting - but that drivers should expect bad news.

He said: "We're looking at increasing the rate or bringing in Sunday charges.

"We will try to lessen the impact but we have to balance the books and there is a lot of ground to make up."

But senior Lib Dem councillor John Smithson denied his party had left a funding gap.

He said: "There's no black hole, there just isn't.

"In June we announced a £9m surplus in the overall budget.

"If there had been any shortfall in the parking budget then we would have filled it at that stage."

And the Almondbury councillor believes that Sunday charges will only have a limited impact.

He said: "If Sunday charges are necessary then they should be at a lower rate than weekdays but I don't see them as a major income producer."