RESIDENTS will have to shell out to park outside their homes in Maidstone for the first time under a sweeping reform of parking charges in the County Town.

Increases to Pay and Display, Park and Ride and a new night-time charge will also be introduced by the borough council in the summer.

The reform of charges has been approved by Cllr Malcolm Robertson (Lib Dem), the borough's cabinet member for transport and planning policy.

The council spends £110,000 a year to administer parking permits for residents. The reforms are intended to raise about £84,900 towards that cost.

Cllr Robertson said: "The time has come to recover the costs of residents' parking. This scheme has greatly expanded over the last 15 years. Profit is not our objective from this - it is just to cover the administrative costs."

The fine details of the scheme have yet to be confirmed.