THE future of two more park-and-ride sites will remain under review because the council is unsure if there is enough money to pay for them.

According to a review of the medium-term financial strategy, council coffers are likely to be £0.5m in the red next year, if current spending plans are followed.

The cabinet heard on Wednesday last week that some ambitions might have to be curtailed, including the provision of two further park-and-ride sites, at London Road and Petersfinger.

Councillors were also told that some low-priority services and grants might have to be withdrawn, or charges for services introduced or increased to plug the gap.

Although no decisions have yet been taken, portfolio holders might have to tighten their belts and reassess plans such as the extra park-and-ride sites. Environment and transport portfolio holder Dennis Brown said: "We always knew it was ambitious - in fact, we were criticised for being over-ambitious, because it would effectively mean building five park-and-ride sites in four years.

"I don't think we shall be able to build two more park-and-rides in the current transport plan, which still has 18 months to run, because the cost of operating the buses is very high.

"Also, we can't build a park-and-ride at Petersfinger until something is done about the A36 Southampton Road.

"However, we are now looking at the 2006-11 transport plan. The sites are under review - they are not dead in the water and remain part of our plans."

But council leader Kevin Wren said that, if council tax increases were to stay low, the council would have to look at ways of saving money.

"We are in the top 25 per cent of councils for having low council tax levels and we are determined to keep it that way," he said.

"But every year, the challenge of maintaining a high-level service with a low council tax becomes increasingly difficult.

"At this stage of the year, when we look at next year's budget, I have asked our officers to take a detailed look at our services.

"They will be examining whether there are any areas where we can save money and where we can best utilise our existing assets."