THE INTRODUCTION OF the new £1 coins has cost Moray Council over £10,000 to alter several coin-operated services.
Council taxpayers are having to fork out thousands of pounds as a result of the decision by the UK Government to completely change to a different type of coin.
It was understood to be the ease of which the old coins were being forged that brought about the changes, with some estimates saying that as many as a third of those in circulation were fakes.
The change, however, could not have come at a worse time for local authorities up and down the country, already facing serious budgetary restrictions leading to service cuts.
It has been revealed that the bill for Moray is in excess of £10,000 – £4400 of that on changing parking meters to accept both the old and new coins, £5619 on cashless catering machines and £310 altering council HQ vending machines.
The old pound coins had been in circulation for over 30 years and is replaced by one that it is claimed will be almost impossible to forge.