CHANGES being made to the size of coins by the Treasury have cost Derby City Council more than £25,000.

From January, five pence and 10 pence coins are to be made with steel instead of copper, making them 11% thicker.

It means the city's old parking machines would not accept them.

Estimates suggest the Treasury will save £176 million by using the cheaper metal to make the coins, which has driven the change.

The Local Government Association has called on the Treasury to step in and help councils foot the bill. It estimates across the country it will cost authorities £5.5 million to make the changes.

Derby City Council has already had to shell out for changes to their parking meters and other coin machines ready for the changes.

It spent £24,576 for the software upgrade and coin selectors for the Parkeon machines which are used for the pay and display.

The Pay on Foot machines cost a further £1,054 to upgrade.

A separate make of machine, supplied by Metric, cost an additional £210.