Village considers car park takeover

Audlem Parish Council may take over the running of the main village car park.

Councillors are already considering plans to adopt the playing fields, tennis courts and children's play area in the centre of the village.

Now they will consider whether to run the village car park as well, following talks with Cheshire East Council.

Parish councillor Mike Hill was questioned at Monday night's Parish Council meeting over the addition of the car park to the scheme without prior notice.

Councillor Geoff Seddon said: "It has never been mentioned here that the car park may be taken over by us. The Parish Council was not aware of this. This is the first we have heard of it."

Details of car park running costs had been included in documents handed to councillors at the meeting detailing the financial implications of taking over the playing fields, tennis courts and play area.

But Mike Hill told councillors that the car park costs had been included for information only. He added: "I asked Cheshire East to include the car park as well so we can look at the figures."

And he insisted the possibility of a car park takeover had been mentioned in previous council meetings and so was a matter of public record.

Councillor John Langston agreed. "It has been discussed at previous meetings and it will be in the minutes," he added.

Councillors gave the go-ahead to a working party looking into the pros and cons of running the village facilities, including the car park.

The takeover plan was triggered when goal posts went missing from the village playing fields last year. Cheshire East warned that replacement would add to maintenance costs and suggested transferring ownership of the playing field to the Parish Council.

Village ownership would protect against any future sell-off of the playing fields but parish councillors are concerned at the costs of upkeep and how much it might add to the local council tax bills.

The Parish Council is currently exploring possible ownership of the freehold of the tennis courts, which could generate annual income and also a takeover the children's playground as well as the playing fields.

Ownership of the village car park will also be considered by the working group who will report back to the Parish Council in due course.

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