Justification used by senior councillor for controversial parking charges at Northamptonshire country parks was wrong

A key reason that a senior councillor used to justify controversial car parking changes at West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) country parks was wrong.

Councillor Phil Larratt said WNC pays business rates for its car parks in Daventry and Brixworth, but it does not.

A plan to charge at both is set to be passed by WNC on Wednesday (February 22) as part of its budget for 2023/24.

WNC expects to raise £3.9 million from its car parks in 2023/24, down by £1.6 million than originally hoped “due to [the number of] visitors not returning to pre-Covid levels”. Other changes announced last week further cut the money it hopes to bring in by £280,000.

Cllr Larratt told BBC Radio Northampton on Friday, January 20, while discussing the proposed changes at The Racecourse and the country parks: “[These] Car parks have overheads.

“They may be free or appear to be cheap for users but don’t forget we have to pay business rates on the spaces, we have to pay a sewerage charge to the water authority for the drainage, all that sort of thing.

“They have to be maintained, they have to be monitored, some of them, by CCTV.

“There’s lighting to consider. If you don’t pay, the taxpayer is paying… We need the income.”

He had told a cabinet meeting similar on Tuesday, January 17.

Responding to a freedom of information request, WNC said while it does pay sewerage charges at all three sites, Daventry country park is the only one it pays for individually.

So far this financial year, it has paid £101.71. In 2021/22 it paid £1,869.69 and in 2020/21 it paid £294.81.

All maintenance for all of WNC’s car parks, which includes jobs including repairs, inspections and cleaning, is paid in a lump sum.

In 2020/21, because of the Covid pandemic, there was “very little usage” and “no maintenance was required”, WNC said.

It paid £106,135.17 in 2021/22 and has so far paid £61,913.50 in 2022/23.

WNC last paid charges of £6,085 for CCTV at Brixworth’s country park in 2020/21.

It has not paid anything else in the last two years at either country park.

CCTV at The Racecourse has been funded by the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Stephen Mold.

In a statement, Cllr Larratt, WNC’s cabinet member for environment, transport, highways and waste, said last week: “Fees and charges such as paying car parking, provide key income generation for the council which enables us to support and deliver vital services for our communities.

“WNC holds a collective budget for all town centre car parks, which enables us to flexibly sustain these sites for visitors, as well as a separate budget for parks and county parks, including the car parks within them.

“This contributes towards maintaining visitor facilities, building repairs, utility bills, and insurance.

“As well as for a team of parking operatives who manage the daily running of the car parks. In addition to this we pay business rates on multi-storey and surface car parks in Northampton town centre, but not on the country parks (or the car parks contained with them).”