This is in addition to the £4 million spent by NCP to modernise and repair the failing multi-storey car parks after years of neglect by Conservative councils.

Unfortunately, restrictions on capital spending by central government at the time prevented the council taking this option.

It is so easy to be wise with hindsight, but not easy to forecast the credit crunch and recession looming, but it would be so easy for the current Conservative council to use some of this generous income(courtesy of the Lib Dems) and do a deal with NCP to lower prices, but when they and the Town Centre Initiative are continually criticising NCP and high car park prices it is not surprising they are not successful.

We are accused of making an error in the contract, but no company would enter a contract to spend £4 million of their own capital and then allow others to dictate charges.

I think Bryan Turner is just playing politics with the issue.

That is why he made no mention of the income being received by the current Conservative council.

Perhaps he could explain how essential this income is to the environmental services budget and next year use some of it to reduce car park charges and work with NCP to the benefit of residents and businesses.

Peter Green
(Liberal Democrat)
cabinet member for
environmental services
at the time of negotiating NCP contract

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