Kirklees Council proposal to charge teachers to park at schools revealed

Mar 8 2010 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TEACHERS could be forced to pay to park at their schools, according to a secret Kirklees Council document.

The paper, which has been leaked to the Examiner, includes several controversial proposals to plug a £2.6m budget hole left by the recession.

The authority has also been hit as drivers use the privately-run car parks close to Huddersfield town centre.

Now ideas up for discussion to solve the financial shortfall include charging teachers £500 a year to park at their schools.

Similar charges for staff could also be brought in at other council car parks, including the Galpharm Stadium and the Deighton Centre.

The document, which was drawn up for secret budget negotiations between councillors, also suggests increasing parking charges at short-stay shoppers’ car parks in Huddersfield from between 70p and 90p an hour to £1 an hour from September.

The move would bring in an extra £260,000 a year.

Tariffs at long-stay commuters’ car parks in Huddersfield could go up from £4 a day to £5, which would generate an extra £140,000 a year.

The document also suggests changing parking regulations around Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to bring in more cash.

There are currently 230 residents-parking bays within walking distance of the hospital. If these were switched to being pay-and-display during the day it could bring in £150,000 a year. Officers have suggested charging £1 for up to three hours’ parking and £3 for all-day parking between 9am and 6pm, seven days a week.

Kirklees is also considering bringing in charges in parts of the district where parking is currently free. Areas mentioned include: Slaithwaite, Meltham, Almondbury, Lindley, Marsh, Kirkburton, Honley, Netherton, Mirfield, Ravensthorpe, Heckmondwike, Batley, Cleckheaton and Birstall.

The document was discussed by councillors in secret in January as part of the so-called “star chamber” budget negotiations.

The paper shows that parking – including staff, CCTV and rent – will cost the council £4.17m in 2010/11.

Kirklees expects to take in £6.06m in parking charges in 2010/11 – a profit of nearly £2m. But this is £765,000 short of the amount the council wants to bring in for parking.

In the following two years the council aims to earn £6.93m – around £900,000 more than it would make if parking was left unchanged.

The document was leaked to the Examiner by a person who asked not to be named.

The source believes that, rather than putting up charges, Kirklees should accept that parking is less profitable than it was before the recession.

The source said: “The council may have to accept that car parking is not the cash cow it once was. They should accept that their profits will be hit.”