Town council wants to run its own car parks

The proposal was put forward by town and district councillor Richard Crumly (Con, That-cham Central), after the town council voiced its anger over the charges introduced at the Burdwood Centre and Gilbert Court car parks by West Berkshire Council.
He approached the district council to discuss the possibility, and it agreed to hand over the responsibility of the town centre car parks.
Mr Crumly said: “I’m very much in favour of free parking so opposed charges where there had previously been none.”
He added that if the town council took over the sites, it could abolish the fees introduced last year.
However, the town council said that a deal could be done if the offer was for all car parks in the town, but not for just the two in question, which would cost money to maintain.
Town and district councillor Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said that he did not want the town council to be given the car parks which were the least lucrative ones only, adding that the railway station and the Kingsland Centre car parks brought in more revenue.
He added: “When I heard this from councillor Crumly, I thought [West Berkshire Council] saw us coming.
“If West Berkshire came to us and said take over all the car parks in the Thatcham area, we might have something.”
Town councillor Owen Jeffery (Lib Dem, Thatcham South and Crookham) said that it was ludicrous that the town council should take on the two least financially-viable car parks while the Kingsland Centre and the station would continue making money with no control by the town council.
The town council will now write to the district council suggesting that they discuss taking over all the car parks in the town.
Mr Brooks added: “We need to see some numbers. I think we are quite capable of managing this.”