Car park battle cost Oswestry £30,000
Monday 17th January 2011, 2:17PM GMT.
Oswestry Town Council had to spend £30,000 on specialist legal advice defending its main car park from developers, it was revealed today.
The council which owns almost all of the Central Car Park land was forced to take specialist legal advice after a planning application was submitted to turn the site into a superstore and cinema complex.
After months of debate Shropshire Council refused planning permission for the application.
But town clerk David Preston will tell councillors tonight that the cost of protecting the car park ran into tens of thousands of pounds.
In a report to the finance and general purposes committee, Mr Preston says the council will have to decide how to fund the sum and whether it should be put onto the council precept – the money that each town householder has to pay for the town council services.
He says: “During the past year the council faced significant legal challenge from a developer over its decision not to develop the Central Car Park for retail and associated purposes.
“The cost of protecting its position, in terms of Freedom of Information, environmental regulation and judicial review threats, has amounted to some £30,000 to date.
“This was expenditure that was not budgeted.”
In a budget report also being debated tonight councillors have been recommended to increase the precept by four per cent, to £58.90 a year for band D tax payers.
But Mr Preston is now asking councillors to consider whether the ongoing legal costs in respect of the Central Car Park should be considered as additions to the precept. If agreed this would make the yearly amount even more.
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That’s nothing compared to what the cost to town centre’s business will be, when the Town Council sponsored Smithfield plan goes ahead.
Anyway, £7million is coming from the Liberty Mercian scheme: how are they going to spend it is still a mistery. Any intention of ” consulting Oswestry citizens” as the Town Council promised? When?
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£30,000? And the rest! I suspect the Town Council can afford it.
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Is this why the cost of parking is going up on the town council owned car parks.
Surly, if its taxpayers money we should of had some say on this matter.
I wonder what other expenditure/s has be kept from the public`s eye !!!!
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Be the first and make money by inviting others to see it work.
See what work, ban all vehicles from the town, yes all, deliveries could be before 09-00 in the morning or after 16-00 hrs in the afternoon. Then run a Park and Ride system loads of parking on the outskirts of town.
Use electic delivery vans (to car parks ) for people making large purchases. We use a similar system in town and it works.
john
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