A councillor was applauded when he asked if Cheshire East would also be selling off its loss-making £11 million multi-storey car park in Crewe, when it is disposing of surplus assets to help its finances.

Cllr Reg Kain (Alsager, Lib Dem), was speaking at full council after the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed the problem-plagued car park has cost Cheshire East around £87,000 to operate and brought in just £17,244 in parking income in its first six months.

Cllr Kain, who voted against the budget put forward by the Labour/Independent administration last week, said: "If we are selling off assets, will we be selling off the £11 million car park in Crewe? It is losing £67,000 this year."

Crewe's problem-plagued multi-storey car park has cost Cheshire East around £87,000 to operate and brought in just £17,244 in parking income in its first six months (LDRS).

"A simple question. If we are going to sell assets, shouldn't we be selling the loss-making ones as well as the surplus ones?"

The council's parking policy also came under fire from fellow Alsager councillor Rod Fletcher (Lib Dem) – this time over the cost of introducing charges in previously 'free' towns and villages.

Cllr Fletcher said: "The very small Well Lane car park in Alsager was provided to enable local householders with no drives to park off the road.

"It has cost £8,821 to line, improve the surface, plus the payment machine and also associated costs, etc."

He said on March 2 the charges for the car park would have been in place for three months, so he wanted to know, as soon as possible after that date, how much income the council had received from that 18-space car park in those three months.

Apart from applause and calls of 'hear' hear' from the opposition benches, there was no response to Cllr Kain's comment about the Crewe car park.

Crewe's £11m multi-storey car park is closed on Sundays (Ryan Parker).

But highways and transport committee chair Mark Goldsmith (Wilmslow, Independent), did promise Cllr Fletcher he would be supplied with the information he had requested on the Well Lane parking income.

Cllr Goldsmith added: "I don't think it will change the overall policy that we have made very clear that our car parks are no longer free any more. We expect people to pay to use them."

READ MORE: Contractor responsible for 'woeful' A500 repairs to stump up damage claims.

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