Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to keep parking fees collected during Children in Need (From Dorset Echo)

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to keep parking fees collected during Children in Need

9:40am Saturday 28th November 2009 in

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Weymouth and Portland Borough Council has refused to donate parking fees gathered during the Children in Need party to the charity.

The council was recently criticised after it charged drivers attending the televised charity event at Weymouth’s Sea Life Park to stay in Lodmoor car park.

But the authority has now announced it will be keeping the money it gathered in parking fees, describing the decision as ‘unavoidable'.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s spokesman for transport and infrastructure Coun Christine James, said: “The borough council worked hard with the Sea Life Park and the BBC to help make the Children in Need event a success.

“This included giving the BBC free parking and 100 permits to hand out to those involved in fundraising, so they could park free of charge in the council car park.

“I have also been informed that a member of the car parks staff was on hand during the event, to advise patrons that we would double the length of time they paid to park, as a goodwill gesture for the charity event.

“Not only this, but council staff also worked hard to raise in the region of £700 in sponsorship money for Children in Need.”

She added: “Any revenue that was collected from car parks throughout the evening is public money, and as such is used to offset the cost of providing essential services to residents that might not run without this income.

“These include waste and recycling collections, maintaining public buildings and parks, running services such as environmental health and planning, and maintaining the beach and harbour, to name but a few.

“Charging people to use car parks is unavoidable and if we did not do this, services would be lost, or would have to be paid for by a rise in council tax.

“It is inevitable in the current financial climate that we do have to make hard choices about where we will find money.

“It is also important to make sure that the people of Weymouth and Portland are looked after during the recession, which is why we raise money for charity by organising sponsored events rather than donating public money.”

Iain Hawkins, of Merlin Entertainments Group, which owns the Sea Life parks, said he was ‘disappointed’ by the council’s decision.

He added: “We had asked the council prior to the event if we could have a free car park for the party to try to draw in as many people as possible.

“It seems there was an opportunity there to charge these vehicles and to send staff there to maintain the machines which all seems a little wrong.

“Of course the council is entitled to its view over this as I’m entitled to mine, but I know I speak for quite a few people when I say I’m disappointed by their decision.

“I think it’s a pretty poor show from the council.”