By Margaret Crosby

Last updated 12:11, Thursday, 04 December 2008

COPELAND Council WON’T be offering free parking for shoppers in Whitehaven over Christmas this year. Comment on this story

The authority says it has given the money to Enterprise Whitehaven and allowed the business community to decide how it is spent.

Council leader Elaine Woodburn (Lab) said the council had talked to representatives of Whitehaven businesses and they wanted resources to put into marketing the town and events – that was what brought people into town, not free parking.

“We said, they are the professionals, let them decide.’’

But Enterprise Whitehaven, set up earlier this year with the aim of improving the town’s retail economy, says it has spent the money, £4,000, unaware that some of it might be needed to offer Christmas week parking.

Gerard Richardson, of Enterprise Whitehaven, said: “Our discussions about the marketing campaign were held with council officers, not the elected members, so I assume there has been some honest confusion over who said what over this one.

“We were not given a choice between spending money on trying a marketing campaign or spending it on offering free parking. However, if that choice had to be made, I would personally have supported the marketing campaign anyway.

“The free car parking only works if all car parks are free and I’m aware from CBC that APCOA had already indicated that they were unable to do that this year, so the exercise would have had limited impact anyway.

“To be honest, if a shopper’s final choice over whether to come to Whitehaven or Workington was based on saving a couple of bob on a car parking fee then heaven help us. And it should be remembered that CBC have responded very quickly this year when the businesses have asked for support and therefore in respect of this issue, I’m happy.’’

Town retailer Charles Maudling said: “We were unaware that the council contribution was supposed to cover free Christmas parking. We knew nothing about this.”

The issue became a hot potato at Tuesday’s full council meeting when the Tory ranks were critical of Labour leaders for not granting free parking this year. But Coun Woodburn said: “We only have three small car parks. We spoke to APCOA (who run the others) and they can’t afford to do it with their car parks.”

Coun George Clements (Lab) said: “We gave money to the Whitehaven business community – more than it would have cost to put free parking on. We realise they are the people who know what is happening in the town. They are spending the money in the way they think is best for the town.

“We are all concerned about shops shutting, and at this time Woolworths especially, but we are backing business by allowing them to spend the money rather than us.”

Coun Alan Mossop (Con) wasn’t happy and went on the attack: “You gave them the money? I thought we were the elected representatives who decide how the money is spent.

“Businesses in the town have been bled dry. To do something about parking will encourage people to come in. You are not doing businesses any favours,’’ he said, and added, to a round of applause from fellow Tories: “As a gesture you could do something about Christmas parking.’’

Coun Woodburn said members were indeed the elected representatives but sometimes it helped to rely on the expertise of others.

She said: “So you talk to businesses and we’ve had conversations with Enterprise Whitehaven about it.”

The council operates car parks at the Sports Centre, Senhouse Street and Sandhills Lane. The others, at Quay Street, the multi storey and Tangier Street are run by APCOA, on behalf of the owners Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners (who in a merger took over the assets of Whitehaven Development Company).

Celia MacKenzie, chief executive of the Commissioners, said in the past free parking had been offered at the multi-storey, where they could operate it by just lifting the barriers, but not on the surface car parks as it just created confusion.

“We haven’t offered it for a few years now, we can’t afford it. Three days’ free parking at the multi-storey means we lose around £2,000. It would be lovely to do it, but we employ 45 staff and we have responsibilities to them too.’’

There was a £1,500 contribution to the light switch-on event in Whitehaven, the rest of the cost was fund-raised, and £4,000 was given by Copeland towards marketing the town, which has been spent on a six-week campaign on CFM radio, newspaper advertising and leaflets on buses and railways.

Co-founder of Enterprise Whitehaven, Mr Richardson added: “There are three partners in the marketing campaign for the town, the Chamber of Trade, the Maritime Festival Company and Copeland Council, which collectively means a lot of reasonably intelligent people have thought this one through.’’

Yesterday Allerdale council granted an extra 10 free hours car parking in addition to the 50 hours already agreed. This will be used for free car parking at Workington, Cockermouth and Keswick on Christmas Eve and other days chosen by the town councils in each town.

WHAT does it cost to run Whitehaven? The town’s ‘special expenses’ are to be assessed to see whether there is a case for levying a surcharge on the council tax payers of Whitehaven, similar to the parish precepts that apply in other parts of the Copeland borough.

It would not be necessary for the town to have its own town/parish council for the surcharge to be levied. The public are currently being consulted about their desire for a Whitehaven Town Council, another tier of local government, to be set up, but responses so far have been fairly lukewarm.

Councillors heard on Tuesday that a study to assess the ‘Whitehaven costs’ was already under way and there would be a report coming back to them on the matter.

Councillors representing wards outside Whitehaven have long argued that their residents “subsidise’’ Whitehaven because they pay a precept and Whitehaven dwellers don’t, due to the town not having its own local council in place to levy the charge.