DUDLEY Council has one of the most costly parking services in England after making a loss of more than a million pounds. 

Figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show in the last financial year the authority ended up with a deficit of £1.17m from its car parks.

This puts Dudley miles behind neighbouring councils and last-but-one in the department’s league of losses, ahead of only Tees Valley Combined Authority who lost nearly £4m.

Sandwell made a whopping £943,000 surplus and collected £905,000 in fines while Wolverhampton’s parking service was £697,000 in the green and took £342,000 in fines.

Dudley Council leader, Cllr Patrick Harley, said: “The figures show we are bringing in far less through parking than our neighbouring councils, and I have asked officers to explore ways in which we can bring more money in while maintaining our support for traders and businesses.”

During the last financial year Dudley collected £220,000 in fines and parking’s poor performance will be driving councillors round the bend as they struggle to balance next year’s budget.

Among plans set to be approved by full council in March is a £30,000 review of car park maintenance and a £100,000 review of parking enforcement.

Cllr Harley added: “We currently offer free parking for up to two hours on council-owned car parks as a means of attracting people to shop in our town centres and to support our traders.

“There are no plans to change that in the budget which is set to go before full council next month.

“That said, these are very challenging times for all local authorities and we have to consider every option in delivering a balanced and sustainable budget.”

Dudley currently employs nine full-time and three part-time enforcement officers plus four full-time and one part-time workers in administrative and management jobs.