Still no green light over parking saga

A COUNCIL chief has promised a review after a car-park wrangle led to its closure.

Delph Methodist Church fenced off the car park behind its church hall because of issues surrounding the lease.

The church has hosted parking for the local community since 1974, when the current car park was formed in conjunction with the former Saddleworth Urban District Council and incorporating church land.

The lease stipulated the UDC was responsible for all maintenance and repairs.

However, after government reorganisation, responsibility passed to Oldham Council, but despite prolonged negotiations the situation has ended in stalemate.

Now church officials say that over recent years the car park has deteriorated and is in a poor state of repair.

Councillor Abdul Jabbar, Oldham Council’s Cabinet member for finance, said: “The council had, for many years, a lease agreement with the church to provide a public car park in the parish.

“In 1998 the lease was due for renewal. Following a strategic review of the asset, which considered issues such as usage, cost and condition of the asset, plus the cost of the lease, we made the decision not to renew.

“The church has since retained ownership of the land and there have been ongoing discussions as to whether the council would like to take a further lease of the land for car-parking purposes.

“Unfortunately to date, no agreement has been reached. The site is in a relatively poor condition and, with challenging budgetary targets being set for the local authority, it has not been possible to reach an agreement which would be affordable to us.

“This is a difficult challenge during difficult financial times, but the council will continue to work with the church to try and source suitable funding options to allow the site to be used as a car-parking facility for the parish.”
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