"Charge for parking outside County Hall and save libraries"

This report by Rhianne Pope appears in the Oxford Mail.

COUNCILLORS could raise more than £170,000 a year and keep eight libraries open if they gave up free parking at County Hall, claims a library campaigner.

Mark McArthur-Christie, who says that if the County Council charged for the spaces outside County Hall they would raise £170,000 per year.

Neil Clark, from the Save Botley Library campaign, said: “Everyone else has to pay for parking so why not the council?  “We do not think any frontline services need to be cut.
“We should look at councillors’ parking and their salaries before we look at cutting anything else. We shouldn’t be even discussing this.”
He added: “This is another example of the council being ‘do as we say and not as we do’. It is a real them and us attitude.”
“Instead of looking at themselves and how they could raise money, they are instead cutting services.”

Council spokesman Gemma Watts said: “The council has not considered this. However, it is working hard to keep Oxfordshire’s libraries open.”

She added: “A full consultation will begin in May.”