CONSULTANTS PricewaterhouseCooper have claimed cash-strapped Ceredigion council could increase the income it makes from car parking charges and parking tickets by privatising the service and putting in place a contract that would see the council take a share of profits from a private company.

But councillors on the thriving communities scrutiny committee have reacted angrily after they spent months working on recommendations that would increase the council’s income from car parking.

They want 12 months to see how those suggestions work before any consideration is given to privatisation.

Under the work carried out by a task and finish group, it was claimed that the council was missing out on thousands of pounds of income because of car park ticket machines not working.

Efforts are now being made to improve the system.

However, PWC, which receives a cut of savings it helps identify, has said privatisation of the service could see the council better off.

Cllr Euros Davies asked: “Why was this looked at by PwC? What came from scrutiny was that PwC was not to look at it. If all the machines were working properly we’d be making more than the savings here.”

Cllr Gill Hopley, who has campaigned for free parking spaces in New Quay, said: “If we let this go private we’re cutting our throats as we’ve already repaired some of the machines and we’re trying to be more efficient and make more of a profit."

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