Birmingham City Council: plans to introduce parking charges at city's popular parks, including Lickey Hills

Proposals to introduce parking charges at some of Birmingham’s most popular parks are among a wave of planned budget cuts and changes unveiled by the city council.

The crisis-hit council published a budget proposal earlier this week, which sets out in detail how it intends to cut services and hike council tax as it struggles with a £300 million budget gap. Youth services, day centres, early years help and bin collections are all impacted by the proposed cuts and ‘reviews’ as well as cultural organisation grants, waste prevention, street lights and much more.

One proposal included in the budget papers, which run to nearly 300 pages, is to introduce parking charges at Sutton Park, Lickey Hills Country Park and Sheldon Country Park.

It goes on to say: “Preparation and capital works to take place in 2024/5 for implementation in 2025/6.”

It is not the first time parking charges have been considered by Birmingham City Council (BCC) for some of the city’s most popular parks. In late 2022, the council launched an informal consultation on whether they should be introduced at Lickey Hills Country Park, Sheldon Country Park and Woodgate Valley Country Park.

A majority who responded to the consultations were opposed to the idea and the council decided to not go ahead with the plans.

The authority said at the time: “The decision has been made to discontinue the proposed parking charges programme in parks in light of the feedback received and the fact the state of the market/economy has changed since the proposal was first introduced in 2017.”

However, with parking charges now being considered again amid the council’s current crisis, opposition councillors have warned of ‘knock-on effects’ and possible impacts on the well-being of residents.

Roger Harmer, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat group, said: “I’m not averse to the council looking at parking, however it’s highly dubious whether these schemes will make money.

“It costs money to install and maintain. What can also happen is a knock-on effect of problems for residents such as increased street parking, which can then cost money and time to resolve.”

Sheldon Councillor Colin Green added: “There was a proposal, maybe a year ago, to introduce car park charging at Sheldon. It was withdrawn quickly after significant public opposition.

“It may stop cash-strapped people from going, which is not good for our community or for general health and well-being.”

Birmingham City Council response

In response to concerns, Cllr Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment at Birmingham City Council, said: “These remain proposals at this stage and, if approved, informal consultations will follow, including consultations with stakeholders where we will seek feedback on the plans. Further formal consultations will then follow for the proposed parking charges and for traffic restrictions (as deemed suitable by the respective Highways departments).”

The council has been engulfed by a financial crisis due to factors including an equal pay fiasco, the disastrous implementation of a new IT and finance system, rising demand for services and the impact of years of austerity.

While previously acknowledging problems specific to Birmingham, council leader John Cotton also argued the period of austerity brought in by the Conservative government and “the hollowing out of local government” had contributed to the council’s alarming predicament.

Speaking to the media on Monday, he apologised to residents across the city for the spending reductions and the council tax increase, describing the “savings” contained in the budget proposals as “unprecedented”.

He continued: “The council will continue to face financial pressures as it seeks to meet its wide-ranging statutory duties and to protect those residents in the city most in need of support.”