Car park lease an 'absolute scandal'

The lease of Carlton Street car park has been described as a "scandal"

A council signed the "worst deal any council has ever signed" when leasing a loss-making car park, its leader has said.

The Carlton Street multi-storey car park, in Weston-super-Mare, is currently losing North Somerset Council about a quarter of a million pounds a year.

The authority took out a lease in 2012 but the poor quality build has meant most of it has now had to be closed. Mike Bell, the council leader, called the situation an "absolute scandal".

Nigel Ashton, who was council leader when the council signed the deal, said he was told at the time that the construction met the right standards.

Mr Bell said: "We have been losing money - pretty much from day one - on the worst deal any council has ever signed."

In the last financial year, the council made a loss of £269k on the car park and is forecast to lose £244k in 2025/26, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

North Somerset Council owns the freehold for Carlton Street car park, but is leasing it back from the owners of the 200 year lease.

The contract does not allow the council to change or exit the lease, but it will be able to take ownership of the car park at the end of the 45 year leaseback - in 2058.

The deal makes the council responsible for all repairs to the car park.

As of 2024, North Somerset Council had paid £300k over the years on "numerous maintenance issues" at the car park - such as the it not being strong enough to support electric vehicles and large SUVs, and all the lifts being currently broken.

Nigel Ashton, who was council leader when the council signed the deal, defended the decision.

"I'm told that the construction at the time met the correct standards. I have not been involved in present discussions but, instead of keeping it partly closed, why have they not added steel beams and reopened?" he said.

The council is currently considering what to do about the car park and has commissioned financial modelling of different options.