Car park charges in some Brighouse car parks are set to rise to pay for their improvement and maintenance.

Parking rates in Bethel Street, Commercial Street and Parsonage Lane rose from 20p per hour to 30p last January but will remain at that rate.

But a charge of 20p per hour will now be levied on what were free car parks in Daisy Street, Mill Royd Street and Owler Ings Road.

Similar charges are also being made at car parks in Elland, Sowerby Bridge, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden.

The decision is highlighted in a report by the head of Calderdale Council's engineering services. The Council said that that if budget options for 2001-2 and subsequent years are to be achieved from the car parking budget it can only be through an increase in income through increased and/or extended charges.

The cost to Calderdale Council of providing its 71 car parks is about £300,000 per year.

The Council's external auditors carried out a review programme and found that charges outside Halifax were not in line with policy requirements and that other towns, such as Brighouse, were subsidised by Halifax.

The report stated that improvements to car parks were virtually zero and maintenance could be described as minimal.

It said there was no funding identified for anything other than what could be considered essential maintenance.

The Council will now consult with interested groups on its proposals and the outcome of those discussions will be reported back.