SALISBURY City Council says it was not consulted about the charges.

City clerk Reg Williams said: “We have no say in what fees are charged.

“Two car parks – Lush House and Southampton Road – belong to us, but Wiltshire Council sets the charges.”

Lush House is the car park at the centre of a doctors’ protest. GPs at the Harcourt Medical Centre have got up a petition because their patients are having to pay a minimum of £2.20 to park there to visit the surgery.

Mr Williams explained: “Wiltshire was quite happy to allow us to have the two car parks, maintain them, and have the income, but only with a legal agreement that we are not allowed to set parking charges lower than those set by Wiltshire.

“They were adamant that we could not undercut them. It was a pill we had to swallow.

“As time goes by we will be asking Wiltshire to allow us to be more actively involved in setting charges for the two car parks we own.”

A city council delegation is to meet Wiltshire leaders to ask for permission to alter the charges at Lush House.

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