THE?GUILDHALL Car Park in Tavistock could be making the Town Council £20,000 a year extra, members heard last week.

Members of the council's properties and finance and general purposes committees agreed at their meeting to set up a working party to look at changes to the Guildhall car park.

At the moment the income is around £25,000 a year but if a dedicated team was appointed to organise and change the set up of the car park, including a few more spaces being put in place, revenue could increase, councillors were told.

Deputy mayor Cllr John Sheldon proposed that a working party be set up which would review the situation of the car park.

He said: 'The working group will need to look at revenue generated and the potential income and to look in more detail at the Guildhall Car Park. We need to review everything that is going on.'

The issue of how to best increase income from the Guildhall Car Park was under the spotlight in December, when members of the properties committee discussed a potential increase in car parking charges.

Currently drivers are charged 30p for 30 minutes and 60p per hour — but at the council meeting last month it was explained how it had been proposed to increase the parking charges to 40p for 30 minutes and 80p per hour.

The proposal to put up prices divided councillors.

At the time Cllr Ted Sherrell said: 'It is tempting to put up car park charges as it's a good source of income and that's why we do it, but I don't think we should. I do feel that we hold fire for 12 months.'

While Cllr Brian Trew said: 'Car parks haven't been put up for many years and we still would be the cheapest car park in the area.'

At the meeting last week, Cllr Sheldon proposed a working group of three members but other councillors proposed a minimum of five.

The issue was due to be discussed at a full town council meeting on Tuesday (January 21).