Councils clash over Arundel Town Hall car clamping signs

Arundel’s deputy mayor Peter Moss has criticised Arun District Council for placing the signs over the parking spaces, including one notice which has had to be removed because it was on the town hall itself, which is owned by Arundel Town Council.

Among the spaces where clamping is threatened is one sometimes used by Arundel mayor Wendy Eve, but it’s understood that she is no longer parking there to avoid being clamped.

The dispute is the latest in a rift between the two councils which goes back several years and at one point centred on ownership of the town hall, until documents were discovered by the town council which proved conclusively that it owned the building.

Mr Moss said: “Yet again, Arun District Council is laying claim to something that belongs to the people of Arundel.

“Arun lost its claim to the town hall after a two-year battle with the town council and now they have come back to try to get a piece of the town hall land used for parking.

“Two weeks ago they committed trespass to put up a sign, illegally, on the town hall’s Holmes Chamber, to warn that unauthorised parkers would be clamped. These spaces are used by the mayor, councillors and visitors to the town hall, and are especially important to the functions business of the town hall, which provides a useful income to keep Arundel’s council tax down.

“Arun’s action is cheeky and spiteful. They are in effect threatening to clamp the mayor’s car.

“We should take these notices down, wrap them up in festive paper and sent them to Gillian Brown (Arun’s leader) as a Christmas present.”

Paul Dendle, Arun councillor for Arundel, and cabinet member for services which would include car clamping, told the Gazette he had not been consulted over the placement of clamping signs at the town hall by Arun,

“The placement of the signs was an error and I believe this dispute is a diversion from all the good things that Arun and the town council are doing. I also believe that there is a deal to be done to solve this disagreement which is a waste of time and energy. I will be working to help with an equitable settlement.”

In a statement, Arun said: “Arun District Council owns the freehold of most of the parking spaces in this private car park. Arundel Town Council had a tenancy for three of the district council’s spaces but this has not continued as the town council stopped paying rent.

“The warning signs have been put up by Arun District Council, which would either enforce the clamping itself or use a contractor should the need arise.

“One of the warning signs, although positioned by a parking space that Arun owns, had been attached to the town hall but has already been moved to save any confusion. Contact telephone numbers are also being added to the signs.”