MORE than 1,000 people have so far signed a petition calling on Cornwall Council not to “privatise” one of its most popular car parks.

Kitto’s Field in Porthleven is one of 19 council-owned car parks which could be offloaded to a private management company. Jona Jones, a resident of the harbour town, is so aghast at the move that he started the Change.org petition to “keep our Porthleven free from big brother cameras.”

Cornwall Council’s strategic director for sustainable growth previously agreed that the car parks across the Duchy can be leased to Corserv Solutions Ltd, a company which is owned by the council. They are then likely to be run by a private car park enforcement company using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera equipment.

The move is part of the previous Conservative Cabinet-endorsed proposal a year ago to hand over 2,000 environment and heritage assets. These include beaches, country parks, playing fields, green spaces and car parks in a bid to save millions of pounds in running and maintenance costs.

The council believes decentralisation of the assets would be more effective if run by town and parish councils, environmental or heritage trusts, the council’s own arm’s length companies like Corserv and the private sector.

The 19 car parks – which have been reduced from an original proposal of 25 following responses from local councillors – are:

  • Readymoney, Fowey – 55 spaces
  • Helford – 150 spaces
  • Castle Street, Launceston – 20 spaces
  • Pannier Market, Launceston – 36 spaces
  • St Peter’s Hill, Newlyn – 25 spaces
  • Belmont, Newquay – 93 spaces
  • Dane Road, Newquay – 140 spaces
  • Tregunnel, Newquay – 250 spaces
  • Watergate Bay, near Newquay – 400 spaces
  • Trebarwith Strand, near Tintagel – 272 spaces
  • Porthcothan Bay – 174 spaces
  • Commercial Road, Penryn -37 spaces
  • Kitto’s Field, Porthleven – 59 spaces
  • Belle Vue (West), Belle Vue Road, Saltash – 45 spaces
  • Seaton Park, Seaton – 85 spaces
  • Reppers Coombe, St Agnes – 70 spaces
  • Park Avenue, St Ives – 77 spaces
  • Porthmeor, St Ives – 33 spaces
  • Tintagel Visitors Centre, Bossiney Road, Tintagel – 102 spaces

Mr Jones’ petition states: “Cornwall Council plans to privatise the parking on Kitto’s Field and numerous other car parks by using a tender system to the highest bidder. These car parks will be monitored by ANPRs. This system will be a 24 hours, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year operation to maximise the monies taken.

“The car parks are classed as sites NOT in strategic locations and that help traffic management or would act as a public transport hub. Kitto’s Field car park is right in the centre of town and so very strategically placed. It’s next to our only supermarket style shop, Pengelly’s, which has only four parking spaces, and just how would it assist traffic management or act as a transport hub?

“At the moment the car park fulfils the needs of the locals and holidaymakers alike, and when the slow season comes it benefits the community by winter closing times. There are no advantages to the community in this money-making proposal, therefore not benefiting Porthleven at all. Do we want it – NO. Do we need it – NO. Do we have to have it – NO.”

Mr Jones will attend a meeting of Porthleven Town Council today (Thursday, June 12) to discuss the matter. He is also organising a public meeting/protest at 4pm tomorrow Friday (June 13) on the Harbour Head.

He added: “Cornwall Council maintains that residents of the village were made aware of the public consultation – held between December 12 and January 9. Did anyone see this? Was any resident aware of their plans? We only have four weeks as a community to make our objections known and overturn the decision.”

The petition ca be view here: www.change.org/p/stop-the-privatisation-of-kitto-s-field-carpark?recruiter=1304467974&recruited_by_id=556919b0-d7bf-11ed-8e25-ff9e516aae93&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink