CASH-STRAPPED Sandwell Council is selling off three car parks in Cradley Heath and Old Hill.

The council, which is in the middle of making £22 million cuts in two years, announced it is selling car parks on Cradley Heath's Lower High Street car park and Highgate Street South and Haden Road in Old Hill.

Sandwell Council leader councillor Darren Cooper believes the axing of the car parks will not affect trade in either Cradley Heath or Old Hill.

He added: "The only reason we’re disposing of some of the quieter car parks is they are not well used and are no longer viable to run.

"The pay and display machine at the one in Lower High Street Cradley Heath has been vandalised.

"The council has decided to sell the car park in Lower High Street in Cradley Heath and the Highgate Street South and Haden Road car parks in Old Hill.

He added: "The car parks in Graingers Lane, Corngreaves Road, Northgate/Prince Street and Northgate/Graingers Lane in Cradley Heath are not for sale."

Cllr Cooper cited chronic use of the up for sale car parks as the main reason to sell the land.

He said: "I’m told that Haden Road car park in Old Hill often has just a handful of vehicles on it – sometimes just a single car. The same goes for Highgate Street South which has another bigger car park right opposite which most people use.

"Disposing of these car parks still leaves us with four long stay and one short stay car park in Cradley Heath, and one long stay car park in Old Hill."

He added: "We really are only disposing of car parks that are not very well used at all, and we’ll still have six well-used council car parks in Cradley Heath and Old Hill.

"I hope this puts the minds of shoppers and businesses at rest."