PETITION FOR THE TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OF OLD ROAD CAR PARK, TEAN
To: Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
We, the undersigned residents, businesses and supporters of Tean and the wider Checkley Parish, call upon Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to transfer the freehold ownership of Old Road Car Park, Tean, to Checkley Parish Council before Local Government Reorganisation takes effect.

Old Road Car Park is an important community asset serving the residents, businesses and visitors of Tean. We believe its future should be secured through ownership by Checkley Parish Council, the local council directly representing the community the car park serves.

Checkley Parish Council is willing and able to take ownership of Old Road Car Park and has the resources to manage and maintain it.

Any suggestion that the Parish Council may be unable to afford the future maintenance of the car park should therefore not be used as a reason to prevent or delay the transfer.

If Staffordshire Moorlands District Council believes there are significant future maintenance liabilities, it should provide Checkley Parish Council with evidence of those liabilities, together with details of the maintenance, repairs and capital expenditure undertaken by the District Council on the car park in recent years.

These matters can be dealt with promptly as part of the normal legal and financial due diligence associated with transferring the asset and should not be allowed to delay the transfer.

THE TRANSFER MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION
Local Government Reorganisation creates a clear urgency.

Failure to complete the transfer in time risks Old Road Car Park passing to a much larger successor authority and losing the present opportunity to secure this important community asset in the ownership of Checkley Parish Council.

The people of Tean should not lose this opportunity because of unnecessary delay.

We therefore call upon Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to:
Agree without delay to transfer the freehold ownership of Old Road Car Park, Tean, to Checkley Parish Council.
Immediately commence the necessary legal process to complete the transfer of ownership before Local Government Reorganisation takes effect.
Provide Checkley Parish Council promptly with all title information, surveys, maintenance and expenditure records and details of any known liabilities necessary to complete the transfer.
Recognise that Checkley Parish Council has confirmed that it has the resources to manage and maintain Old Road Car Park and ensure that unsupported concerns about future maintenance costs do not delay the transfer.
THE OUTCOME SOUGHT BY THIS PETITION IS CLEAR:
TRANSFER THE FREEHOLD OWNERSHIP OF OLD ROAD CAR PARK TO CHECKLEY PARISH COUNCIL BEFORE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION.
Checkley Parish Council is ready to take ownership.

The Parish Council has the resources to manage and maintain the car park.

The community wants this important asset secured in local ownership.

We call upon Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to act now and complete the transfer.