More than 4,500 parking fines unpaid in Sandwell

More than 4,500 car parking fines were cancelled or written-off by Sandwell Council chiefs in a single financial year, it has been revealed.

The authority forked out more to administer charges than it collected leaving a deficit of more than £50,000 for the year.

The council collected just three quarters of penalty charge notices for on street parking between April 1 2010 and March 31 2011, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show.

The figures reveal that in the 12-month period staff issued 25,056 penalty charge notices of which 18,171 were paid or75.52 per cent.

Almost a fifth were cancelled or written off, a total of 4,580, while 308 were simply left unpaid by motorists.

The council generated £1.835m in income, but spent £1.887m. It was left with a deficit of more than £51,000.

The borough's neighbourhood services boss Councillor Ian Jones said the collection of fines was "not a money making exercise".

"Some of these written off would be blue badge holders or people with disabilities so we can actually see that we take very seriously the appeals that are being put in to the system and obviously shows that they authority isn't all about revenue, it is about collecting appropriate fines when they are levied."