WARRINGTON Borough Council (WBC) made £65,000 'profit' from its parking operations during 2016-17.

English councils generated a record £819 million from their parking operations in the last financial year.

The figure for 2016-17 is 10 per cent higher than the £744 million made in the previous year.

The findings come from analysis for the RAC Foundation by transport consultant David Leibling over the official returns that councils make annually to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

WBC is ranked 292nd out of the 353 local authorities in England for its 'operations surplus'.

The authority's total was minus £147,000 in 2012-13, minus £76,000 in 2013-14, minus £98,000 in 2014-15, £41,000 in 2015-16 and £65,000 in 2016-17.

The council confirmed the money left over from the 16 car parks it operates is 'reinvested into transport-related projects'.

A spokesman added that the 'main contribution' to savings is down to 'a change of service provider and internal processes'.

The surplus is from car park pay and displays, public contract parking income and fines.