COUNCILS across Worcestershire have raked in £24 million in parking 'profits' over the last five years, it has emerged.

A motoring group has issued a plea for charges to be slashed after five of the six district councils in the county were revealed to have significant surpluses.

Since 2011 Worcester City Council has accumulated £11.3 million in profits from its car parks, by far the highest in the county.

A yearly breakdown, via Freedom of Information requests, does show how the city's surpluses have fallen in recent years and stood at £2 million for 2015/16.

Wychavon made £1.8 million in 2015/16 and £7.8 million over the full five-year period, while elsewhere in south Worcestershire Malvern Hills District Council made £236,000 overall, despite posting a loss of £90,000 in 2013/14.

Other hefty surpluses in north Worcestershire brought the total profits over the five years to £24.3 million, with Redditch the only one to lose cash.

The RAC Foundation says its research has revealed how nationwide, 353 English councils made a record £756 million in 2015/16 - a nine per cent leapt in 12 months.

RAC director Steve Gooding said: "This level of profit would make some of Britain’s biggest businesses jealous."

In Worcester, council chiefs defended the sum by saying the surplus from its car parks goes into propping up services.

The findings come after the Labour leadership revealed intentions to freeze parking rates in the 2017/18 draft budget - with the current prices as low as £3.60 all day and £1 after 7pm.

A council spokesman said: "Our car parks provide an important service for the city centre and our local economy, ensuring visitors and residents can park easily and safely to enjoy a visit to the shops and other attractions.

"The use of our car parks has grown in recent years - our prices have barely changed for eight years and are at a similar level to those in neighbouring cities like Cheltenham, Gloucester and Hereford.

"The surplus produced by our car parks is an important part of the funding we use to provide essential services.

"That includes waste and recycling collections, parks, grounds maintenance, planning, housing, economic development and more - it also allows us to keep council tax bills low."

Andy Baldwin, head of resources for Malvern Hills District Council, said its "average surplus" was just £60,000 and that people could park for just 50p an hour.

Vic Allison, from Wychavon District Council, insisted their charges "compare favourably with other councils" and said all the political parties had committed to a freeze until 2019 at least.

In the 2015/16 financial year the combined surplus from car parking across all six district councils was £4.8 million.