The things that forward-looking, creative district councils can do

1. They can offer reduced-price parking for locals - even starting them off with a £5 credit!
see here for details

2. They can pay shops, pubs, etc £600 per year to allow the public to use their toilets free-of-charge:
see here for details

It's amazing that some district councils are "do-er's" and some are "can't do/won't do/what do you mean spend our money on plebs like you lot - you're getting ideas above your station!" ....

I went on a training course where we were told what different councils had done. One was a small village where the one local pub was about to be sold to developers. The council couldn't buy the pub but they decided the village was short of car parking so they could buy a car park AND a pub if they came together - if you have bought something for a "primary use" (car park) and it also has a secondary use (pub) you can keep the pub open. So now the pub has a manager and the village gets the profits AND the car parking.

Another council (bigger) had its minor injuries unit closed by the NHS. They built a doctor's surgery with a minor injuries unit attached (which the GP's ran and charged the NHS for) and on top three offices which they let out to private business. In 10 years, the loan had been repaid, the GP's were happy, there was minor injuries unit and a profit from the offices.

Heigh ho .....