The chief executive of the Tax Payers' Alliance has told Kingston Council to rethink its property portfolio, after revealing the authority currently owns three golf courses, two cafes, 19 car parks and an historic medieval farm.

TPA boss Jonathan Isaby, who lives in Kingston, said local authorities should be focusing on essential services, and selling off expensive assets to private companies.

The campaign group submitted Freedom of Information requests to every local authority in the country asking what each council owned. In Kingston, the portfolio included 19 car parks, two cafes and the entire South Lane shopping parade in New Malden.

Surrey Comet:

South Lane parade in New Malden 

It also owns the land where three golf clubs are based: the exclusive Coombe Hill - where annual membership costs about £8,000 - Coombe Wood and Malden.

Mr Isaby said: "Local authorities should be focused on essential services.

"The time has come for a serious discussion on what councils should, and should not, be doing - a drastic rethink which saw many of these assets returned to the private sector where some of them clearly belong would be a dramatic step towards a balanced budget and protecting taxpayers."

Another asset is Tolworth Court Farm, a 107-acre open space on the borders with Epsom and Ewell.

Surrey Comet:

Tolworth Court Farm 

Last September, Kingston Council leader revealed plans to turn the site - which was used as farmland in Norman times - into a "country park" with wildlife and a visitor centre, although no further details have been forthcoming.

Councillor Eric Humphrey, lead member for finance, said: "Many councils hold assets that not only support the community through delivering a service, but also others that create income for the authority.

"Where the property is held for investment purposes it will generate a return which helps fund other services.

"These assets are important in keeping council tax levels low and reducing our reliance on central government funding

"Not having these assets would worsen our financial position in the long run. However, we continually evaluate our assets to make sure that they continue to bring in cash.

"We strongly believe there is a value to holding assets rather than 'selling the family silver', and to see them generating income for the whole borough."