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Council staff permits allow public parking

5:09pm Thursday 4th March 2010 in


DISTRICT councillors and some council staff are entitled to park in public car parks for free.

Wycombe District Council told the Bucks Free Press that a number of council officers, who regularly use their cars for business use, hold permits to park in the council's private car park.

Some of the employees' permits allow parking in public car parks.

Councillors also have permits which entitles them to park in the Easton Street multi-story car park - but only when the council's private car park is full and providing they are on council business.

Council spokesman Catherine Spalton said: “As part of the terms and conditions of employment a number of council officers, who are required to frequently use a vehicle as part of their duties, are entitled to a park in the council office car park.

“Some permits are also provided in other local car parks for staff who use their car regularly for business. In general, staff have no special discounts in car parks.

“Councillors have parking permits for the office car park to be used only when they are on council business; if the car park is full, the permit entitles them to park in Easton Street car park”.

She added that not all council staff were granted a permit and permits were only valid Monday to Friday or when staff and councillors were on council business.

The council has proposed to raise parking charges by up to 25 per cent in council owned car parks, including Easton Street.

The £1.50 flat rate fee after 6pm would also be ditched in favour of free parking after 9pm.

And on-street parking will rise from 50p to £1 or £2 at more than 40 streets around the town.

The changes are subject to a public consultation and would take effect in September.

The council's move has angered many traders who believe the parking hike would put people off from visiting High Wycombe, severely denting trade.

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Comments(21)

BigTommy says...
6:41pm Thu 4 Mar 10

I thought that councillors would use the buses and trains. No need for them to park and more space for proper workers and shoppers to park.
~
I bet they still use their "privilege" when on private business.

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miccles says...
7:00pm Thu 4 Mar 10

so basically what these fat cat councillors are saying is

"1 law for us" and "1 law for the residents and people who pay their wages"

I can see them spitting on the floor at us now.

You fat cat councillors are supposed to be setting an example, but all you do is sh*t on the general public.

I SHALL GO TO AYLESBURY AS MUCH AS I CAN, AS AVDC IS MUCH CHEAPER. i work over there so no problem.

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Voyeur says...
7:21pm Thu 4 Mar 10

They should pay the regular parking fee and claim it back off expenses.
.
The current system is open to rorting.
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There are no controls over whether the parking is for work or pleasure.

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chris740 says...
8:22pm Thu 4 Mar 10

i have to pay to park my car for work.
why the hell cant theses so called council workers

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wayneo says...
9:31pm Thu 4 Mar 10

Snouts in the trough. The parking attendents who don't need to drive, park their cars in Easton Street Car Park for free.

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hw-freegle says...
8:59am Fri 5 Mar 10

Of course this is a benefit in kind and therefore taxable. I presume this is being declared to Inland Revenue?

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A VOTER says...
9:09am Fri 5 Mar 10

chris740 wrote:
i have to pay to park my car for work. why the hell cant theses so called council workers
I totally agree with chris.
If the council has decided that their workers can have free parking whilst on business, then they should be fair and introduce the same policy for anyone else who is works in the area and needs to park.

It's all about being fair, and as far as I can tell, the councillors have never been fair on this issue, or indeed many other issues.

They should introduce a "One rule for all" policy.

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TheT0nemeister says...
9:42am Fri 5 Mar 10

They even have the cheek to raise parking charges to and then up the council tax.

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wayneo says...
10:32am Fri 5 Mar 10

hw-freegle wrote:
Of course this is a benefit in kind and therefore taxable. I presume this is being declared to Inland Revenue?
No that, is a very good point.

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wayneo says...
10:32am Fri 5 Mar 10

hw-freegle wrote:
Of course this is a benefit in kind and therefore taxable. I presume this is being declared to Inland Revenue?
No that, is a very good point.

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Potted Plant says...
11:48am Fri 5 Mar 10

TheT0nemeister wrote:
They even have the cheek to raise parking charges to and then up the council tax.
Ahh yes well you see they up the council tax to fund the parking spaces that the councillors dont pay to use and then up the parking fees to make sure they have the money for the expenses claimed back by the councillors for the parking they havent paid for !

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Potted Plant says...
11:48am Fri 5 Mar 10

TheT0nemeister wrote:
They even have the cheek to raise parking charges to and then up the council tax.
Ahh yes well you see they up the council tax to fund the parking spaces that the councillors dont pay to use and then up the parking fees to make sure they have the money for the expenses claimed back by the councillors for the parking they havent paid for !

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TheT0nemeister says...
12:24pm Fri 5 Mar 10

Potted Plant wrote:
TheT0nemeister wrote: They even have the cheek to raise parking charges to and then up the council tax.
Ahh yes well you see they up the council tax to fund the parking spaces that the councillors dont pay to use and then up the parking fees to make sure they have the money for the expenses claimed back by the councillors for the parking they havent paid for !
Absolutely!

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motco says...
4:19pm Fri 5 Mar 10

Don't forget the £1.2million (I seem to recall) they plan to spend doing up the Swan Theatre. They may find the place empty of an evening when they stop the after six pm concession for parking in the Swan carpark. What will be the return on that investment then?

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sparky49 says...
5:24pm Fri 5 Mar 10

Whilst I agree with all of you. I firmly believe that WDC is self serving with very little or no interest in the C Tax payer. There is a solution to all of this vote them out, Vote for a Labour council, this will never happen in leafy Bucks and they know it which is why they do what they do. I'm afraid to say don't moan but vote them out.

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678 says...
5:33pm Fri 5 Mar 10

UKIP might nick a few seats?

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A VOTER says...
5:47pm Fri 5 Mar 10

Let's all vote UKIP then...
.
AGREED EVERYONE?

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Works from home says...
8:05pm Fri 5 Mar 10

The inland revenue question is a good one. As it is a public car park and fees are chargeable then it would either be BIK to the employee or form part of the council expenditure. Can we not get the information and ensure that the HMRC are getting the correct funds from either route. Also from a moral perspective shouldn't the council be ensuring that their staff are using public transport. It would mean that there is less cars on the road and they are using the assets that they provide. All in all in the last fours years I can't think of anything that WDC has done well. I will not be voting for them next time. They are incompetent and corrupt in my opinion!

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stephan says...
8:10am Sun 7 Mar 10

so up your council tax to makethe tax payers not onlypay the council pentation but now we are paying for there parking wake up pople in bucks stop it now stop paying the outrages council tax

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aspen g says...
1:00pm Mon 8 Mar 10

I think everyones getting their knickers in a twist here... Fair enough have a go at the councillors but lay off Joe Bloggs who is unfortunate enough to work for the local council.

They are having a pay freeze and making people redundant, meaning the unfortunate people who remain have to do more work for less!

All whilst suffering a council tax increase!

Have a go at the necessary people, but lay off on the workforce.

A VOTER, High Wycombe says...
5:47pm Fri 5 Mar 10

Let's all vote UKIP then...

Nah lets all vote Green...

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A VOTER says...
2:05pm Mon 8 Mar 10

I understand your sentiments Aspen, but the point here is, that Council Workers are allowed to park for free, whereas everyone else has to pay.
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It's an unfair system.
.
Anyway, the Green Party won't give us referendums on Europe and other matters, so stay with UKIP

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