£8,000 ‘hypocrisy’ rap
Mar 22 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal
COUNCIL bosses have been accused of “breathtaking double standards” by forking out £8,000 for extra car parking space for their own members while encouraging other office workers to use a park-and-ride system.
The Durham Park and Ride Scheme was launched in December 2005 with £10m Government funding.
It has been judged a huge success and council bosses now want to extend it.
But despite the service stopping outside County Hall at Aykley Heads, county councillors have agreed to spend the £8,000 on extending the car park to provide an extra 20 spaces for members. The council argues that the introduction of a new unitary authority – doubling the number of members to 126 – makes the extra car parking spaces essential.
A joint report by county treasurer Stuart Crowe and Lesley Davies, the acting director of corporate services, said: “There are currently 30 car parking spaces reserved for members at County Hall. We think in the circumstances it would be reasonable to extend this provision by a further 20 spaces, at an estimated cost of £8,000.”
But Coun Carol Woods, deputy leader of Durham City Council, which will be abolished next year under the local government reorganisation that sees the county council expanding, accused the county of “breathtaking double-standards”.
She said: “The county council has no business making decisions and spending money on behalf of the new unitary authority. Such decisions ought to be made by members of the new authority.
“And to spend money on car parking for members when we are all being encouraged to be environmentally friendly smacks of breathtaking double standards.
“The park and ride stops outside County Hall, for goodness sake. The county council want the public to use it, but obviously not its own members.”
Roger Cornwell, secretary of the City of Durham Trust, said: “Durham County Council do deserve to be commended for introducing a number of environmentally-friendly policies, including the park and ride.
“But I think they have let themselves down in this instance. They should have examined in greater detail the viability of members using the park and ride, which operates from 7am to 7pm, without spending money on extra car parking space at County Hall.”
Comment: Page 10
