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Council workers parking perk
7:43am Monday 28th January 2008
Comments (28)
HUNDREDS of Worcester city council workers face a rise in car parking charges this spring as part of budget saving - but they will still be paying a fraction of the cost paid by ordinary folk.
The parking perk means 289 council workers pay £60 a year to park in some city car parks, 41 pay £120 a year and 30 councillors pay £24 a year.
However, ordinary drivers have to fork out up to £6 a day to park for eight hours in the same city centre car parks, which works out at £1,410 a year - assuming they took five weeks' holiday.
The cut-price parking for council staff has angered some drivers, but city council chief executive David Wareing defended the scheme.
He said it is mainly used by workers using cars for council business, and budget proposals, if agreed, would mean the amount they pay would double from April.
One Worcester driver, Paul Curtis, was annoyed to discover about 50 cars clogging up some of the "best" spots in the car park on the former cattle market.
Mr Curtis, of Laxton Avenue, off Monarch Drive, said he noticed rows of cars displaying council stickers after being forced to park on the outskirts of the car park.
"All the people with stickers park up near the exits," he said. "Obviously, the city council is not bothered that the paying public has to park further away, and if the car park is full we can't get in.
"I think they should keep the Butts for people who are shopping and bringing trade into the town."
Mr Wareing said: "I think you could argue it should not be a free perk, but whether we should charge our staff market rate is a matter of debate."
"We are an employer and, like a lot of employers, we would wish to provide car parking facilities if we can.
"We have to use public car parks because all of our car parking is public."
He said workers did not have a staff restaurant, private health schemes or life insurance, and called parking one of "not many" benefits enjoyed by staff.
However, he conceded the issue of staff clogging car parks should be dealt with during the review.
Staff are not allowed to use the stickers while on leave, at weekends or public holidays and they cannot be used by family members.
Worcester City Council is facing a £1.6 million budget gap this year and needs to make cuts.
Bev Kittle, Worcester city branch secretary of UNISON, declined to comment.
For £60 a year, staff can park at: Croft Road, The Moors, Pitchcroft, St Martin's Gate, Swanpool Walk, Tallow Hill, Tybridge Street, Newport Street, King Street and, Cattle Market.
For £120 a year, senior staff can also park at Orchard House and the Guildhall.
Staff cannot use the stickers at privately-owned car parks, the park-and-ride or in Clare Street, Commandery Road, Copenhagen Street, Cornmarket or Providence Street.
Your Say YourWorcester News
nigel, worc says...
7:40am Mon 28 Jan 08
Peter D, Worcester says...
8:30am Mon 28 Jan 08
Peter D, Worcester says...
8:30am Mon 28 Jan 08
humbug, st johns says...
10:01am Mon 28 Jan 08
humbug, st johns says...
10:01am Mon 28 Jan 08
Logik, worcester says...
10:41am Mon 28 Jan 08
Makes you wonder who's left in the offices then.
Logik, worcester says...
10:41am Mon 28 Jan 08
Makes you wonder who's left in the offices then.
Disbelief, Worcester says...
11:36am Mon 28 Jan 08
Disbelief, Worcester says...
11:36am Mon 28 Jan 08
am, Worcester says...
1:21pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Logik wrote:Problem is Logik that if there are staff in the offices, they don't do anything because they're lazy and useless. Someone i work with used to work for the county council and apparently they spent most of their time on 'site meetings', in the canteen reading magazines etc and surfing the web. I assume the city council isn't much different.
Excluding councillors, that's 330 council staff who use their cars daily on council business.(Distinct farmyard smell to this claim) Makes you wonder who's left in the offices then.
am, Worcester says...
1:21pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Logik wrote:Problem is Logik that if there are staff in the offices, they don't do anything because they're lazy and useless. Someone i work with used to work for the county council and apparently they spent most of their time on 'site meetings', in the canteen reading magazines etc and surfing the web. I assume the city council isn't much different.
Excluding councillors, that's 330 council staff who use their cars daily on council business.(Distinct farmyard smell to this claim) Makes you wonder who's left in the offices then.
Alan2, Worcester says...
3:04pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Alan2, Worcester says...
3:04pm Mon 28 Jan 08
King Creole, Worcester says...
6:46pm Mon 28 Jan 08
King Creole, Worcester says...
6:46pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Alan2, Worcester says...
7:29pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Perhaps the Worcester News could ask David Waering WHY Councillors should have car parking facilities for less than 50p per week at all, they are already paid for expences and car parking should be one of them - they should not have both.
Their expences would cover car parking many times over during the year. This is just an insulting con of the electorate and it is a bigger insult to us for David Waering to try and justify it - Councillors must have this perk withdrawn NOW.
Alan2, Worcester says...
7:29pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Perhaps the Worcester News could ask David Waering WHY Councillors should have car parking facilities for less than 50p per week at all, they are already paid for expences and car parking should be one of them - they should not have both.
Their expences would cover car parking many times over during the year. This is just an insulting con of the electorate and it is a bigger insult to us for David Waering to try and justify it - Councillors must have this perk withdrawn NOW.
Logik, worcester says...
9:20pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Someone i work with used to work for the county council and apparently they spent most of their time on 'site meetings', in the canteen reading magazines etc and surfing the web. I assume the city council isn't much different.
Sounds about right AM.
Logik, worcester says...
9:20pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Someone i work with used to work for the county council and apparently they spent most of their time on 'site meetings', in the canteen reading magazines etc and surfing the web. I assume the city council isn't much different.
Sounds about right AM.
am, Worcester says...
9:37pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Alan2 wrote:And council workers should have this perk taken away too.
Councillors get an expence allowance which many people feel are not justified at all or, are over generous. Perhaps the Worcester News could ask David Waering WHY Councillors should have car parking facilities for less than 50p per week at all, they are already paid for expences and car parking should be one of them - they should not have both. Their expences would cover car parking many times over during the year. This is just an insulting con of the electorate and it is a bigger insult to us for David Waering to try and justify it - Councillors must have this perk withdrawn NOW.
am, Worcester says...
9:37pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Alan2 wrote:And council workers should have this perk taken away too.
Councillors get an expence allowance which many people feel are not justified at all or, are over generous. Perhaps the Worcester News could ask David Waering WHY Councillors should have car parking facilities for less than 50p per week at all, they are already paid for expences and car parking should be one of them - they should not have both. Their expences would cover car parking many times over during the year. This is just an insulting con of the electorate and it is a bigger insult to us for David Waering to try and justify it - Councillors must have this perk withdrawn NOW.
anon, worcester says...
10:49pm Mon 28 Jan 08
humbug wrote:well bloody said, all nurses and staff at royal are worth their weight in gold and you have to pay to go to work and save peoples lives, its discusting...
i have no sympathy for council workers as Nurses and other essential hospital staff have to pay to park at the royal, and thats just in the staff car park!
anon, worcester says...
10:49pm Mon 28 Jan 08
humbug wrote:well bloody said, all nurses and staff at royal are worth their weight in gold and you have to pay to go to work and save peoples lives, its discusting...
i have no sympathy for council workers as Nurses and other essential hospital staff have to pay to park at the royal, and thats just in the staff car park!
Bingo Jim, Worcester says...
8:08am Tue 29 Jan 08
Bingo Jim, Worcester says...
8:08am Tue 29 Jan 08
Private Sector Worker, Kidderminster says...
3:52pm Tue 29 Jan 08
Disbelief wrote:You're right, private offices sometimes offer free parking. The only thing I would say is that the parking shoul dbe restricted to Mon - Fri 9-5. Some workers do have to use the car - it is not practical for them to get a bus/train. But the Council would do better in reaching its'green' targets by encouraging the use of the us with reduced cost fares, instead of allowing workers to clog up the car parks. Alternatively, make the spaces over by the racecourse designated council workers spots - I'm sure the extra walking won't harm them!
So council staff get a perk of cheap parking.......so what?? I get free parking where I work. I think some of the comments on this subject are from people who should get out more.Whatever next??Bus drivers get free travel??
Private Sector Worker, Kidderminster says...
3:52pm Tue 29 Jan 08
Disbelief wrote:You're right, private offices sometimes offer free parking. The only thing I would say is that the parking shoul dbe restricted to Mon - Fri 9-5. Some workers do have to use the car - it is not practical for them to get a bus/train. But the Council would do better in reaching its'green' targets by encouraging the use of the us with reduced cost fares, instead of allowing workers to clog up the car parks. Alternatively, make the spaces over by the racecourse designated council workers spots - I'm sure the extra walking won't harm them!
So council staff get a perk of cheap parking.......so what?? I get free parking where I work. I think some of the comments on this subject are from people who should get out more.Whatever next??Bus drivers get free travel??
Council staff get cut-price parking at the Cattle Market
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nigel, worc says...
7:40am Mon 28 Jan 08