Are councillors exempt?

[Bazza]

I had to pop into town on my way home from work today, so I parked in the main car park and wandered over to pay my 40p. There I was waiting for my ticket to print and having a general nose around when into the car park swung the illustrious Councillor Hawker.. he promptly parked his car, hoisted himself out and marched off into Banana Blues without even a sideways glance at the ticket machine.
I have two questions which concern me somewhat..

Question 1: Are councillors exempt from the car parking charges in town? 
Question 2: What on earth would he be doing going into Banana Blues - he has no hair?

[Andy]

He could be taking the risk that he wouldn't be caught by the parking inspector if only stopping for a brief time!

After all, so far as I know, there's only 1 of them covering all the Council car parks in Westbury and Warminster and
possibly Trowbridge/Bradford On Avon too.

[topskills]

he ought to be hauled up in front of the standards board to explain this outrageous behaviour!!!


surely he doesnt consider himself to be above the law???

[Bazza]

surely he doesnt consider himself to be above the law???

What? Mr Hawker? 

[topskills]

I'm sure he has an opinion on the issue!!

[Bazza]

I'm sure he has an opinion on the issue!!

I'd put money on it

[Rowan]

I'm sure he has an opinion on the issue!!

I'd put money on it

I feel a massive justification post coming up...or is he still banned? I'm not up to date on Hawker-gate.

[topskills]

dont mention the 'ban' word as he will only get his frilly pants in a twist!!


quote from the hawk below:

Bazza has asked some good questions, which I am happy to answer.
 
I always get the WHN delivered quite quickly, but if I am in Mike's shop early on a Tuesday I'll pick up a WHN to have the earliest possible look inside the latest issue.
 
All Wiltshire Councillors are issued with parking permits which enable them to use council car parks for strictly council purposes only.
 
I had no business at all in the High Street except to see Mike briefly and to discuss whether there are any issues arising from the latest issue of WHN that affect us as councillors.
 
I often talk to other councillors to discuss council issues .... not least to see if we can think of ways to deal with issues through either Westbury Town Council or Wiltshire Council.
 
On this occasion, to my surprise, there were no new issues at all to discuss .... so I went straight home.
 
There is no strict definition of "council business", but I would expect it to include meeting with other councillors to discuss town issues and the possibility of town issues.
 
As I was not on any other business, I did not need to pay anything.



honest guv i was!!!

[Jimkerr]

Perhaps the next time he pops in to see his friend Mike 
Mike could ask him if he as payed the 40p like the rest us.