Conservative Councillors with free official parking permit but no paid for resident parking permit

Confirmation of Freedom Of Information Request

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appropriate Divisional Records Officer for action.

This Freedom Of Information Request was based on the following
information:

Name: Mr Jones
Address: See email request
Email: [FOI #17537 email]
Telephone:
Request Details: Dear Sir or Madam,

In response to FOI number 3645, you advised that 35 Westminster
Councillors have a free official parking permit. Of these 35
Councillors, 31 belong to the Conservative party. In FOI number
4148 (being an extension to FOI 3933), you advised that 13
Conservative Councillors have purchased a resident parking permit.

I can therefore assume that 18 Conservative Councillors may have a
free official parking permit and have not purchased a resident
parking permit to park their car, outside their official working
hours.

Can you please advise on what basis these 18 Conservative
Councillors park their car in the streets of Westminster outside
their official working hours, given that in FOI 3934, you advised
that all 60 Councillors reside in Westminster, except two who
reside abroad (and are not on the list of Councillors who have a
free official parking permit, per FOI 3645)?

Yours faithfully,

FOI Reference Number: 4311
Target Completion Date: 29/09/2009

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Tel:020 7641 3921

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Dear Mr Jones

Please find attached the response to your FOI.

As motorists, Councillors have the same right to use the highway as any
other motorist, both within and outside the hours when parking is
controlled. They are subject to the same statutory procedures if they
contravene parking regulations. How and what arrangements Councillors
have for parking when not on official business is a private matter for
Councillors as motorists and is not the subject of Council record.
Councillors are aware of their responsibility to ensure that permits are
only used for official business, and if misused this affects the integrity
of the Council.

Kind regards

Sarah

Sarah Craddock
Senior Committee and Scrutiny Officer
Department of Legal and Administrative Services

Westminster City Council
15th Floor
City Hall
64 Victoria Street
London SW1E 6QP

Tel: 020 7641 2770
Fax: 020 7641 2040
[email address]
[1]www.westminster.gov.uk

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References

Visible links
1. file://www.westminster.gov.uk

Dear Mr Jones

Thank you for your email

Please find attached the Parking Permit Form which includes the Guidance
Notes on how the permit should be used. This form (with the guidance
notes) is sent to the Councillors firstly when they request to apply for
an official permit and again when the permit is issued to them.
Councillors have to renew their official parking permit every year and
each year they are issued with the Guidance Notes twice as stated above.
This requirement is set out in the Council's Code of Governance.

Please note that point 2 of the Guidance Note specifically states:

'An Official Parking Permit does not remove the need to purchase a
Resident's Parking Permit for the Members' Zone of residence (where
applicable), which must be displayed when the vehicle is parked near the
Members Home. Members who need to purchase a Residents Parking Permit
for their private use, should therefore continue to display this permit
in the normal fashion'.

Not all residents, with cars in Westminster need a residents parking
permit as they may, for example, have off street parking or other
arrangements. The Council does not monitor this and has no requirement
to do so.

Yours sincerely

Sarah Craddock

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Dear Mr Jones

Thank you for your email.

Members official duties are not confined to normal working hours. It
would be very difficult for parking enforcement officers to monitor this
in any practicable way. Members are fully aware of the rules relating
to the use of these permits and any misuse is likely to be regarded as a
breach of the Members Code of Conduct.

Best Wishes

Sarah

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