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General Category => General No To Mob Discussion => Topic started by: Web Admin on 02 August, 2016, 12:36:52 PM

Title: Protest as Sandwell Council workers told to pay for parking
Post by: Web Admin on 02 August, 2016, 12:36:52 PM
Protest as Sandwell Council workers told to pay for parking

Up to 1,000 Sandwell Council staff will be forced to pay to park while at work, after bosses at the authority rubber stamped the controversial plans.

(http://www.expressandstar.com/wpmvc/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/protest.jpg)
Carol Wellings, Lillian Eden and Tony Barnsley with fellow workers outside the Sandwell Council meeting over car park charges

Hundreds of employees will pay £4 a day, £24 a month or £240 a year to park at the West Bromwich Street car park in Oldbury, situated next to the council house.

Unison officials blasted the decision as more than 50 members protested with placards before the council’s Highways and Environment decision making session last night.

Council bosses approved the plans with an added recommendation of a season ticket for employees who work three days a week at a reduced rate of £14 a month or £144 annually. It comes as two petitions – one containing more than 600 signatures – and 391 objections were made after the report to introduce parking charges was first put to the cabinet in December last year.

Tony Barnsley, joint branch secretary for Sandwell Unison, said he was ‘incredibly disappointed’ by the council’s decision.

He said: “It is clear that staff feelings have been running very high about this, that’s because it has been a staff car park for 26 years and was built as a staff car park.

“It is crazy to think that the public will use it when there are others for free and nearer the shops.

“Since 2010 pay in local authorities has declined by 20 per cent and people view this as a further cut to pay.

“I’m incredibly disappointed that while part time workers have been considered, the lower paid staff have not.”

However, council chiefs defended the move saying that the car park operated in the same way as other public car parks.

Robin Weare, service manager for highways, said: “Part of the parking charges are not only to recover the costs of it but to enable safe use of it. It has not been a staff car park for the last six years and we are aware that the public do use it as it is signposted off the Oldbury ring road and neighbouring businesses also park there.

“We have considered the impact on lower paid staff as well as lower paid members of the public and want an equality of parking charges for everyone across the borough.

“If it is affordable in other areas then its affordable in Sandwell.”

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2016/07/30/protest-as-sandwell-council-workers-told-to-pay-for-parking/ (http://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2016/07/30/protest-as-sandwell-council-workers-told-to-pay-for-parking/)
Title: Re: Protest as Sandwell Council workers told to pay for parking
Post by: The Bald Eagle on 02 August, 2016, 12:49:04 PM
Hmmmmm.

I wonder where Kira Fleck's Anjna Patel's office is?

 <_>