Halifax parking blunder - Calderdale Labour leader reacts

An administrative error will cost the Council hundreds of thousands of pounds after council bosses admitted that parking orders in Halifax town centre have been illegal since 2008.

The council has been forced to suspend all on-street parking charges after a parking ticket was successfully challenged by a member of the public.

Labour leader Councillor Tim Swift said: “Firstly, the Council must continue to be completely open and transparent in dealing with people who have been issued with penalty charge notices that were not enforceable, or who have made payments which are based on these invalid orders. The Council must make it as easy and simple as possible for people to reclaim these payments, and do everything possible to make people aware that they are entitled to their money back.

“Secondly, it is clear that these are technical and legal problems that don’t undermine the policy behind the regulations in either the town centre or Skircoat.

“The situation that now exists could cause problems for both residents and businesses in the run up to Christmas, and therefore the Council needs to act to reinstate legally appropriate parking rules in both areas as quickly as possible.

“Thirdly it is obviously right that officers are planning to examine all other Traffic Regulation Orders across the Borough, again with complete transparency and reporting of any issues found. We think there should be a published timescale for this so that residents can be assured that progress is being made.

“Finally, the Chief Executive must ensure that the system for drafting, checking and agreeing traffic regulation orders is reviewed and, where necessary, revised, so that the chances of similar problems arising in future are minimised.”