Liverpool Echo - by Carrie Catterall
THE Mayor of Wirral has apologised after his car was spotted parked illegally in Birkenhead.
Councillor Andrew Hodson, who presides over a council that employs a spy car to catch errant motorists, has said his driver made "an error in judgement" after he parked on double yellow lines in Old Bidston Road, Birkenhead, at around 2pm on Wednesday.
His grey Jaguar - with the number plate WCM 1M - was spotted by a local businessman who has recently been issued with a ticket from the council’s spy car for illegal parking.
He said: "I am just disgusted that there’s one rule for the mayor and one for the public.
"If the council issues these tickets, then people representing the council should set a good example.
"This whole thing just makes a mockery of parking restrictions."
The Mayoress, Kathy, was alone in car and its driver was standing nearby when Cllr Hodson’s vehicle was snapped.
The Mayor said: "I wasn’t with the car when it was seen parked illegally and I have told my driver that it was a bad error of judgement to park in that way.
"This should never have happened and I have given my driver strict instructions to take more care in future and observe the parking restrictions in any place that we visit."
A spokeswoman for Wirral Council said: "However much we would like to, it is simply illegal for the council to issue a parking ticket based upon a photograph that hasn’t been provided by a parking enforcement officer.
"The council takes its obligations to comply with parking regulations extremely seriously.
"Staff and elected members will be treated no differently to any members of the public.
"The driver has been instructed to ensure that this incident is not repeated and has assured us that it will never happen again."
© copyright Liverpool Echo. Reproduced under fair use for the dual purposes of comment and news reporting
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