EXCLUSIVE

CONCESSIONARY parking was withdrawn in Bromsgrove because ‘elderly people are too rich’ – according to a council officer.

A woman, in her 70s, was told in a letter, passed on to the Advertiser/Messenger, that the reason why £30 parking permits were withdrawn earlier this year was because a large number of elderly people drive expensive cars and could well afford full parking fees.

In a letter to the woman, who suffers from arthritis in one hand, Steve Martin, head of the district council’s street scene and waste management department, said: “I stand by my statement that a large number of concessionary permit holders are relatively well-off. I have observed the age and type of vehicles owned by a number of permit holders and I believe that it is reasonable to associate expensive modern cars with drivers who have a large disposable income.”

The pensioner contacted town MP, Julie Kirkbride, and her parish council at Lickey End.

Its clerk, Charlie Bateman, said: “It is a disgraceful statement for a council official to make. If she was driving a Rolls Royce it would be totally irrelevant. In fact she drives an ‘L’ registration car.

“His attitude is personally biased against Bromsgrove’s older people with the word ‘I’ running all the way through his letter.”

Mr Bateman said he was in the process of investigating the matter further as the pensioner, who does not wish to be named, was worried about being spied on by officers.

Executive director of services on Bromsgrove District Council Council, Tony Beirne, said: “In this instance the officer has made an error of judgement in choosing to express a personal view.

“I would like to emphasise that the views expressed are not the views of the council and apologise to our loyal and valued customers.

“We take great pride in providing car parks which are safe and clean for all our residents to use.”

Since the withdrawal of discretionary parking the Advertiser/Messenger has received a torrent of complaints from elderly and disabled people.

Today (Wednesday, October 1) the council’s cabinet is set to look again at blue badge holders’ calls for parking permits.