Parking tickets censure is a joke, says ex-Lord Mayor of Leicester Robert Wann
Former Lord Mayor of Leicester Robert Wann has called a decision to censure him a "complete joke" after he was found to have breached the code of conduct.
The Labour politician brought his position as a councillor into disrepute by getting senior officers at the authority to cancel parking fines, according to a city council standards committee yesterday.
-
Former Lord Mayor of Leicester Robert Wann
Coun Wann was not present at Leicester Town Hall yesterday as the hearing considered allegations he had five penalty tickets quashed by officials and that he secured a parking exemption permit to which he was not entitled.
Coun Wann had informed the committee he would be taking time off after his term as Lord Mayor finished last month.
Cheap Van Insurance For 17,18 & 19 Year Old Drivers - Call Insure365 01782 898188, Free Legal Protection Cover Included valued at £25.00!
Terms: 1 Voucher Per Customer
Contact: 01782 898188
Valid until: Monday, June 24 2013
But committee chairman Jonathan Goolden decided to proceed in his absence.
Coun Wann said he intended to appeal against the decision because it was "unjust, unfair and unreasonable" to go ahead without him.
He said: "It's a complete joke. It should never have gone ahead without me there. I have been denied the right to have my say.
"If I had been there it would have been a very different outcome but I couldn't put my case. It's pathetic."
The committee debated whether to continue without Coun Wann and decided that although he had said in April that he would not be available, he had not given any specific reason.
The committee heard Coun Wann was given a parking exemption after complaining to senior officers that his large car would not fit into spaces in an underground car park at the council's New Walk HQ.
The permit allowed him to park on double yellow lines and was one that is normally only issued to nurses and doctors dealing with critical incidents.
After it expired at the end of 2009, Coun Wann, then a cabinet member, received three parking tickets, which were quashed after he presented them to senior council officers.
Independent investigator Jon Wigmore, who looked into the matter for the committee, said: "I think he applied pressure on senior officers. There was a degree of familiarity that approached friendship.
"He didn't think he needed to shout or thump the table. I think he just needed to turn up, put the ticket on the table and walk out of the room.
"He had given the tickets to senior officers and, in his words, expected them to go to ticket heaven."
Mr Wigmore said he did not think there was a specific request to quash the tickets.
He said two further tickets were cancelled in April 2010, after bailiffs turned up at Coun Wann's pub, the Dunton Bassett Arms, to recover the debt.
The committee heard an "extremely upset" Coun Wann called senior officers to complain.
Mr Wigmore said: "Coun Wann had access to senior officers. There is no doubt this led to a benefit."
The hearing was told Coun Wann made the call because he feared the bailiffs were bogus.
The committee concluded Coun Wann broke the code of conduct by acting in a way that compromised the impartiality of officers, by using his position to gain an advantage, in getting the tickets quashed, and obtaining the exemption.
Mr Goolden said a recent change in standards rules prevented the committee from suspending Coun Wann but he said it would have been considered had it been an option.
He said: "Coun Wann's actions were assisted by senior members of the council."
Comments
by disident3
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 7:13PM
“Council wrong doers get promoted, not dismissed. A friend found drunk and asleep in the offices many times over was dispatched to the far flung corners of Braunstone. Factual.”
by Carlo5
Monday, June 25 2012, 9:03PM
“flutetooter, I once posted a fact regarding a bonus paid to three directors within the public service I work. It was removed within an hour, although it was factual with no offences language. I believe the Mercury to be heavily censored and was told as much by one of there reporters at an incident I attended.”
by flutetooter
Monday, June 25 2012, 8:25PM
“What happened to my comment, Modoerator?”
by mole74
Monday, June 25 2012, 8:57AM
“The Mercury's linked stories on his item are interesting. They suggest Wann was wrong to ask for his parking tickets to be quashed, but that two chief officers were behind the real "wrong-doing". These officers were the former Chief Executive and the current Chief Operations Officer. Will further action be taken, or will Wann take the blame for everything that went on? We should be told!”
by bapcav
Sunday, June 24 2012, 7:17PM
“The problem is that, if you enter politics at borough/city council or above, you must vote according to the "party whip" at all times, whether you agree or not.
This means you cannot have any principles or integrity.
This is why local and national politics is full of people like Parsons and Wann. And a great many others, too.
Honest people with principles would not survive five minutes.”
by georgeisafish
Sunday, June 24 2012, 10:14AM
“his large car doesnt fit in the underground carpark? didums. maybe try a more modest car?”
by prog_rock_fan
Sunday, June 24 2012, 9:58AM
“"Former Lord Mayor of Leicester Robert Wann has called a decision to censure him a "complete joke""
Well, SOMETHING in that sentence is a complete joke...”
by Grant2010
Saturday, June 23 2012, 10:53PM
“Seems to me that we have a number of "senior officer" that have been that busy supping up to councillors they don't have either the morality or courage to stand up to second rate moral and corrupt councilors. These" senior officer" are presumable employed on account of being capable of addressing and dealing with numerous council employees in stressful situations and external business executive without submitting to pressure. By the inclusion of "senior" these were not mere employees of the council, so what chance would mere employees have, yet I have no doubt they would have been severely dealt with as they have been in the past. Is it not time their was equality in the way both councillors and senior officers are dealt with. I worked for this council for many years and saw employees sacked and lose appeals for far less serious offences. The councillors that heard the appeals stated that such employees could no longer be trusted in public service because of far lesser offences.
COME ON COUNCILLORS SHOW SOME CONSISTENCY!
DEAL WITH YOUR OWN AS YOU TREAT THOSE THAT YOU OBVIOUSLY FEEL ARE MERELY YOUR UNDESERVING UNDERLING DESERVING OF NO CLEMENCY OR DON'T EXPECT ANY RESPECT BECAUSE YOU MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT DESERVE IT.”
by EmmEmmess
Saturday, June 23 2012, 5:07PM
“Coun Wann has been found responsible of defrauding the public of FIVE parking fines and of wrongly obtaining a parking permit.
He must be forced to pay the parking fines.
He should also be prosecuted for fraud and for mis-using his position as a councillor to benefit himself.
There must also be an urgent inquiry into how investigating officers had cleared Coun Wann of any wrongdoing when, as the standards committee found, he clearly had.
There must also be an inquiry into why Coun Wann has, as he said, repeatedly made himself unavailable for the hearing since January 2012. The inquiry must also look into whether he is fit & proper to represent his constituents when he clearly hasn't been available for SIX MONTHS.
Leicester City taxpayers deserve fair and law-abiding leaders not cheating self-serving politicians.”
by DonHenson
Saturday, June 23 2012, 3:24AM
“Colarrey he really does look like that. Flattering photos of Mr Wann are impossible, believe me.
Have had dealings with him only twice. Thoroughly unpleasant both times.”