Huddersfield MP: 'I need more free parking'

Mar 1 2010 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

He said: “Every councillor gets a parking permit no matter how active they are. I think a local MP needs help from their local authority.”

The Labour Cabinet will consider giving each Kirklees MP an extra parking permit at a meeting on Tuesday.

The report to Cabinet notes: “Members of Parliament often have interns and work placement students who attend meetings with them and who need to be shown round the constituency. They also attend meetings with them to show the scope of the work.”

If the Cabinet supports the move, extra passes will be available to Mr Sheerman, Kali Mountford of Colne Valley, Dewsbury’s Shahid Malik and Mike Wood of Batley and Spen.

It is up to the MPs if they wish to take up the passes.

However, an opposition Conservative councillor has criticised the proposal.

Clr Martyn Bolt was in charge of parking in Kirklees in 2006 when the decision was made to reduce the number of passes from two to one.

The Mirfield man said: “The cut seemed reasonable to me – councillors only have one pass and we spend more time here than the MPs do.

“I don’t remember being lobbied by MPs or their staff at the time.

“Why does every MP need two cars? Do they need to travel in a cavalcade?

“It’s not environmentally-friendly.”

Clr Bolt added: “If the MPs have asked for extra passes then it seems they’ve learned nothing from the expenses scandal.”