AN ICE-CREAM man has been getting more than he bargained for on his round – including being filmed by the council.
Kevin Hufton has been doing his rounds of Birkby, Newsome and Crosland Moor for almost 15 years without a problem.
But over the past month he has been filmed by council officials gathering evidence against him.
A spokeswoman for Kirklees Council said they began investigating the ice-cream man after receiving a complaint from Salendine Nook High School.
But Mr Hufton believes it is unfair for the council to target him.
The ice-cream man, of Crosland Moor, said: "I was playing my tune as I was going down New Hey Road and stopped in an area where there are houses and people passing.
"Plenty of people come out and I’ve been stopping there for years.
"It is a permit-only parking area but the van is still running and my rule book says I can stay as long as I’m busy but when it goes quiet I have to move on.
"But recently I’ve seen people with cameras filming, they said they were preparing papers and gathering evidence to take me to court."
Mr Hufton said he never stops in a place if there are no customers and he usually serves the willing school kids before driving off.
He says he was told by Kirklees Council licensing to buy a static permit for around £100.
He added: "When have you even known an ice-cream van to be static?
"Is it really worth using taxpayers money taking an ice-cream man to court for doing his job?"
He maintains that he does not enter school grounds unless asked to, for events such as football tournaments.
A spokesman for Longo’s Ices, of Huddersfield, said there had been complaints from schools about ice-cream vans on health grounds, but not about parking.
He said: "The council bylaws allow us to park, play our tunes, serve the customers and move on".
A spokeswoman for Kirklees Council said: "Following complaints from Salendine Nook High School, Kirklees licensing is looking at Mr Hufton’s activities with a view to prosecuting him for illegal street trading."
