SPECIAL parking privileges for town hall staff is costing the local taxpayer £48,000 claims the local Green Party.

And they claim the cheap parking deal, which allows all council employees to park in city centre for just £90 a year, goes against the authority's transport policies.

"Apart from anything else this scheme is simply not fair," said Dr Jon Barry. "Why should workers at small businesses in the city centre have to pay over three times the amount that council workers do? and why should employees be able to use car parks at weekends when they are not working for the council?"

A similar permit for ordinary members of the public costs £282 and the Greens have estimated the cost of the staff subsidy to be £48,000. They also claim it contradicts the council's aims to reduce long-term commuter parking.

"The council should be setting an example of green practices for other major employees in the district. Instead, by charging an average of 25p a day for its own workers - it's positively encouraging people to use their cars. This scheme contradicts green principles, firstly by setting a fixed rate for a yearly permit people are encouraged to use their car as much as possible. If the council must subsidise parking by £192 a year, why not give this same amount to people who use the bus?"

It has also been revealed that reserved spaces for senior councillors and top officers costs £150 while a member of the public requiring an individual space would have to pay a massive £452.

Transport chairman Cllr Pat Rye said: "This scheme will replace an arrangement whereby some 450 employees had access to free parking spaces. It will generate income of about £20,000 per annum.

It's a great shame that Jon Barry didn't check his facts before launching this infantile and ill-informed attack on council workers. A fanatical anti-car crusade is of no help."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.