A Labour-led local authority has been left red-faced after being forced to pay a staggering £138,000 in fines – because its own vehicles were clamped in the car park outside its headquarters.
Permit Blunder Leads to Costly Clamping
Earlier this year, Swindon Borough Council's highway maintenance vans were parked at electric vehicle charging points outside the Civic Offices on Euclid Street in the Wiltshire town. However, the vehicles were swiftly clamped after it was discovered they displayed the incorrect parking permits.
The council had to settle the matter by paying £138,000 to cover County Court Judgments issued against it. The fines were accumulated between March and August.
'Not Our Finest Hour': Council Admits Fault
Deputy leader of Swindon Borough Council, Councillor Emma Bushnell, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'Clearly, this has not been the council's finest hour.' She added: 'We regret this has happened, and will strive to ensure it doesn't happen again.'
Ms Bushnell explained the embarrassing error occurred because the staff member responsible for handling permits had been on long-term sick leave. Despite this, she stated unequivocally that the fault lay with the council. 'Absolutely the council's mistake, our fault entirely,' she admitted.
She confirmed the fines were paid 'immediately' to have the vans unclamped and revealed that the council's chief executive and head of finance have ordered an internal audit investigation into the incident.
Political Fallout and Parking Penalty Context
The costly mistake was seized upon by Swindon's Conservative councillors during a debate. Conservative deputy leader Dale Heenan, who uncovered the total through his own research, told the council chamber: 'This is not normal. It does not normally happen in this authority.'
The incident is particularly awkward for the council given its recent stance on parking enforcement. The same authority has previously proposed an eight per cent increase to parking charges in its car parks and on-street bays.
Furthermore, data shows that for the 2024-2025 period, the council issued a total of 34,962 penalty charge notices. Of these, 24,410 were for more serious offences carrying a £70 fine, representing a 13 per cent increase on the previous year.
