Councillor pays fines

A COUNCILLOR has paid parking fines issued to drivers following confusion over new charges at a car park in Wargrave.

Several drivers were fined £50 at the Wokingham Borough Council car park in School Lane after reading that it would be free to use after 6pm from March 1.

In fact, a new set of charges, which also includes an increase in the daytime rate from 40p to 50p an hour, does not come into force until April 2.

The misunderstanding was caused by borough councillors John Halsall and Bob Pitts who informed some residents in correspondence that the new system came into force a month early.

The councillors, who represent the Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe ward, also included the incorrect date in their regular column in the Wargrave parish newsletter.

Cllr Halsall said he was happy to rectify the error.

He said: “I have remedied it by paying the fines myself — there weren’t many.

“I’ve also persuaded the local authority and the company who do the fines to accept the position that anybody who claims they were misled should not be fined.”