Plymouth City Council has confirmed that all elected councillors receive comprehensive free parking privileges across the city, including access to all on-street spaces and all council-owned car parks.
Under the council's councillor parking policy, every councillor is entitled to digital permits covering up to two vehicles. These permits provide free parking in all on-street pay and display bays, access to all permit holder parking areas, free use of all Plymouth City Council owned car parks, and permission to exceed maximum stay limits in short-stay bays. The permits are renewed annually on 31 May and are issued automatically to new councillors following local elections.
Senior councillors and officials enjoy even greater privileges at the prestigious Council House car park, which has space for approximately eight vehicles. Only the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor, Leader and Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members, Shadow Leader, Chief Executive, and blue badge holders have regular access. Access is controlled through councillors' ID cards, with no separate permit required.
The council states the permits are "only for use whilst on Council business" and cannot be used for personal purposes. Councillors living in Controlled Parking Zones must still pay for their own residential permits. However, the policy allows councillors to park beyond stated time limits in short-stay bays designed to support local shops and businesses, though they are asked to be "mindful of other users."
The Parking Team monitors permit usage, and breaches can result in permit revocation. The council warns that failure to update vehicle details may result in penalty charge notices, and there are "no valid grounds for appeal" against tickets issued for rule breaches.
However, councillor insiders have informed us that for years the free parking passes have been regularly used by spouses and family members, despite the policy stating permits "must not be used by any other person." Sources within the council confirm that this misuse is widespread and "extremely hard to police" due to the digital nature of the permits and limited enforcement resources.
During Full Council meetings, parking at the Council House becomes even more exclusive, restricted to only the Leader, Deputy Leader, Chief Executive, Cabinet and Lord Mayor due to "space restrictions." The policy also accommodates "Civic VIP guests" during events, with councillors informed of any restrictions on those days.
While councillors enjoy free parking, the Council House car park is also available for commercial bookings by external organisations, and the council operates multiple paid car parks across the city for residents and visitors. The comprehensive parking privileges come at a time when many Plymouth residents face increasing parking charges and restrictions across the city centre and residential areas.
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