Councillors refusing to pay parking fine

Cleveland Police Authority members Barry Coppinger and Ron Lowes both argued that they should not have to pay the tickets - and that parking places should have been provided for an authority meeting.

The pair were fined after parking in Lauder Street, Hartlepool, for a police authority meeting, which was being held near the town's civic centre.

Both believe they have grounds for appeal because Hartlepool Borough Council, which issued the parking fines, did not provide parking spaces for the meeting on January 27.

Councillor Barry Coppinger, who as well as being a police authority member is Middlesbrough Council's executive member for community safety, said that he had taken advice from the police authority about appealing against the ticket.

Earlier, he had joked to Hartlepool Borough Council chief executive Joe McCarthy that the chief executive "should pay it himself".

He said: "That was very much tongue in cheek. The fact is we, like anyone else, have the right to appeal and we are doing so.

"We will abide by whatever decision is made."

Councillor Ron Lowes, who is executive councillor for transport on Middlesbrough Council, said: "At the time it was a bit of a laugh when we told the other members of the police authority at the meeting that we had been given the parking fine tickets.

"At that time, we were told it would be all sorted out.

"We don't think we're above the law. We're just two people who think we've got a case and are appealing.

"If they turn round and say, 'rules are rules,' we will cough up."

A spokesman for Hartlepool council said: "To the best of our knowledge, there was no request to the council to provide parking spaces. However, the council operates an appeals procedure and each case is judged on its merits."

Ted Cox, chairman of the police authority, said the matter was between the two men and Hartlepool council. The authority regularly holds meetings across the police force area.