Soltalk March 2018 | Page 29

readers commenting that he could have “used a little discretion.” Ashford Borough Council initially defended the warden, insisting that rules had be “consistent,” but then relented and admitted a “mistake” when it was discovered that there was a “long standing agreement” to allow such vehicles to park for regular sessions at the Tenterden Leisure Centre. The question now is to find out which manager failed to tell the warden. worker in Erith who was issued with a £60 (€68) fine after overstaying her time in a car park for 11 minutes. Her appeal for it to be quashed stated that she had spent 20 minutes helping a member of the public who had suffered an epileptic fit. Not only that, when rejecting her appeal, Smart Parking Ltd increased the fine to £100 (€113.) Once again, following publicity in the press, the company cancelled the fine, “as an act of goodwill.” Pity they didn’t accept her own act of goodwill in the first place. Similarly, Leicester City Council has quashed a £70 (€79) penalty charge issued to a man who parked in a bus lane on Christmas Day. Initially, the Council held its ground, but when the national newspapers picked up the story, suddenly there was a change of heart. It turned out that the car driver had stopped to help a homeless man sleeping rough outside the city’s railway station, by giving him warm clothing and a bag of festive goodies. Despite the driver pointing this out, the Council stood firm. It was only when the story hit the headlines, the Council applied “careful consideration” and the fine was waived, with the mayor commenting wisely, “Common sense should prevail.” Toy Stories Not so lucky, though, was an NHS When is a toy a hate crime? When it’s golliwog, apparently. And an Essex landlord is determined to fight any political correctness which has come to be associated with the dolls. Over the last three years, there have been 15 gollies behind the bar of the White Hart pub in Grays, Essex, all gifts from customers, and landlord Chris Ryley says there have only been two complaints: one from a Canadian who pointed out they would not be allowed in her country, and another from an English woman who insisted they were racist, “despite no-one else in the pub agreeing with her, including a black man who was drinking in here at the time.” Chris suspects that a Thorrock Council employee who 27 stopped for lunch contacted the council and the police to report a “racially aggravated crime.” He’s now afraid the Council may try to take away his licence but he is adamant that, “The golliwogs are staying.” An investigation by Turrock Council is underway. And talking of toys, which remember we were, council officers in London’s Battersea Park reportedly left a three- year-old boy in tears after stopping him playing with a remote-controlled car. He and his father were told that “mechanically propelled vehicles” are banned under park rules. (The toy car, by the way, is “propelled” by two AA batteries.) They were given a warning and told that if they continued, the father would be cautioned. Wandsworth Council commented, “Battersea Park is extremely busy with people jogging and cycling, and officers may have considered the remote controls were causing a nuisance to park users.” The boy’s father later said they were not causing a nuisance or annoying anyone, adding, “Is this really the best use of their time?” Continued overleaf