FREE parking passes for York councillors have NOT been scrapped, the Evening Press can reveal today.

As ordinary drivers are forced to fork out more and more to park in the city centre, councillors attending meetings just show their permits - and do not have to pay a penny.

Green councillor Andy D'Agorne said he thought councillors had voted to rip up the passes at a meeting last November.

But it has now emerged that officers later found it would cost more money to process car park expenses than to issue permits each year to a potential list of 47 councillors.

The row broke out as City of York Council confirmed the amount spent on members' allowances had risen from £550,126 in 2003/4 to £563,781 this year.

Coun D'Agorne said some taxpayers might view the free parking U-turn as "hypocritical", in the wake of the row over parking hikes and the Evening Press Stop The Highway Robbery Campaign. He said: "This is like rewriting history as far as I'm concerned."

City council staff had their free parking privileges taken away several years ago.

An independent panel examining councillors' allowances recently made seven key recommendations. Among them was that "free car parking badges for members are discontinued".

Coun D'Agorne said: "The panel could see that issuing members with free parking permits did not encourage green travel. Given the anger at the increased parking charges last year, councillors should be setting an example and using public transport, walking or cycling as much as possible."

But council leader Steve Galloway today reacted angrily to Coun D'Agorne's comments, and claimed he was misleading residents.

He said the panel acknowledged members were entitled to travel expenses - including car parking - but officers found that processing separate claims would have cost a "considerable amount" more.

Members have the choice of a free parking pass, a Park&Ride permit or a cycling allowance.

He stressed passes were for official business only, and said: "Going to meetings can take any length of time and can take place at various locations in the city.

"Councillors have always claimed travel expenses. The only thing that's new is that Coun D'Agorne has arrived with his bike and his unique way of managing his affairs."

The Liberal Democrat leader said it was handy for Coun D'Agorne to cycle from his Fishergate ward to council meetings, but he would struggle to convince the Wheldrake representative to cycle 15 miles for meetings.

High and low spenders

CITY councillors claimed more than £500,000 in allowances over the last year, according to new figures available today.

The total of £563,781 paid to City of York Council's 47 members for 2004/5 is an increase of £13,000 on the previous year.

The top claimer was Guildhall leader Steve Galloway, who collected £30,080. Deputy leader and fellow Liberal Democrat Andrew Waller got £23,163.

The lowest amount claimed by a councillor was £5,862, by Lib Dem Jonathan Morley. This is the basic allowance paid to every member.

Extra cash was paid to members who hold key positions and take on more commitments. The leader gets £24,218, deputy leader £17,301 and the main opposition leader, £17,237.

Asked if the allowance system represented value for money for taxpayers, Coun Galloway today said: "I think councillors in the city work very, very hard.

"We are never exactly killed in the rush for people to stand for re-election."

Allowance levels are set by an independent panel, which takes into account cost of living in York, the average wage, and payments made by similar authorities.

Updated: 11:45 Friday, July 01, 2005