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Brighton parking boss left car in disabled bay

12:00pm Wednesday 29th October 2008


The man responsible for parking in Brighton and Hove has been caught leaving his car in a disabled bay.

A photo obtained by The Argus shows Councillor Geoffrey Theobald’s Jaguar parked in a space designated for the disabled at Brighton and Hove City Council’s head office.

Coun Theobald, cabinet member for transport, has led a series of campaigns against the abuse of disabled parking badges and said earlier this year it was important to “make sure disabled parking is available for those who really need it”.

He said he left his car at the private King’s House car park in Grand Avenue, Hove, to attend a meeting of senior councillors and top officers.

He added the spaces were not open to the public and he had asked a member of staff who monitors the car park to contact him if the space was needed by a disabled driver.

Coun Theobald said: “This is being mischievous.

“You are in a hurry, rushing from place to place, it is a small car park and there are no parking spaces for councillors.

“The vast majority of councils have parking spaces marked for councillors.

“It certainly would give the wrong impression if I was parking outside Sainsbury’s or Tesco, right in front of the store, in a disabled bay.

“Every single space in the car park is a very short distance from the door and there is a guy who keeps a constant watch on it and if I needed to move the car I would have come straight down. I could have been 30 minutes late trying to find a space. What more am I expected to do?”

But Councillor Paul Elgood, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, criticised Coun Theobald’s decision.

He said: “Councillors should always be seeking to set an example for residents and members of staff, especially when it comes to issues affecting disability and parking.

“Councillors must be aware they are always on duty across the city. They should always obey the letter of the law. I certainly have not, and would not, park in a disabled bay.”

Was councillor Theobald justified in parking in a bay for disabled drivers? Comment below.


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BBBrighton, Brighton says...
12:16pm Wed 29 Oct 08

tut tut tut, as ALWAYS with the council its one rule for us and another for them. CLEARLY i am in the wrong profession if Mr Theobald can swan around in a not so environmentally friendly 50k jag, even the chancellor only has a prius! tut tut tut

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mark 62, brighton says...
12:23pm Wed 29 Oct 08

what a laugh driving a 20 mpg car and the council is sooo!! enviromental in there nonsense talk, why did he not travel by cycle? why not by electic car? but since when can anyone park in a disabled space and say its ok!! disgrace.

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BBBrighton, Brighton says...
12:27pm Wed 29 Oct 08

P.S He's not even bothered to park the car properly, if you are going to openly ignore the policies you put in place at least do it properly

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bhoy1976, Hove says...
12:34pm Wed 29 Oct 08

This is a major let down for Blue Badge holders, the public, the council and Sustainable Transport general. It undermines everything I work hard to support as a council worker. If there are privelidges set out for specific people they would know about it. I think he should be suspended - it's an inexcusable act for a man in his position.

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harwood, Brighton & Hove says...
12:39pm Wed 29 Oct 08

I think the more serious things is that he sees nothing wrong with parking in a disabled space as he's supposedly asked the parking guy to notify him and it's a private car park, WRONG, a disabled parking space is for disabled people only, not arrogant councillors who think they can get away with it!

This guy seems very two faced in my opinion, a typical abuse of power from councillors who think they are better than ordinary people.

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HannahC, Hove says...
12:40pm Wed 29 Oct 08

This angers me so much, if he was going to be 30 minutes late for a meeting because of parking, then leave 30 minutes earlier and maybe get a taught how to time keep! If it was a member of the general public, we would certainly have got a ticket. This is unexcusable!

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scoomer, Moulsecoomb says...
12:46pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Ah, the old "I'm just gonna be a minute, nobody'll mind" line: next time I'm parked on a double yellow and a parking attendant shows up, I shall try saying "Look, I won't be long: give me a shout if a bus can't get past and I'll come out and shift it" - I'm SURE that'll ensure I don't get a ticket.

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jack reagan, Patcham toon says...
12:49pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Maybe cllr Theobald is like the majority of Blue Badge holders, and is fully able to park in normal spaces, but chooses to over egg the pudding to get free parking and parking where otherwise would be illegal.

Its time to stop this blue badge scam, and say this

If you are disabled you get fee public transport and dial a ride, if you are able to drive a car, you are not disabled enough.

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feline1, Brighton says...
12:51pm Wed 29 Oct 08

He should resign. Simple as that.
Him and his Jag.

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S.T. Rewth, Brighton says...
12:57pm Wed 29 Oct 08

An utter disregard of the rule.
Resign Now.

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Acheron, Hove says...
1:01pm Wed 29 Oct 08

All Brighton and Hove citizens are equal, just some are more equal than others!

Does Cllr Theobald believe that it is ok for all of us to follow his example and leave a contact number with a parking attendant, or is it just him thats allowed to do that.

I think that the power has rather gone to his head.

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Biggles.., Burgess Hill says...
1:20pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Good grief..
I recieved a ticket (in a Burgess Hill car park) for parking my car 5 inches (thats 12.7cm for the younger readers) over the line of my space and recieved a ticket!
The fact that when I arrived it was the only space available and, in order to both fit in the space, and extract myself from the vehicle I had to leave the vehicle over the white line made no difference to my appeal!
For the Council members to have such flagrant disregard for the rules, and yet enforce them so rigorously on members of the public is unfair in the extreme.
And before anyone bleats about my parking skills might I just say that I have been driving and parking for over 25 years and this has been my only driving blemish so far...
Anyway, have you ever tried fitting a Sopwith Camel into a space in Churchill Square 1??
Pip pip...



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Green Ben, Kemp Town says...
1:28pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Don't they ever learn?

It's hardly news that so many Tory behave selfishly and are happy to ignore the law of the land, but it's really amazing that they keep letting themselves get caught.

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feline1, Brighton says...
1:30pm Wed 29 Oct 08

I think I shall be going to Brighton & Hove City Council's website and filing an official complaint against this councillor for bringing his office into disrepute :)

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SteveHove, Hove says...
1:43pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Why could he not park in the street and pay like the rest of the people visiting the area have to. If someone vists me by car and are not resident they have to pay to park why not the councilor and you can be late just looking for a space on the street if you get there at the wrong time.

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stickman, Portslade says...
2:39pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Given the state of his parking maybe he is disabled. Get your eyes tested councillor.

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bobajob, says...
3:28pm Wed 29 Oct 08

grr. this has got my goat!

Cllr Theobold - "I could have been 30 minutes late trying to find a space. What more am I expected to do?”

LEAVE 30 MINS EARLIER YOU LAZY SWINE

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feline1, Brighton says...
3:31pm Wed 29 Oct 08

no need to "write a letter",
just use the Council's complaints form on its website:

http://www.brighton-
hove.gov.uk/index.cf
m?request=c1137621

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tonyinbrighton, brighton says...
3:38pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Come on guys - it's a big car and the disabled space might be a bit bigger than a standard slot......

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Annonn, Hove says...
4:10pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Shame, shame, shame on you Theobold. Every professional in this town arranges good their time to ensure they find a place to park. What an elitist scum you are.

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Saker-Clive, Brighton says...
5:48pm Wed 29 Oct 08

This will open up a lot of 'official tickets' being contested on the grounds that as the Councillor can get away with it so can we!!!
I have 'disabled' printed on my tax disc but because I have never bothered to apply for a Blue badge, I don't abuse the system; WHY SHOULD COUNCILLOR THEOBOLD?

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bibble, London (but visit Brighton regularly) says...
6:06pm Wed 29 Oct 08

How does the councillor manage to get a man to watch his illegally parked car?

If I use the excuse that I am busy and in a hurry will I be let off a parking ticket? If not, why not? My time is important at the councillor's.

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Issac Hunt, Brighton says...
7:31pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Who cares . . .

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10 Downing Street, London says...
8:50pm Wed 29 Oct 08

jack reagan wrote:
Maybe cllr Theobald is like the majority of Blue Badge holders, and is fully able to park in normal spaces, but chooses to over egg the pudding to get free parking and parking where otherwise would be illegal. Its time to stop this blue badge scam, and say this If you are disabled you get fee public transport and dial a ride, if you are able to drive a car, you are not disabled enough.
I totally agree! Stop the Blue Badge scheme now. How does the Disabled person get TO the car (from their home) and how do they get to their final destination FROM their vehicle?
Typical scenario is at the top of Cannon Place in Brighton. How do they get around Churchill Square? Would be easier for them to park in Churchill One or Two (Car Parks) and then get a lift to the floor they are going too.
And as for those morons who park on Double Yellow lines by the mini roundabout in Cannon Place, well, it beggars belief that anyone has that mentality.

"If you are disabled you get fee public transport and dial a ride, if you are able to drive a car, you are not disabled enough".... So Very True!!


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Dave At Home, Brighton says...
10:22pm Wed 29 Oct 08

I know someone with one leg, walks with under arm crutches and drives a normal automatic car because 1) she is not disabled in the eyes of the council 2) she is not entitled to a blue badge and 3) she is not entitled to any mobility assistance because she was diagnosed as been able bodied. If she wants a replacement leg she will have to pay for it herself, the council will not do anything for her. She has to buy 2 shoes at a time because she can't by just one and this guy abandons his JAG in a space designed for a disabled car/person - disgraceful, he should be sacked forthwith without any benefits. The council should be ashamed of themselves.

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Reginaldo, Shoreham says...
10:32pm Wed 29 Oct 08

Judging by the picture it seems to me that the councillor hasn't got a leg to stand on. In which case he would be entitled to a blue badge.....Hmmmm

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davyboy, abingdon, oxon says...
7:56am Thu 30 Oct 08

could have always caught the bus, and walked down from church rd. this is the height of laziness, and abuse of position. bobajob, i hope your god daughter's condition improves enough to allow her to get around on her own, because finding disabled spaces is getting harder. they are all taken up by illegal parking, especially at the supermarkets. i for one, am glad my taxes are helping a little girl have a life.

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dolphy, hanover says...
8:09am Thu 30 Oct 08

Occasionally I get a parking ticket while I'm unloading my car a the closest point I can get it to my house. I just ignore it. Eventually I get a letter. I ignore that too. When the second letter comes I send off the standard reply "I didn't receive the ticket or the first letter you claim you sent". After a while they send a third letter with a picture of the ticket on my car. I say "oh maybe someone removed it before I saw it. Anyway, I was unloading." By that time they've lost the thread and don't persue it any further. I wish we could fine them for wasting our time when they wrongly issue a ticket, that happens much more than people realise

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dolphy, hanover says...
8:18am Thu 30 Oct 08

feline1 wrote:
no need to "write a letter",
just use the Council's complaints form on its website:

http://www.brighton-

hove.gov.uk/index.cf

m?request=c1137621
I just complained on the website. It's very easy. I think he shouldn't get away with it, Jag-driving Tories ought to be more careful and less arrogant

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Carl Bugenhagen, West Pier says...
8:51am Thu 30 Oct 08

He can drive whatever car he likes if you ask me, just don't use up all the parking spaces for electric car charging points, that's all - the hypocrisy is eye-watering. He used every excuse they all do when caught. Why wasn't he on the 'excellent buses'?

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dolphy, hanover says...
9:36am Thu 30 Oct 08

I had a jag myself, and I would defend his right to have one, it's just that he's a total hypocrite, that's the idea

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BBBrighton, Brighton says...
10:07am Thu 30 Oct 08

dolphy wrote:
feline1 wrote:
no need to "write a letter",
just use the Council's complaints form on its website:

http://www.brighton-


hove.gov.uk/index.cf


m?request=c1137621
I just complained on the website. It's very easy. I think he shouldn't get away with it, Jag-driving Tories ought to be more careful and less arrogant
I just complained via the website too - the more the merrier, the very least he could do is admit he was in the wrong!!

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puddingandpi, Brighton says...
10:24am Thu 30 Oct 08

I see people parking in the disabled spaces at Rottingdean every morning. They're "only going to be a few minutes" & "just popping for a paper" & some of the cars are staff from the sorting office!
I find it outrageous & disgusting that people are so selfish as to hog these spaces.

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puddingandpi, Brighton says...
10:32am Thu 30 Oct 08

Mind you, I've just remembered, my dad used his wife's orange badge for a year after she died. I tried so hard to get him to give it up & he never did. Then they changed to the blue badge which put a stop to it.
If me & him go shopping, he'll park in the "Parent & Child" space - I'm 37!
And, ironically, he is so fat he should park as far away as he can so he'll get some exercise, say, Shoreham?

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zamo28, Brighton says...
4:23pm Thu 30 Oct 08

Yet again one law for the rich,and yet another for the poor.Time for the good people of this Country to stand up.Big rich mans car,you would never find a man like this on Brighton & Hoves nightmare buses.

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random153, says...
6:59pm Thu 30 Oct 08

why is this not on the front page, someone should make an example of this guy! he says that he would have moved his car if the space was needed yeah right!!! i dont think so some how. Clearly he doesnt care about anyone but himself and i find it absurd that he gets paid so much for being selfish, lazy and totally ignorant. I say ban him from the car park completely

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robsurmer, Brighton says...
7:22pm Thu 30 Oct 08

What beggars belief is not what this councillor did which is disgraceful-but some of the unbelievably ignorant comments about blue badge holders! If disabled people can drive they are not disabled enough??????- the problem is the same old chestnut- why is it that people in this country resent anyone getting any sort of special privilege or special consideration? Disabled people would much rather not be disabled and give the badge back- as to using (free) public transport-how do we get to the stop if we struggle to walk ten metres?
I know of cancer patients who have had limbs removed and have managed to learn to walk with prosthetic limbs which are not always obvious or apparent to the casual observer- and these same people have been abused for using a badge by members of the public! Able bodied drivers of the severely disabled have been abused for using badges- which they are allowed to do to transport them around. This attitude has got to stop. It's appalling and is a sad reflection on the character of these people- I just hope that they one day are not in the unenviable position of having to apply for one...

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aoife303, Brighton says...
12:32pm Mon 3 Nov 08

To the people saying that the Blue Badge scheme should be abolished:

It is ridiculous to say that if one can drive a car one is not disabled!

Public transport for people with mobility issues is often not good enough to provide independence and the quality of life abled-bodied people take for granted.

A handful of buses out there still have steps to get on, many of the buses which are wheelchair accessable have ramps which do not work. If you wish to catch a train in a wheelchair, you are suppose to inform them of which trains you will be getting over 24 hours in advance.

Above all, buses and trains do not deliver you to where you need to be. A short walk might be nothing for a healthy person, but for somebody for whom walking causes extreme pain and threat to health, Blue Badges are invaluable!

As a young person with a Blue Badge, I get hassle all the time because I have an unseen disability, and it is assumed I am abusing the system. Without my car and my Blue Badge I would rarely leave my house. It is a life-line for me.

When people park in Blue Badge bays without a Blue Badge it is just wrong. Before I had a Blue Badge I did not park in a designated bay, even when travelling in a wheelchair, and in huge amounts of pain.

It is inexcusable for the Counciller to think it is okay to do this in a private car park. The same could easily be said about supermarket or university car parks... they too are private after all and have parking attendants to 'notify' of your illegal parking.

Disgraceful.

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Smiffy, Frome says...
9:45pm Mon 3 Nov 08

I get to and from the car by wheelchair Mr Hunt and Mr Isaac.That's why disabled spaces are wider than ordinary spaces, so there's room to transfer from car seat to wheelchair! I don't drive, I have to be taken by someone else because I am so ill.

When I do go out,which isn't very often, most disabled spaces, especially in supermarket car parks, are taken by morally disabled people who are physically well able to walk. These horrible people also feel that the the disabled toilets are put there for their use.

Lets have special car parking and toilets provided for the morally disabled like this councillor so that we disabled people can actually use the facilities provided for us.

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Jsh2009, newcastle says...
10:04pm Wed 5 Nov 08

"As a young person with a Blue Badge, I get hassle all the time because I have an unseen disability, and it is assumed I am abusing the system. Without my car and my Blue Badge I would rarely leave my house. It is a life-line for me"

I'm also a young blue badge holder, and get verbal abuse from people when i park, both before and after displaying the badge. Mainly from "older" people with disabilities. I guess they see a new sporty looking car, they think i do not have a disablity, unaware the car is automatic, and adapted. If i can't park in a disabled bay, i will try to find a bay on the end of a row so i have space to get out of the car.

I have never parked on a double yellow line or a single yellow line. as to me this is just unsafe for both pedestrians and other motorists.

Saying "If a person is able to drive then they are not disabled" is just wrong, and public transport for a lot of disabled people is not easy to use,

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Councillor Geoffrey Theobald parked in a disabled bay Councillor Geoffrey Theobald parked in a disabled bay


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