Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery makes 'unreserved' double yellow lines parking apology

Denise Jeffery, who leads Wakefield Council, made the statement after social images of the alleged traffic rules breach were made public by her Tory opponent. Conservative group leader Nadeem Ahmed put pictures on his Facebook page which appear to show Coun Jeffery’s Mini illegally parked in Wakefield city centre on Wednesday (Jul 19).

It is unclear when the images were taken but Coun Jeffery has accepted that the vehicle “looks like” one she has previously owned. The leader of the Labour-run council said she has also reported herself to parking services and would be paying a parking fine in full.

Coun Ahmed’s Facebook post includes the comment: “When the Labour leader of Wakefield Council thinks it ok to park ILLEGALLY on double yellow lines but cancels 2 hours of free parking in Wakefield City for residents…”

The images appear to show the vehicle double parked on Southgate, close to the entrance of The Ridings shopping centre.

In a statement, Coun Jeffery said: “This is not a recent photograph. I have not driven that car for well over a year but accept that it does look like my previous car. I do apologise unreservedly. I’ve reported it to parking services and they will be issuing me with a fine. I will of course be paying the full penalty.”

Coun Ahmed said he had been contacted by a member of the public who took the images. Coun Ahmed said Coun Jeffery was spotted parking the vehicle before going shopping at the M&S store in The Ridings.

Coun Ahmed said: “This shows a brazen disregard for the rules. Coun Jeffery may now be referring herself to parking services but she should not have done it in the first place. People have had enough of politicians, whether it be former Prime Minister Boris Johnson breaking covid lockdown rules, MPs or local councillors.

“It gives us all a bad name, whether we are Conservative, Labour or any other political party. People are left with the impression that it is one rule of us and one rule for everyone else. It brings our institutions into disrepute. I am sharing these pictures because I would rightly expect them (Labour) to do the same if it was me who did it.”

Parking charges were reintroduced at Wakefield council-run car parks in April this year. Two hours’ free parking has been in place at many of the district’s off-street car parks since the start of the pandemic in April 2020. The local authority brought back the charge to make savings to tackle a £24m budget shortfall.

Announcing the reintroduction of the fees earlier this year, Coun Jeffery said: “It is disappointing that we are in this position today. We are so proud that we could offer, for business people and people coming into our town centres, free parking across our district.

“I think it made a massive difference. If we had not had all these horrendous cuts by this Conservative government we would not be in this situation. I feel really sad today that we have to do this. I hope people understand that we have no alternative.”