A senior York council officer has apologised unreservedly for parking in a disabled bay when she drove the chief executive to oversee the election count.
Suzan Harrington is deputy returning officer at City of York Council. In that role she assisted the returning officer, council chief executive Mary Weastell, in overseeing the election last week.
The count was held on Friday (3 May) at Energise sports centre on Cornlands Road.
Ms Harrington drove to Energise on Friday morning and parked in the disabled bay, where witnesses saw her drop off her passenger Mrs Weastell in time to supervise the count which began at 10am.
Her car remained in the disabled parking bay for several hours, where it was photographed and shared on social media.
Today she admitted that this was wrong, and she apologised unreservedly.
‘I will apologise to the leaders’
Ms Harrington said today:
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I dropped off Mary Weastell the Returning Officer to the count on Friday to ensure legally the count could start on time.
I apologise unreservedly for then parking in a disabled bay. My intention was to support the count and then move the car to a more suitable location.
I appreciate this was wrong and I moved the vehicle as soon as I was able to get away from the count.
There is no excuse and I have apologised to the Chief Executive for potentially bringing the council into disrepute and will apologise to Energise and the leaders once confirmed.”
As well as being deputy returning officer, Ms Harrington is the interim assistant director for legal and governance, and monitoring officer.
That makes her one of the council’s most senior lawyers.
I doubt very much that the security at Energise were aware that the car was parked there, much less who it was owned by. Disabled spaces are woefully under monitored and often misused.
It’s an appalling thoughtless thing to have done, but let’s not make it all about you and your ongoing battles with the council Matthew.
How come the security guards didn’t act?
Did Senior officers pull rank on them?
I once pulled up on my scooter just to deliver an envelope. Before I had chance to even put the machine on its stand the Council bouncers were on top of me insisting I shift it immediately.
Do these rules not apply to the Chief Exec and her senior lieutenant cum chauffeur?
It was at a leisure centre, that doesn’t have security guards.
Which of course doesn’t make the core issue right, but you might wish to try properly reading the article before commenting.