The ECHO has today revealed the names of 14 current and former elected Liverpool politicians accused of using a "back door" route to get parking tickets thrown out by Liverpool City Council.
For 16 months this newspaper has been investigating claims that for a period of years, some elected members were able to get out of paying parking fines because officers would rescind their tickets without using a proper appeals process.
That investigation has now revealed the names of the 14 politicians who had a total of 51 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for parking rescinded by council officers over a five year period between 2015 and 2020.
READ MORE: 14 Liverpool politicians used "back door" to have parking tickets cancelled
Those named are all either current or former Labour elected members and the party has today said our investigation highlights what was a "custom and practice" during a time when the council's "corporate behaviours were not what they should have been."
Labour also said that all its current or former elected members named in today's ECHO investigation were operating in "good faith" and on the advice that was explicitly given to them by senior council officers who had told them that tickets they received in the course of their duties could be rescinded.
The council's current chief executive said the information we have uncovered is "an example of the unacceptable culture that pervaded parts of the council in the past", while the lead government commissioner overseeing improvements at the council said the revelations "shine a light on the poor practices that have been all too common in Liverpool City Council."
In its response to the ECHO, the city council has offered all those named the opportunity to respond and explain their reasons for having parking tickets cancelled. Some of these comments date from when we first asked the questions in 2021 while others have followed up with more recent comments.
In the interests of fairness and transparency we have decided to publish all these comments in full along with the names of those councillors and details of when tickets were issued and cancelled.
Some names and details have been redacted by the council. We have also redacted the names of some council officers we did not have responses from. Former senior council officer Andy Barr is referred to by several councillors in their explanations. In a statement to the ECHO Mr Barr insists he had made councillors aware of the proper appeals process for challenging parking tickets and that councillors "insisted" tickets were cancelled. You can read his full response in our main article here.
Cllr Ann O'Byrne, Labour - 17 rescinded tickets
Warbeck councillor and former Deputy Mayor Ann O'Byrne has by far the largest number of rescinded tickets in the time period we asked about. These tickets were all issued between September 23 2015 and September 19 2017.
All 17 were issued in the city centre, with ten for parking in Water Street, three in William Brown Street, two in High Street, one in Fenwick Street and one in Victoria Street. They were all issued and rescinded during her time as Deputy Mayor of Liverpool.
In Cllr O'Byrne's explanation, provided through the city council, she claims she was issued a pass by former senior council officer Andy Barr and followed instructions from him - something he categorically denies.
Cllr O'Byrne said: "I was issued with an operational pass by Andy Barr. I was told that all the senior management team and senior councillors received this pass which allowed them to park in the city so they could do their job effectively.
"I received a parking ticket and asked Andy Barr if I was allowed to park outside the Cunard building. He informed me there is sometimes technical issues over the passes and if I received any other tickets to pass them in to him, which I did on the understanding this was the agreed process."
Cllr Barry Kushner, Labour - 7 rescinded tickets
Cllr Barry Kushner has represented the Norris Green ward since 2012 and previously held a number of cabinet positions. He is the current chair of the council's finance committee.
In the council's response to our FOI, it states that Cllr Kushner had a total of seven Fixed Penalty Notices issued and then rescinded in the period between 2015 and 2020. These included five tickets for parking in St Nicholas Place in the city centre, one in Duke Street in the city centre and one in Brunswick Street in the city centre.
Responding over the St Nicholas Place tickets, Cllr Kushner said: "This is an off-road council car park and I thought that this was one of the eligible car parks at the time. I had council business in Cunard Building, including meetings. I appealed the ticket with (council officer) from Democratic Services.
Referring to a ticket received in Duke Street in April 2016 he said: "I had a meeting on council business, which if I think was in the Pagoda community centre. The meeting overran and if I remember correctly, I contacted (council officer) to appeal the ticket, and this was agreed."
And referring to the ticket received in Brunswick Street in January 2017, he added: "I had meetings and other council business in Cunard Building. I think on this occasion, I must have forgotten to purchase a parking ticket. If I recall correctly, on this occasion I appealed this penalty with (council officer)."
In recent follow up comments, Cllr Kushner said: "The parking tickets and the use of the off-road council car park were in fulfilment in my duties as a Cabinet Member and not for my personal use. I had either paid for a ticket, which expired because a meeting on Council business had over ran or used an off-road Council car park that I had not been informed was not covered by my council off road parking pass
"I have always paid any parking fines, as they related to my personal use. I wish to stress that if I had been expected to pay the resultant parking PCNs, I would have challenged that charge on the basis that a permit/ pass had been given by the council."
Councillor Gerard Woodhouse, Labour - 5 rescinded tickets
Cllr Gerard Woodhouse has represented the County ward in north Liverpool since 2010. He was formerly a mayoral lead for older people and is known in the city for running the L6 Community Centre.
According to the FOI results, Cllr Woodhouse received five parking fines or PCNs that were all cancelled by council officers between April 2015 and December 2020. Two of these were in High Street, two were in Exchange Street West and one was in Water Street.
In his initial response in 2021, Cllr Woodhouse said: "I will respond by stating how angry I am to have not even been spoken to about this issue by anyone to clarify, before a complaint was made. The parking tickets were all issued while I was attending either licensing or planning and on all occasions there were reasons why I made the decision to park there. [REDACTED] and I wrote to either (council officer) or Head of parking services with reasons why I thought I should not pay ticket as you know you cannot time how long a planning meeting takes or taxi Committee they were always over 4 hours. If an officer had come back to me and stated, I had to pay I would have done."
In recent additional comments, he said: "I attended either planning or licensing meetings which run over the 4hrs you can pay for. I handed them over to the committee clerk which was custom and practice. If I would have been told I had to pay them I would of done We were always told to hand them in to committee services which I did."
Councillor Nick Small, Labour - 4 rescinded tickets
Cllr Nick Small represents Liverpool's city centre ward on the council and is a former cabinet member and assistant mayor. According to the council's response, he was issued four PCNs between 2015 and 2020 that were cancelled by officers.
Cllr Small's response includes communications he made to council officers directly after receiving tickets in 2015 and 2016. The first message, sent after he received two parking tickets for parking in Canada Boulevard on two dates in November 2015, said: "I’ve had two parking tickets yesterday and the day before for parking in the ‘permit only’ bays on Canada Boulevard.
"One of your parking attendants told me I could park there with an operational vehicle pass the other week. I’ve done a rep online against both – and am not asking for special treatment, just treat these like you would any other, but can you confirm where I can and can’t park with this permit (copy attached)."
A second message sent to officers after Cllr Small received tickets in August and October 2015 for parking in St Nicholas Place and William Brown Street in the city centre, said: "I noticed last week that my operational vehicle permit had expired at the end of July. Unlike the off-street councillors permits, I wasn’t sent a replacement. Can you send me a replacement?
"Last week I used the off-street permit. I parked in the off-street car park on St Nicholas Place and got the attached penalty notice LV01740003. I assumed I was able to park here as it was off street. Can you look in to this? I’m happy to pay it, if I’ve parked somewhere I was able to park."
In his recent comments, Cllr Small said: "Between May 2015 and May 2018 I was an assistant mayor and was given an Operational Vehicle Permit, as well as the Councillor’s Permit.
"The Councillor’s Permits are issued by Committee Services to all councillors who want one. They come with written guidance about where and when they can be used. Essentially, they can only be used on council duties in certain city centre off-street council car parks. I had a Councillor Permit between 2004 and 2018, when I gave up my car. I have never had a PCN when parking with the Councillor’s Permit.
"I did not ask for the Operational Vehicle permit and was never issued with any written guidance about it. I was told by an officer, then Head of Parking) that I could use it when on council duties in on-street parking bays as well as in council off-street car parks. I was told by the officer that I would need it as I would be attending more events as I would be deputising for the Mayor.
"I confirm that I only ever used either permit when on official council duties and then only where I believed I was permitted to use it.I parked in an off-street bay on Canada Boulevard at the Pier Head, having checked specifically with a traffic warden that I could park there.
"The PCNs were issued during the day when I was working at Cunard Building. I appealed the PCNs using the public appeals procedure on the Council’s website. I then emailed (council officer) to clarify where I could park using the Operational Vehicle Permit. I made it clear that I had appealed against these PCNs and that I did not want any special treatment. (Officer) did not clarify where I could park with the permit, he just cancelled the PCNs.
He added: "I parked in an on-street bay at St Nicholas Place at the Pier Head and received a PCN. This was during the day when I was working at Cunard Building. I hadn’t realised that the Operational Permit had expired in July 2016. The Councillor’s Permits are automatically replaced, but the Operational Permits weren’t. I emailed (council officer) and then Andy Barr, after I’d received an out of office, to explain this. I said I would pay the PCN if I was liable to. It was cancelled and a new permit issued.
"I met a constituent at Central Library one evening. The only available parking was in the used coach bays that I assumed I could park in with the Operational Vehicle Permit. I emailed (council officer) for clarification when the PCN was issued. I said I would pay if I was unable to park there without a ticket. I did not receive a written response from (council officer), but the PCN was just cancelled."
Malcolm Kennedy, ex-Labour councillor - 4 tickets rescinded
Malcolm Kennedy represented the Kirkdale ward from 1998 and had held cabinet positions as well as becoming Lord Mayor of Liverpool for a year. He resigned from the council in 2021 after living in Spain since the year before.
According to the council's response, Mr Kennedy received four parking tickets that were rescinded by the council between January 2016 and January 2017. Two of these were for parking in Beetham Plaza in the city centre, with the other two for parking in Brunswick Street and Kempston Street respectively.
In a response to the ECHO, Mr Kennedy said he couldn't remember the exact circumstances but that he did have permissions to park in council run car parks. He added: "All I know for sure is that I was a cabinet member and for a time deputy lord mayor at the same time, so was pretty much on duty all the time. I do remember being issued with an operational pass at the time."
Cllr Joanne Calvert, ex-Labour, now Liverpool Community Independents councillor - 3 tickets rescinded
Cllr Joanne Calvert was elected as a Labour councillor for the Old Swan ward in 2010. Last year she was one of a number of Labour councillors to quit the party and form the breakaway Liverpool Community Independents party on the city council.
According to the council's response to our questions, Cllr Calvert was handed three parking tickets in the same five year period that were rescinded. All three were issued in 2019 for parking in Seel Street, Rumford Street and Beetham Plaza.
On the first ticket from March 2019 she said: "No problem answering the information requested, nothing to hide. I believe I settled this fine. As I was told there was no record of my payment with LCC on app."
For the second she said: "No problem answering the information requested, nothing to hide. I contested as I paid for a ticket via the app."
For the third she explained: "No problem answering the information requested, nothing to hide. I had an accident some weeks earlier resulting in me being given a courtesy car by my insurance company. This lasted for a period of a few months whilst my car was being repaired as I recall.
"I displayed my permit along with a note explaining it was a courtesy car but still received fines even though I had put an explanation note as to why the car was not the one registered to me at Committee Services/ Parking. The note also had my mobile number on if they needed to speak to me. I was attending meetings on all occasions, and this was the reason I asked Parking Services to review the fine."
Joann Kushner, ex-Labour councillor - 3 tickets rescinded
Joann Kushner represented Croxteth for Labour from 2015 until she resigned from the council in 2021. According to the council's response she was issued three parking tickets in the time frame asked about that were rescinded.
These included tickets for parking in William Brown Street in 2016, Hardman Street in 2016 and Hope Street in 2018. In her explanation she said: "Of course, from the information that you have looked for on your search you will have also found that the three proposed parking violations have already been responded to and the council response was to clear them because the reasons for parking were valid and related to council business."
Joe Anderson, former Mayor of Liverpool - 2 tickets rescinded
Joe Anderson was Liverpool's first elected mayor and held the position from its inception in 2012 until he stepped down after being arrested in December 2020 as part of a police corruption investigation. He has not been charged and denies wrongdoing.
According to the council's response, Mr Anderson received two parking fines in the five year period we asked about that were rescinded by the council.
For the first one, in May 2016, he provided the following explanation (which the city council has redacted): "[A RELATIVE] often borrowed my car, which was seldom used by me because I was using the LCC car to be taken to meetings and engagements. [THE RELATIVE] lived in [REDACTED] at the time, which was a residential parking street, [THE RELATIVE] had not registered the car at [THE RELATIVE’S ADDRESS]. An explanation was provided and accepted."
For the second, received in June 2016, Mr Anderson said: "I used the Liverpool City Council car as mentioned above. However, on this occasion was using my own car as the two drivers, one was on leave and the other was ill, so I could not use the LCC vehicle.
"I know that when the ticket was issued, I was at a funeral at St Nicholas Church, then driving to Speke to a factory there, (this can be confirmed by my diary which I have copies of but I know that LCC still hold, so please check). My office staff member contacted Parking Services to explain and they put my car on a list not to ticket, for a period while it was being used for official purposes. I cannot recall for certain who the office staff member was but it was either, [REDACTED] or [REDACTED]. Once again the explanation was accepted."
Councillor Wendy Simon, Labour - 1 ticket rescinded
Cllr Wendy Simon is a Labour councillor for Kensington and Fairfield ward. She is a former deputy mayor and cabinet member who briefly stood in as acting mayor of Liverpool following Mr Anderson's departure in 2020/21.
According to the council's response, Cllr Simon received one parking fine in the period asked about. This was in August 2016 and related to parking in Prescot Road.
In her 2021 explanation, Cllr Simon said: "I would respond by explaining that the ticket I received as far as I can recall was in fact in Prescot Street not Prescot Road. At the time of receiving the ticket I had an operational parking pass for my car due to me often having to attend a wide range of events alone as Cabinet Member which took place out of office hours, of a weekend and of an evening and the need for me to be able to park near to venues in a safe way.
"As far as I can recall when I received the ticket, I queried this as my pass allowed me to park in loading bays, this was via the Mayor’s office to the appropriate officers and not by myself. The Mayor’s office then forwarded the ticket. Had I been told I needed to pay the FPN I most certainly would have done so. I hope this clarifies the situation but would be happy to answer any further questions if required."
In her more recent comments, Cllr Simon added: "I explained on receiving the parking ticket my initial query to democratic services having received the parking notice was to check the remit of my operational pass as I believed it allowed me to park where I had. This was confirmed as correct, the office was then asked to forward the notice. As far as I was aware I had followed the correct process following seeking advice."
Councillor Lynnie Hinnigan, Labour - 1 ticket rescinded
Councillor Lynnie Hinnigan represents the Cressington Ward for Labour. She is a former deputy mayor and cabinet member.
The council's records show she received one ticket on January 18 2020 that was eventually written off for being "out of time". In a lengthy explanation she said: "On 18.01 2020 I attended the Peace Proms at the Liverpool Echo Arena in my elected capacity to support local primary schools in my ward and as school governor.
"When I arrived at the car park there was no facility to pay by card or notes. I had no change for the meter and searched round for another space/ change. I spoke with a traffic warden [REDACTED] before I made the decision to leave the car as I was by this time late for the start of the school’s performance. There were in fact other people all experiencing the same issue with the machine.
"When I returned to my car I had been issued with a ticket. I rang the cabinet member responsible, explained what happened and she advised me to speak to Andy Barr.
"Prior to start of cabinet on the 25th January I spoke to Andy, explained what had happened and the problem with the machine. Andy took the ticket from me and said he would look into it. I didn't hear anything for a number of weeks then a reminder was issued. I took this reminder to the office and asked Andy had he looked into the machine issue at the arena.
"I heard nothing until early this year when I received a bailiff's letter from Jacobs. I was advised to speak directly with (council officer). I contacted (officer) on the 25th March 2021 and he asked me to send my car registration which I did. I have not heard anything since.
"Had I appealed directly I believe due to faulty machine my appeal would have been upheld. I would like for this to be fully investigated in order to prove that this ticket was issued wrongly. I do not believe I used my position as councillor inappropriately.
"If you require any further clarification let me know. I still have the message on my phone which was sent to (council officer)."
Councillor Sharon Connor, Labour - 1 ticket rescinded
Councillor Sharon Connor has represented the Allerton and Hunts Cross ward since 2015. She is a former cabinet member.
According to the council's response, Cllr Connor had a parking ticket rescinded for a fine issued in Water Street in November 2019.
In her response to the council following our questions in 2021, Cllr Connor said: "I changed my vehicle in September 2019 and for a period of approximately 3-4 months, I did not have access to Liverpool City Council’s car park facilities or hold a valid parking permit. I did make a request for my vehicle details to be updated and a new permit be issued in September 2019. During this period when I attended council meetings with officers and fellow councillors, I paid for parking at my own expense.
"On the occasion detailed [REDACTED], I had paid for parking at the location (Water Street) via the on street ticket machine to attend a meeting in my role as a councillor. Following the meeting, I returned to my vehicle to find a parking charge notice had been issued due to the visibility of the payment ticket. I mentioned the incident and my intention to appeal the PCN on the grounds of having proof of payment during a meeting with Officers.
"I was advised to provide the PCN and proof of payment to Committee Services or Parking Services to process. Following the advice given, I provided the PCN and the proof of payment ticket to the Assistant Director for Highways and at the time asked if I was required to provide further information to process the PCN. I did also make another request for my vehicle information to be updated. I was not aware that the process therefore afterwards was not in accordance with Liverpool City Council policy."
In her recent comments, she added: "I believe, I have acted in good faith and put my trust in the advice given to me at the time."
Cllr Joe Hanson, Labour - 1 ticket rescinded
Councillor Joe Hanson has represented the Kirkdale ward for Labour since 2000. He is the current chair of the council's Neighbourhoods Select Committee.
The council's response shows Cllr Hanson received one Penalty Charge Notice for parking on Moss Lane in L9 in June 2016.
In his comments to our initial questions in 2021, Cllr Hanson said: "The ticket was issued to me [REDACTED] […]. A week or so later I phoned (council officer) and asked him on an informal basis for some guidance and advice in relation to the parking ticket. I explained the circumstance [REDACTED].
I explained in detail my circumstances on that day and asked was there an informal way I could ask a higher authority to request a review of asking to set aside the ticket, he told me that would on my behalf speak to Andy Barr in relation to the circumstances, he later contacted me to say that Andy Barr had granted me a discretion on the ticket and that it would be withdrawn. [REDACTED]. At no point did I believe I was doing anything wrong, as all I was doing was seeking guidance and advice from an assistant director.
Cllr Anna Rothery, ex-Labour, now Liverpool Community Independents councillor - 1 ticket rescinded
Cllr Anna Rothery is a former Labour councillor who now leads the Liverpool Community Independents group following last year's breakaway. A Princes Park councillor she is also a former Lord Mayor of Liverpool.
According to the city council, Cllr Rothery received a parking ticket in Water Street in August 2016 that was rescinded.
In her explanation for this, provided through the council, she said: "I was attending a council meeting I didn’t have any cash and was concerned I would be late for the meeting and it would not be quorate.
"However, I have done nothing wrong I raised this with the appropriate officer and explained I was attending a LCC meeting it would have cost the council more to postpone and reschedule the meeting. I spoke to the officer as I was concerned about receiving a ticket and explained the circumstances and he said he would waive the ticket. I did not put any undue pressure on the officer or request it was waived I merely sought advice.
"I am perturbed that this has led to a formal complaint I would have happily given an explanation if I had been asked instead of being put under undue pressure by receiving a complaint of this nature. May I also add I thought the officer/ member protocol was about treating each other with dignity and respect Is this really in keeping with the protocol?"
James Noakes, ex-Labour councillor - 1 ticket rescinded
James Noakes was a Labour councillor representing the Clubmoor ward and held a cabinet role for just over a year before deciding to stand down from the council at the 2019 local elections.
According to the council's response, Mr Noakes received one parking fine in the period asked about. This was in June 2016 and related to parking in Blundell Street in the city centre. In his explanation he said: "Ticket issued while carrying out official duties as Mayoral Lead and when evidence was provided that I was on official business, it was cancelled."
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