A PROMINENT councillor was stunned to find his car had been given a parking ticket while he was at a civic event.

Labour group leader Graham Jones was shocked when he left Accrington Town Hall last Thursday night to find an £80 fixed penalty notice on his windscreen.

There was also a note with a warning that if the fine was not paid within 10 days the company, National Clampdown, would take further action.

His car was parked next to the Market Hall while he attended the Observer-sponsored St George’s Day Community Awards.

Only vehicles used by market traders can park next to the Market Hall from 8.30am to 6pm Mondays to Saturdays as it is a loading zone but outside those times anyone can park there.

Councillor Jones, who believes other vehicles also received tickets, said: "When I phoned the company which issued the notice, I was told it was operating under a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week contract with Hyndburn Council.

"I contacted the council to find out if this was the case because it didn’t make sense."

He later learned the contract between Preston-based National Clampdown and Hyndburn Council was only between the hours of 8.30am and 6pm.

Councillor Jones said: "The language on the notice was very threatening and intimidating.

"I do not want the council encouraging contact with clamping companies."

Last year council leader Peter Britcliffe announced the council would not renew its contract with Parkwise, Lancashire County Council’s parking enforcement body.

Parkwise has been heavily criticised by councillors from all parties but Councillor Jones is not convinced a clamping company is a better solution.

He added: "If this is the future and Parkwise goes and a clamping company is used than it is much, murch worse.

"Why are we employing a clamping company when we could use Parkwise."

Councillor Britcliffe said: "The operative from the company shouldn’t have been working at that time of night.

"The Town Hall is used for functions and the company knows not to ticket in that area after 6pm.’’

"A spokesman for National Clampdown said: "The notice will be removed from our system free of charge. We had a new operative working in the area that night which is why there was a problem."