HEREFORDSHIRE councillors failed to back proposals to take away the perk of free parking for those representing city wards.

All 53 county councillors are issued with free parking permits which the council says can only be used while on council business.

The county council declared a climate emergency last year and Conservative councillor Paul Rone, who represents Redhill, believes councillors can get around on more environmentally friendly forms of transport in Hereford.

He proposed last week that all members that live in and represent a city ward should not have access to the free parking passes as it encourages the use of motor vehicles.

Coun Rone said his proposal would be in keeping with the ‘green ethos’ of the current coalition administration of Independents, It’s Our County and Green Party councillors.

His motion to full council was expected to be seconded by central ward councillor and Green Party member Jeremy Milln.

However, he did not support the proposals and despite calls from coun Rone support from other city councillors, none was forthcoming .

“I’m terribly sorry chair, I’m going to have to withdraw it as my seconder councillor Milln was not agreeing with the simple, single line approach,” coun Rone told the meeting.

“Unless there is anybody here and I would look to city representing members who would like to second this excellent idea which is very much in line with the climate emergency we declared and the dependency upon cars for moving around.

“If there is nobody who would like to second it with the green ethos that this administration represents, I am going to have to withdraw it.

“I’m not expecting any hands up. I will sit here and absorb the complete and utter silence of those who are addicted to their cars.”

Chairman Sebastian Bowen said the motion was withdrawn.

“Thank you, councillor, perhaps you may bring it back in some other form later on.”

County council wards that would have been affected by this change included Aylestone Hill (Ange Tyler, Herefordshire Independents), Belmont Rural (Tracy Bowes, It’s Our County), Bobblestock (Tim Price, True Independents) Central (Jeremy Milln, Green Party), College (Kath Hey, IOC) Eign Hill (Elizabeth Foxton, IOC), Greyfriars (Diana Toynbee, Green Party), Hinton & Hunderton (Kevin Tillett, Liberal Democrat), Kings Acre (Graham Andrews, Herefordshire Independents), Newton Farm (Bernard Hunt, True Independents), Redhill (Paul Rone, Conservative), Saxon Gate (Gemma Davies, Herefordshire Independents), Tupsley (Jim Kenyon, Ungrouped), Whitecross (Dave Boulter, IOC) Widemarsh (Polly Andrews, Liberal Democrat).