Do as I say... Not as I do: Parking Row Erupts As Hartlepool Council Officials Accused Of Dodging Fees..
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Civic Centre Parking Row As Officials Accused Of Using Private Land Without Permission..
29th April 2026
Hartlepool Borough Council officials have been accused of using private land near the town’s Civic Centre to avoid paying daily parking charges, while ordinary local's continue to face fines, enforcement notices and penalties for breaches across the town.
The Teesside & Durham Post was this week tipped off after a member of the public told us that a number of council employees were allegedly seen parking on private land at the former Carlton Bingo Hall site, just a short walk from Hartlepool Civic Centre.
According to information provided, several individuals, believed to be council officers were seen leaving their 'high-value vehicles' parked on the privately-owned site before walking directly towards the staff entrance of the Councils Civic Centre.
The allegation raises serious questions over double standards at Hartlepool Borough Council, which is responsible for enforcing parking rules against members of the public in council run parking spaces such as Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, which can cost up to £5.70 for up to ten hours, according to published parking tariffs, with some car parks also warning of penalty charge notices and release fees where rules are breached.
Hartlepool Borough Council also operates a Penalty Charge Notice system, allowing residents and visitors to pay parking fines online after receiving a PCN.
But while residents are expected to pay up or face enforcement action being taken against them, claims have now emerged that council staff may have been regularly using a nearby private landowners car park without permission in order to avoid the very charges imposed on everyone else.
One source told The Teesside & Durham Post that the practice had become a regular occurrence since the Carlton Bingo was closed down, with staff allegedly using the former Bingo Hall site as a free alternative to paid town centre parking, with the former bingo hall site located only a short distance from the Civic Centre, making it a convenient place for staff to leave vehicles before heading into work.
The allegations are particularly sensitive given the council’s role in parking enforcement. Hartlepool Borough Council’s own website states that its car parks are regularly patrolled by Parking Enforcement Officers to ensure safety and compliance. That's led to questions over whether some officials are holding the public to a standard they're not prepared to follow themselves.
The council’s own guidance on parking appeals makes clear that motorists who believe a PCN was issued incorrectly must formally appeal and provide evidence including their PCN number, vehicle registration, name, address and supporting material.
Yet the latest allegations suggest that some council-linked vehicles may have been able to avoid the system altogether by using nearby private land.
The Teesside & Durham Post understands that questions are likely to be asked over whether senior officers are aware of the alleged parking arrangements, whether any permission had been granted by the landowner, and whether the council has any internal policy allowing staff to use private land near the Civic Centre to save themselves a few quid.
