Alf leads from behind his leadership is non existent.

[Numbnuts]

Well there’s MHK’s on this forum. Is it too much to ask one or more to be honest with the answer. Or are they covering for each other as they don’t want us to know they now pay nothing. Clearly they don’t or someone would have said so if they did. Honesty and caring for there constituents isn’t high on their moral compass clearly . 

[Gladys]

Perhaps they are entitled to claim car parking charges, so would there be a saving? 

Don't know if they can, but it is another aspect to consider. 

[Numbnuts]

7 minutes ago, Gladys said:

Perhaps they are entitled to claim car parking charges, so would there be a saving? 

Don't know if they can, but it is another aspect to consider. 

Didn’t they stop paying at Covid times and it’s never been re introduced .

Edited July 5 by Numbnuts

[Two-lane]

https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/mhks-and-mlcs-still-parking-for-free-668674#:~:text=Government employees can park for free if they,the option to complete a car parking form.

[Gladys]

Does the free parking spaces relate to the underground car park at govt offices, or in the public car parks?   If it doesn't apply to the latter, then can they reclaim the cost? 

Never understood the reason why Covid justified free car parking in any case.  Christ, at that time you could probably find a parking space almost anywhere on the Street.  Unless it was an attempt to equalise costs for those who had to attend with those who were WFH.  However, the easy answer is those who had to attend were no worse off than they were before Covid and, stretching a point, those WFH incurred other additional costs, heating, Internet, etc.

It just seemed a a bit of an unnecessary and  token gesture which should be abandoned now. 

[Stu Peters]

I’m sure I’ve already answered this. Yes, Tynwald members currently get free parking, as do (I think) most PS staff. The charges were dropped during Covid (people working from home) and not yet brought back, partly because it would affect far more than 24 MHKs and there will be resistance I’m sure. Should people working out of Douglas pay, for example.

I think we should pay for parking behind government office even though I work from home a couple of days a week.  I think a paper is being prepared with options. 

[Gladys]

4 minutes ago, Stu Peters said:

I’m sure I’ve already answered this. Yes, Tynwald members currently get free parking, as do (I think) most PS staff. The charges were dropped during Covid (people working from home) and not yet brought back, partly because it would affect far more than 24 MHKs and there will be resistance I’m sure. Should people working out of Douglas pay, for example.

I think we should pay for parking behind government office even though I work from home a couple of days a week.  I think a paper is being prepared with options. 

Did they pay before Covid?  Those WFH didn't benefit during Covid, those who had to attend did.  So what is the big issue of reverting to what was the position before Covid?

[Ham_N_Eggs]

20 minutes ago, Gladys said:

Did they pay before Covid?  Those WFH didn't benefit during Covid, those who had to attend did.  So what is the big issue of reverting to what was the position before Covid?

Yes, they paid. It was introduced as a sliding scale which would increase annually. 

[Gladys]

Just now, Ham_N_Eggs said:

Yes, they paid. It was introduced as a sliding scale which would increase annually. 

It was a rhetorical question. 

It's the optics (to coin a current phrase) rather than the financial side, although that is becoming increasingly important.   

I don't begrudge anyone being given a preference during Covid; it was an unusual time and I dont resent any perk given to those who had to carry on regardless, at the time. 

But the world has returned to normality, for a couple of years now, some have hit that normality with a bigger bump than paying for parking. 

That it even needs a paper to return to the previous deal, or any deal, is just staggering. 

Were those in the private sector, whether they lived in Douglas or elsewhere, who had to attend their work allowed free parking?  If they were, have they continued to enjoy that benefit? 

Very simplistic, but surely it is just a case of reverting to the pre-Covid arrangement?  Or is it too late and become an implied term of employment?

[Ringy Rose]

13 minutes ago, Gladys said:

Were those in the private sector, whether they lived in Douglas or elsewhere, who had to attend their work allowed free parking?  If they were, have they continued to enjoy that benefit?

Most people I know in the private sector enjoy parking spaces paid for by their employer. All those spaces in the Circular Road multi-storey aren’t being paid for by individuals, same with the spaces in the underground car parks at St George’s Court and at St Andrew’s House.

What’s happening in the PSC is that the senior staff are “essential” and the low paid staff are not. When I was in the PSC I paid for my parking, even during Covid. Now I’m not in the PSC I don’t pay, another reason why I left. My employer pays for my spot in Chester Street.

Edited July 5 by Ringy Rose

[Gladys]

12 minutes ago, Ringy Rose said:

Most people I know in the private sector enjoy parking spaces paid for by their employer. All those spaces in the Circular Road multi-storey aren’t being paid for by individuals, same with the spaces in the underground car parks at St George’s Court and at St Andrew’s House.

What’s happening in the PSC is that the senior staff are “essential” and the low paid staff are not. When I was in the PSC I paid for my parking, even during Covid. Now I’m not in the PSC I don’t pay, another reason why I left. My employer pays for my spot in Chester Street.

And are you taxed on it? 

[Ringy Rose]

2 minutes ago, Gladys said:

And are you taxed on it? 

Car parking is excluded from benefits in kind provisions, i.e. it is not taxable.

Edited July 5 by Ringy Rose

[Gladys]

Just now, Ringy Rose said:

Car parking is excluded from benefits in kind provisions.

Thanks.  I have seen schemes from employers where they can't offer free parking to all, but give an allowance to those who couldn't use it to pay to park or  which could be used against the bus fare,  while 'charging' those employees who can park on the premises.  That applied across the board no matter how senior or junior you are. Very egalitarian.

Not sure all employers are that thoughtful. 

The real point is that this is an optical fail and does not need a paper.

I worked for a long time in the UK, and parking was your problem and cost, and that was in a place where casually leaving your car on thestreet  was not an option. 

It really is about optics and how this stacks up with the public who expect, generally,  to pay for parking to go to work.  It is just another reason for resentment that could be dealt with so easily. 

 

[Ringy Rose]

11 hours ago, Gladys said:

It really is about optics and how this stacks up with the public who expect, generally,  to pay for parking to go to work.  It is just another reason for resentment that could be dealt with so easily. 

I’d agree about the optics, especially with MHKs. And in the PSC it’s a regrettable thing that the big managers on the big salaries get free parking and the low level staff on low wages don’t. Another reason for leaving the PSC, where I work now we all get one.

My point is that a lot of people don’t have to pay for their car parking. All these private car parks in Douglas aren’t full of people paying for their own contract spaces.

Edited July 6 by Ringy Rose

[Gladys]

33 minutes ago, Ringy Rose said:

I’d agree about the optics, especially with MHKs. And in the PSC it’s a regrettable thing that the big managers on the big salaries get free parking and the low level staff on low wages don’t. Another reason for leaving the PSC, where I work now we all get one.

My point is that a lot of people don’t have to pay for their car parking. All these private car parks in Douglas aren’t full of people paying for their own contract spaces.

It is a big assumption that a lot of people don't have to pay for their parking in the private sector - some employers may make a charge and some may provide it free as a benefit.

But the real point is that the PS were being charged for parking, (which deals with your fairness point).  Along comes Covid and the charging is suspended (no idea of the logic other than equalising things between those WFH and those who had to attend) and is never re-introduced when things return to normal. 

That has continued now for so long that there is going to be resistance, so a paper has to be prepared.  If the charges were reinstated to the pre-Covid arrangement when Covid restrictions stopped, then there would be little justification for complaints. But it has been left so long that there could be an argument that it is a reasonable expectation that parking remains free.