8:28am Saturday 20th March 2010
CONCERN has been raised about the number of forged coins being used in parking meters in a town.
The number of counterfeit £1 coins used in meters in Richmond, North Yorkshire, in the past year amounts to £1,500, 0.5 per cent of the total amount collected – more than average.
However, councillors at Richmondshire District Council are concerned the figure could rise.
The car parks in Richmond are operated on behalf of the council by a private contractor, which collects the money and maintains the sites.
At a council meeting, it was said the forged coins are never seen by anyone at the council because the contractor has a legal duty to send them to the Royal Mint to be destroyed.
The council also has no way of confirming the coins are from the council-owned car parking meters.
There is no suggestion the contractor has been incorrectly reporting the amount of forged coins.
The issue was raised by the North Yorkshire Audit Partnership, an independent group that works to ensure the council is operating efficiently.
At the meeting, Councillor Stuart Parsons said: “This is something that worries me, because as a council, we have to make up these losses. Are we planning on sending one of our officers out with the contractors to make sure the forged coins are coming out of our machines? Are they definitely forged or are they just suspicious?”
James Ingham, the head of the partnership, said talks will be held with the private contractor about the matter.
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