Council blacklists barber for warning people about traffic wardens
A HAIRDRESSER has had a close shave with authorities after trying to warn illegally parked motorists of approaching traffic wardens.
Andy Blackwell uses his loud-hailer and a wailing siren sound to warn people when a traffic warden is going to give them a ticket outside his shop.
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ALERT: Andy Blackwell with his loud-hailer outside his Blackie's hairdressers
Mr Blackwell, 51, takes to the megaphone to issue his own personal alert when he sees a parking official.
But the barber has been 'black-listed' by Cornwall Council after a run in with parking officials.
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He said: "They were putting a ticket on a car, which is fair dos, on a double yellow line and I said to the customers in the shop, 'I'm just going to let everybody know'.
"It's a little bit of fun letting everyone know the traffic wardens are here.
"Some people laugh about it and some people say, 'thanks for warning me'.
"I decided to warn people to give them a fair chance to move their car and park somewhere proper."
But he realised the council didn't see the funny side after wardens confronted him at the door of his shop.
"There were two of them booking a repeat offender it has to be said.
"So I decided to warn the public and went out with my loud hailer.
"I never threatened or cursed or swore or offended anybody as far as I was aware I was just having a bit of fun and doing a public service."
But the police then called at his business that day.
He added: "They came within two or three hours.
"When I told them what had gone on they gave me plenty of advice and said be careful because the council take a dim view of this."
Three days later Mr Blackwell said he received a letter from Cornwall Council saying he had been placed on the council cautionary contacts list and his name would be passed to other agencies as well.
Mr Blackwell , who runs Blackie's in Liskeard, added: "I thought it was extreme especially the first part saying I'd verbally abused causing extreme distress to some of their employees."
Cornwall County Council said the cautionary contacts list was an internal system designed to protect council staff from potentially harmful situations including physical assault and verbal abuse.
They added many local authorities have similar schemes and the information is only used within the council and is only available to employees who may be exposed to such risks.
Mr Blackwell has now hung up his megaphone and has started a petition for free parking in the town.
Cornwall Council said in a statement: "The cautionary contacts list is an internal system which aims to protect council staff from potentially harmful situations, including physical assault and verbal abuse.
"Many local authorities around the country have similar schemes in place.
"This information is only used within the council and is only available to those employees who may potentially be exposed to such risks."
It said the list would be reviewed in a year.
Mr Blackwell said he did not want to further "antagonise" the council but said customers would be still be allowed to use the loud hailer.
24 Comments
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by Hearald
Thursday, January 31 2013, 12:46AM
“why did the Police even bother to visit him? the council should be fined for wasting police time”
by MissAnthrope
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 9:48PM
“Judging by the size of some traffic wardens, I bet there would be no complaints if he shouted a warning to the local chippy to put more chips on, or to the bakers to quickly put more doughnuts on display.”
by lweston
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 9:34PM
“This aint the first close shave this fellas had”
by FromMendip
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 8:18PM
“Unbelievable!
The bloke's done nothing wrong.
My default setting is always to support the police because they have an impossible job most of the time with ever diminishing resources.
So, who made the decision to send an officer around to speak to the barber when he/she could have been doing something far more useful to the public interest? From what's been reported he committed no criminal offence and warning of the presence of parking wardens can hardly be regarded as likely to cause a breach of the peace: anyone trying to stop him would be more likely to fall foul of that.
Those coming to this country from the former Eastern Bloc and old enough to remember its worst excesses must think they've entered a time warp when this sort of action is carried out by public authorities.”
by GAWker
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 8:10PM
“Is it any different from the Speed Camera map on the Devon and Cornwall Police website?
Or has that been pulled?
pogle63a, look at the coalition u turn on the Snooper's Charter. Look at Seaback using the RSPCA discussion in Parliament to discuss Fox Hunting. We need to start electing independents to get some power and proportionality back.”
by MrBean67
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 7:39PM
“Parking tickets are issued to encourage people not to park there.
He's also encouraging people to not park there.
What's the difference? Oh yes, the council don't make any money when he does it.”
by CityCyclops
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 7:37PM
“I agree with firkinjeffery - give this man an MBE for services to the community. Even more effective - make him a Councillor. He would give some of the muppets running Plymouth City Council a run for their money, I don't know about anywhere else.”
by pogle63a
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 5:08PM
“Councils, traffic safety vehicles, camera cars etc are all, it seems exempt from the laws that bind the rest of us, they can literally do as they please in their pursuit of revenue. The fact that this fellow has ended up on some secret council eyes only threat list, just for speaking up is what really concerns me. Councils already regularly abuse their access to our personal information for thier own purposes, powers that were introduced to fight terrorism not spy on the population, now it seems there are people paid to threat assess and list us too. Looks like George Orwells vision of the future was not that far off the mark after all.
Just another example of a Council providing a service for its self and not liking the fact that someone has had the gaul to speak out about it.”
by Sharon40
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 3:40PM
“Well done Andy , proud of you !!!!!!!! , i cannot believe the council have done this to him , anyone that knows him knows he is one of the kindest most generous men a person could ever meet , all he is doing is trying to help the shoppers of liskeard , when our parking is horrendous anyway to be able to go about their business and use the shops , that by the way are not being used and closing at a rate of knots , he's trying to keep liskeard alive . We even had mary portias in to make liskeard a better shopping place ............ still waiting !! Its not the shop owners faults they do everything they can , it's the council for the horrendous parking situation. Keep up the good fight Andy anyone that knows you knows you could never be a threat to anyone , and we have had a good giggle over the tanoy situation xxxxxxxxxxxxx”
by GAWker
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 3:01PM
“What law did he break?
What offence was committed?
Given the amount of police created content used by The Herald we could have an explanation?
'The Council take a dim view of this'? And? What law was broken?
Blackie's is on a 'black list' of trouble makers that could be used to harm the reputation of the business?
Seems like that black list that McAlpine may have been operating to keep certain workers off their building sites that was discussed in Parliament last week?
It sounds like those CRB 'checks' that are under scrutiny at the moment for infringing Human Rights?”