I love the quote attributed to the council, saying that they dont comment on 'individual cases' We hear that expression everytime there is a ludicrous case of injustice against someone, that beggars belief.
I'm sick of hearing that mantra. Any argument the council may have on the matter is instantly rendered invalid if they are unable to examplify and make reference to specific cases. A refusal to comment on 'individual cases' cases is a cop out, and a private admission that the action they took was wrong and ill judged. The council official should be reprimanded for showing the council in such a nit picking negative light. If I were his/her boss I would be furious.
We had examples of this when Scotland had it's ban and drivers crossing the border from England would be stopped. It's the letter of the law you see, dog and bone stuff.
Councils are also making use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act to spy on local citizens who are suspected of allowing their dogs to foul footpaths, or of claiming to live in a certain schools catchment area and many other trivial situations.
The RIPA was originally introduced as a measue against terrorism. So take care when you take your dog for a walk - Council Jobsworth may be watching you.
oh dear, and to think the smoking decorator pays for these council wardens salary via his council tax contributions.
quote:
"I was told that because my van is my place of work I had broken the smoking laws," he said. A council spokesman said Mr Williams had acknowledged the offence and elected to pay the fixed penalty. "I am dumbfounded - the van is only insured for private use and to get me to and from work," added Mr Williams, from Llanafan, near Aberystwyth.
"It not my place of work - I decorate houses not vans."
This is a known side-effect of the smoking ban - I have never seen it enforced before though.
Those with company cars cannot smoke in them. At all. Those with private cars that are used with business, no matter how low the business mileage or how often they travel with work can never smoke in their own cars.
I have a home office, and the law actually means that if I smoked, I wouldn't technically be allowed to smoke in the home office.
Only true if you have members of the public visiting. If it's just you or household members in there you can still puff away to your hearts content
Yes and if this guy was the only person to use his van for work purposes then he could do the same. But because he takes assistants to and from jobs in it then it's a works vehicle that has to be smoke free under the new laws.
