Taxi Driver Online

One man's lonely vigil

A LOSTOCK Hall pensioner has been protesting for 12 months over the business interests of two South Ribble Borough councillors.

Gordon Wilkinson, 68, has become a well-known figure in Leyland because of his long term presence outside the council's offices in West Paddock.

Mr Wilkinson travels by bus from his home in Regency Avenue, Lostock Hall, every day and dons a sandwich board that he wears as he parades up and down outside the council headquarters.

At the centre of his protest are his neighbours - councillors Melvyn and Dorothy Gardener - who run a taxi business from their premises called M & D Travel. They also run a small wholesale business selling from a van.

Mr Wilkinson thinks they should be paying business rates and has made a series of complaints about the husband and wife team - none of which have been unheld.

However, he says he's refusing to budge until he gets a resolution.

He claimed: "They have a taxi, a bus and a van. I have over 500 signatures on my petition against them - they are not paying business tax and I believe this is illegal according to the council's own regulations.

"The van sounds like a Sherman tank, they are devaluing my property.
"Obviously I am in my retirement and I don't want to be disturbed at night. All my assets are tied up in my house and it's being devalued."
Mr Wilkinson says he's been stopped by the police 20 times but he's refusing to budge.

However, John Dakin, Monitoring Officer for South Ribble Borough Council, said: "Mr Wilkinson's initial concerns and his allegations about our handling of them have been investigated under our complaints procedures, and have also been reviewed by various external bodies.

This case has been before The Standards Board for England and twice before the Local Government Ombudsman. None of their investigations have yet discovered any evidence to suggest that the councillors concerned are in breach of planning or rating law, or that anyone has sought to bring any improper influence to bear.

"We take complaints very seriously and we have looked carefully into Mr Wilkinson's allegations. "Having considered the matter, our planning officers have confirmed that the business does not require planning permission at the current level of activity."

The councillors, whose house is on the opposite side of the road of Mr Wilkinson's property, declined to comment.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I think this might be a private hire business in which case he would need an operators license. His daughter recently applied for a private hire drivers license. If the activity at the premises causes a nuisance, such as people turning up at all hours of the night then there is no reason why the licensing department and the planning department couldn't apply restrictions to A the license and B the premises.

Regards

JD

I suppose he should be thankful for free off peak travel




Good job he doesnt live near Salisbury plain then



Ahh the real reason, me me me

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I was going to try that as an alternative to TDO

At least it would get rid of the keyboard warrior tag

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Saying the end is nigh

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

On the bare facts we aren't in a position to judge the rights and the wrongs of this argument.

Regards

JD