Disability badge enforcement officers in Aberdeen could soon have the power to punish people who abuse the resident parking permit system.
At a meeting of the authority’s communities, housing and infrastructure committee councillor Jennifer Stewart put forward a motion to expand the duties of blue badge inspectors.
Mrs Stewart’s motion, which was backed by members, means the council will now investigate the possibility of having the officers prevent the misuse of resident and business parking passes.
Mrs Stewart said she put forward the suggestion after receiving a number of complaints regarding fake or stolen documentation in use across the city.
She said: “There are people who are somehow able to get a hold of permits, either making them themselves or buying them.
“But they shouldn’t have them, and they’re just causing more parking congestion in the city.
“It’s a sore point for the many residents who pay to park, so the idea is to have our enforcement officer include the investigation of these claims in their remit.
“If someone misuses a blue badge, that is actually breaking the law, but with resident’s permits it’s not – the worst that could happen is they get a slap on the wrist and their permits taken away from them.”