Motor homers terrorise police in Biarritz.

[Retread24800]

Thirteen Police officers have been 'sanctioned by the town of Biarritz for refusing to collect the Tourist tax on the local Aire from Camping-carists claiming that they were subjected to abuse etc.

Biarritz: 13 policiers municipaux sanctionnés pour avoir refusé d'encaisser une taxe de camping

Treize policiers de Biarritz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) ont été sanctionnés par la mairie d'une journée d'exclusion de leur fonction pour avoir refusé en juin et juillet d'encaisser une taxe municipale imposée aux camping-caristes, craignant selon eux de se faire agresser, a-t-on appris jeudi de source municipale.

Entre le 20 juin et le 10 juillet, les policiers avaient refusé d'encaisser cette taxe sur l'aire d'accueil de Biarritz (Milady), comme ils étaient censés le faire en vertu d'un arrêté municipal remontant au 16 décembre 2005.

Selon Alain Ruszniewski, le directeur général des services de la ville, les policiers avaient appliqué pendant six ans l'arrêté, puis, "du jour au lendemain, ils nous ont planté. C'est hallucinant", a-t-il déclaré à l'AFP.

La perte journalière pour la mairie de Biarritz aurait été de 450 euros, soit un total "d'environ 9.000 euros", a encore déclaré ce responsable, en assurant qu'ensuite, la mairie a fait appel à une société privée.

Selon Raphaël Gutierrez, membre du syndicat national de la police municipale FO, qui assiste ces agents municipaux, il y a eu "plusieurs agressions physiques et verbales au cours des dernières années, échelonnées dans le temps. Les policiers étaient arrivés à saturation (...) Quand ils arrivaient sur place, comme il n'y a pas de borne, certains camping-caristes étaient là, d'autres pouvaient être en balade. Ceux qui étaient là payaient, les autres non. C'était tout et n'importe quoi".

Les policiers fondent leur refus sur un arrêt de la Cour administrative d'appel de Nantes, du 19 novembre 1998, lequel rendrait cet acte "illégal". "Les policiers municipaux n'ont pas le droit de manipuler de l'argent ni d'encaisser des taxes. Les textes législatifs et réglementaires sont clairs là-dessus. Que je sache, Biarritz n'est pas une République bananière", a accusé M. Gutierrez.

 

Or Roughly

 

Between June 20 and July 10, the police had refused to collect this tax on the Aire of Biarritz (Milady), as they were supposed to do so under a (local) law dating back to December 16, 2005.  According to Alain Ruszniewski, Executive Director of city services, the police had applied the order for six years then, ' from one day to the next, they have complained. It's mind-blowing ', he told AFP.           

 Daily loss for the Town Hall of Biarritz was 450 euros, or a total of about 9,000 euros',The official said that the Marie had called in a private company to assure collection.

Raphaël Gutiérrez, a member of the national Union of municipal police FO, assisting these municipal officers, there has been ' several physical and verbal assaults in recent years, increasing over time. The police had arrived at saturation (...) When they arrived on the spot, where there is no payment-terminal, some campers were there, others could be on a walk. Those who were there were paying, others not. It was a total mix up '.           

The police based their rejection on a judgement of the administrative Court of appeal of Nantes, November 19, 1998, which would make this illegal. ' Municipal police officers do not have the right to handle money or cash taxes. Laws and regulations are clear on it. As I know, Biarritz is not a banana Republic ', has accused Mr. Gutiérrez.

 

[Guest pelmetman]

Its all lies :-( ................we never touched em 8-)..............

 

Never paid any fee's either :D

[Retread24800]

I think that this is a case of pride, Policiers Municipal do not have the gung ho status of the Gendarmerie and in some places are little better than traffic wardens thus to be told to collect overnight parking fees puts them on the same level as car park attendants.

[malc d]

Anybody would think that some people stay on aires to save money.

 

 

 

(lol)

[Retread24800]

That might be true of some but is an oversimplification, in my case I tend to stay on Aires, or even a camp-site if there is a lack of a decent Aire, because they are in or between somewhere I want to go. I do not see an overnight stop as a destination.

Caravanners choose an area where they want to go and then settle down on a camp-site using the Caravan as a home from home, returning to the same place every night and even using the camp-site and its facilities as a destination.

[Tony Jones]

Retread24800 - 2012-11-30 3:41 PM

in my case I tend to stay on Aires, or even a camp-site if there is a lack of a decent Aire, because they are in or between somewhere I want to go. I do not see an overnight stop as a destination.

 

Nicely put Retread. whenever I try to say that (as I have done several times on here) I end up writing a whole paragraph!

 

Caravanners choose an area where they want to go and then settle down on a camp-site using the Caravan as a home from home, returning to the same place every night and even using the camp-site and its facilities as a destination.

 

This is a perfectly valid way to plan a holiday too. Which is why caravans suit some people, motorhomes suit others. Vive la difference!

[CliveH]

I too would agree with Retread. The description of a cvan as a home from home is spot on. That is exactly as we see it. When we retire we have plans for a MH and to tour the UK and Europe. And may well do this - I say "may" because currently - a Fifth Wheel outfit is almost reaching the "lust for" status in our house.

 

So it may well be one of them.