5:14pm Friday 19th March 2010
Here is an example of how large amounts of taxpayers’ money is wasted when councils refuse to use common sense after the smallest infringements of traffic law.
I recently parked outside my daughter’s house, displaying my blue badge, but forgot to set the time clock, and was subsequently ticketed.
I appealed, including four independent letters confirming that I had stayed only 90 minutes. Brighton and Hove City Council refused my appeal twice, so I took my case to Traffic Penalty Tribunal. Here are the comments of the Adjudicator: “The Council has the discretion in all appeals to cancel any penalty at any stage of the enforcement process. It must consider that discretion in each and every appeal irrespective of circumstances that may appear familiar or similar to other previously decided appeals. Discretion is a tool that the Council must consider but one that the application of remains for the Council to decide.
“The Council, having considered the account advanced, has disappointingly elected not to apply its discretion favourably. On the basis of the above facts this Tribunal cannot seek to interfere with that decision. I am in the circumstances obliged to dismiss this appeal.”
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