Ealing Council Relent on Charity Worker Parking Fines
Andrew Mcleay had been ticketed even though he had an exemption
Andrew McLeay
An Ealing charity worker facing a big bill after he received two parking tickets can now tear them up.
After initially refusing his appeal, Ealing Council have decided to cancel both tickets.
Andrew Mcleay was helping provide meals for people in need during the pandemic. To do the job he needed to bring his car into central Ealing and he understood he had a parking dispensation as a key worker. He was told by a parking attendant he would not be ticketed.
However, he later received two Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) which could have cost him £220 each and he felt was doubly unjust as the work he did was helping the council’s efforts to deal with the problems raised by the pandemic.
It transpired that his registration should have been entered on a system to ensure he got the exemption. He had been under such pressure at work that he had not realised he needed to do this.
After being told of the cancellation of the ticket Andrew said, "I want to thank the community of Ealing also, for standing by me and thank the Ealing councillors and local MP Rupa Huq who all went into bat for me. I'm a nobody, and yet Ealingites lifted me on their shoulders and for a day I felt like a champion and they really showed what it means to keep the amazing spirit of Ealing burning. So many people offered to pay my fines and were so generous towards me. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful, caring community.
"I'm very thankful to the council for getting this decision right and for all their hard work with this matter. I'm really pleased with the result and it really restores my faith. I know there are many at the council working tirelessly for the people of Ealing and so thrilled the council also supported me in a tough, complex case."
An Ealing Council spokesperson said, “The council has taken into consideration the circumstances of these two tickets and although Mr McLeay did not apply for key worker dispensation until after the 2nd ticket was issued, has decided to cancel both tickets.”
Andrew works at the Ealing Soup Kitchen which has been providing vital support from St John’s Church during the coronavirus outbreak with demand increasing due to the resulting economic impact. He is one of the staff that keep the kitchen going to provide this important service. He has been working throughout the pandemic as a key worker for hundreds of families and homeless people.
Ealing Soup Kitchen is used by several hundred people each week and is currently providing takeaway food and home deliveries. Andrew was inspired to do the work there after he himself experienced a brief period of homelessness when he arrived in this country from Australia in 2008.
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