Forum Topic

Ealing Council Fining Charity Workers

When I read the story about a charity worker getting parking tickets despite being in an exempt category my initial reaction, as I imagine that of most people, was outrage.However, after a pause for thought it occurred to me you could actually argue that the way Ealing handle these things is pretty fair in a perverse sort of way. As far as I can tell absolutely nobody gets off a ticket on the first appeal. I've heard stories over the years directly from the people involved about tickets not cancelled even though there was a medical emergency, a mechanical breakdown or  in one case a bereavement as a mitigating factor. Ealing simply reject everybody in the hope that a certain proportion of people will give up worried about the fine doubling. Obviously this isn't a great system but it would be far worse if exceptions were made when it was in the council's interest to do so. That nobody who saw the appeal from Andrew Mcleay read it and thought 'this has the potential to make us look terrible' and referred it upstairs shows that at least Ealing administer their system with even-handed meanness. So credit where it is due.

Gordon Southwell ● 1761d11 Comments

"...even-handed meanness"Ha!Actually, well argued though your point is I still struggle to believe that there is not some deliberately malevolent anti-resident heart beating somewhere deep inside the Kremlin down there on the Uxbridge Road.I keep hoping / dreaming of them all being caught ignoring statutory spending limits and voting in an illegal budget or something so that they could be got rid of like Hatton and his mob in Liverpool back in the eighties.So far no luck....  must try to dream harder...

Tony Colliver ● 1757d

Well done to Andrew but the question must be raised how many other key workers have been fined by Ealing when they shouldn't have been and will their appeals also now be accepted?

Gordon Southwell ● 1757d

Never has the epithet "The Useless Tories" been more appropriate than when referring to the local branch.They're not even asleep, they're dead.I just wish the many Residents Associations would liaise & unite and field Candidates. Many have enough in their coffers, however modest.Yes, yes, I know you still wouldn't escape "politics" but at least RA Candidates would be a major step in the right direction?

Rosco White ● 1758d

Probably the worst is how utterly useless the Tories are at being an opposition or working to build a strong voting base for the next election.Even Labour inclined voter Including most of my family is aghast at this particular ruling group and almost at the point of voting Tory.But the silence and lack of protest and opposition or public profile leaves them wanting.So clearly its time independent genuine locals form a non party independent opposition to stand against this odious and morally corrupt and contemptuous group.

Raymond Havelock ● 1758d

A bit like the £millions spent on the North Acton station plaza, the virtually unused Southall market car park and the unmaintained 'planters' filled with rotting vegetation that pass for traffic calming on the Uxbridge Road in Southall. I am sure that there are many other examples of their profligacy with YOUR money.

N V Brooks ● 1759d

Nice sentiment Rosco, but unlikely I fear. This time next year Bell and co will be in full electioneering mode ahead of May 2022. Expect reams of guff about how they saved Ealing from Covid, singlehandedly destroyed the curse of the car and built 12million ‘genuinely affordable’ homes in the borough (affordable to genuine millionaires).Oh, and how they’ve lost 64p of funding in every pound from government. But still managed to find two million quid to try and offload the Town Hall (they might not mention that one...)

Simon Hayes ● 1759d

Yep, Bullying at its finest, picking on the weakest and most vulnerable.Its worse than disgraceful. Councils (in our case , a Fiefdom)  need to be disbanded and replaced with a system that actually works and serves the residents, without politics diktating their activities.

Rosco White ● 1759d

Really delighted to see Andrew got justice in the end. However, it does highlight that Ealing are routinely fining key workers and NHS workers and then not rescinding those fines when an appeal is made. Not every case is going to be highlighted in the media and people on low incomes are often afraid to appeal because they are concerned about the fine being doubled.

Christine Mulligan ● 1759d

Shame it takes media coverage before the authorities act.  They act as judge Jury and Executioner and have forgotten they are there to serve and maintain not divide and rule.

Raymond Havelock ● 1759d

We have a lovely Council, don't we.I mean, they CARE so much about us, and are always so keen to Serve & Help.  🤣

Rosco White ● 1760d

The way the system operates turns it into a highly regressive and arguably racist tax. Fines are handed out to people unfairly all the time but to get their money back they have to go through a complicated system. This is something that higher wage earners and people for whom English is their first language will have relatively little difficulty with. Therefore the people who can least afford to pay end up paying more. Councils should have to pay costs if they are shown to be acting vexatiously for instance in Andrew's case or all the other times they auto-reject valid appeals.

Mark Evans ● 1761d