Reclaiming charges from newlyn

[paul floorlayer]

Re: Reclaiming charges from newlyn

Hi Paul,

Fair-Parking has advised that your best course of action is to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman. Apart from postage costs and, perhaps, photocopying costs, you avoid court costs and LB of Harrow run the risk of any adjudication by the LGO being made public, which can be very embarrassing for a local authority.

In order to have a complaint accepted by the LGO, you will need to go through LB of Harrow's formal complaints procedure. Check LB of Harrow's website for details, but I suspect it is "Attitude Problem" Adamji, then the Head of Parking, followed by the Chief Executive of the Council. As long as you follow the formal complaints procedures, if only to acknowledge their responses and p*ss them off, once they give their final response, you can then refer the case to the LGO. Sometimes, asking a local authority to mark their letter "Final Response" can change their attitude, but this is rare.

Follow Fair-Parking's advice on this one.

Bluebottle

Ok thats a plan then, quick question though, I've already sent a letter to the head of traffic and received a reply (first letter bcd from harrow) then when I sent a letter to the cel mr adamji has been passed the duty of corresponding with me, would that count as going through the complaints procedure of sorts do you think? as surely I would only be referred back to the people I have already had send me letters, so would it best best to get mr adamji to mark a letter as final resolution from the ceo then attempt to go down the LGO route from there?

[bluebottle]

Re: Reclaiming charges from newlyn

Ok thats a plan then, quick question though, I've already sent a letter to the head of traffic and received a reply (first letter bcd from harrow) then when I sent a letter to the cel mr adamji has been passed the duty of corresponding with me, would that count as going through the complaints procedure of sorts do you think? as surely I would only be referred back to the people I have already had send me letters, so would it best best to get mr adamji to mark a letter as final resolution from the ceo then attempt to go down the LGO route from there?

Hi Paul,

When you are progressing a complaint to the LGO, you need to head all letters to the local authority in question "FORMAL COMPLAINT". It is important that you do this as local authorities then know they have to follow a set procedure for dealing with it. The communications you have received so far from "Attitude Problem" Adamji will count as evidence against LB Harrow. As a certain supermarket's slogan goes, "Every little helps."

The first letter goes to the Head of Parking. If the Head of Parking behaves like a muppet, the next letter goes to their Divisional Director. The final letter goes to the CEO. If there are any additional steps in between, you will need to comply with these, if only to wind them up.

[labman]

Re: Reclaiming charges from newlyn

HI again FP,

Your input and expertise is much appreciated. When I asked the question about the bigger picture, I was not suggesting the OP does not go to the LGO - that is exactly what they should do.

What I wondered was whether we could use this to expose LBHarrow to further interrogation of their malpractice.

[bluebottle]

Re: Reclaiming charges from newlyn

HI again FP,

Your input and expertise is much appreciated. When I asked the question about the bigger picture, I was not suggesting the OP does not go to the LGO - that is exactly what they should do.

What I wondered was whether we could use this to expose LBHarrow to further interrogation of their malpractice.

If the LGO does investigate and issues an adverse adjudication against LB of Harrow which the LGO decides to make public, I am wondering if the OP can get the OK from the LGO to circulate to local and national media. Now that would give LB of Harrow something to bitch about.