Helpful Haringey

 

In complete contrast to Redbridge Council about whom Mr Mustard just blogged he brings you helpful Haringey Council.

The Notice of Rejection sent to his client, who had driven through Woodlands Park Road N15 which is now for resident access only, went missing. The Haringey PCN portal is good in showing you the key steps a PCN has gone through so Mr Mustard knew when it was issued.

His client was happy, on Mr Mustard's advice, to pay the PCN but naturally he wanted to limit his losses to £65. Time wasn't pressing so Mr Mustard put a note on the PCN portal:

This was responded to yesterday in a straightforward and helpful manner.

This is a win:win situation.

If Haringey hadn't offered the discount again Haringey Council knew that Mr Mustard would, most probably, proceed to the independent tribunal. He can't beat everything and moving traffic PCNs are hard to beat, but the 6 times that Mr Mustard has started an adjudication this year Haringey Council have thrown in the towel without even stepping into the ring so would probably do it again. (They are probably still a bit sore from the 2023 decision which saw the wording of their moving traffic PCNs put to the sword and a challenge to the legality of the consequent income in their Accounts. The PCN is now compliant).

This way Haringey Council get £65 in for certain and don't have to pay out a £30 tribunal process fee, which they can't recover unless Mr Mustard is frivolous, vexatious or wholly unreasonable, which the tribunal have not in over a decade, ever found him to be. The council also don't have to pay out £10 to register the PCN as a debt with the Traffic & Enforcement Centre (part of the County Court but really just a glorified register) only for that fee to be lost when a statutory declaration is processed. They save the time of dealing with all the paperwork and can mark one more PCN off as complete and paid. They have recovered an ample penalty for the error and now have compliance as to the future at that location from this motorist.

The motorist has lost £65 but saved the same amount, learnt about signs and won't drive that way again (if he forgets he is on his own, Mr Mustard is a bit more stroppy these days with people who don't learn).

Well done Haringey Council.

The end