Man loses claim that parking officer targeted him

The man complained that a parking enforcement officer fined him but not his neighbour

A man’s claim that a council "targeted him" with a parking fine has been thrown out.

The Local Government Ombudsman heard that an enforcement officer from Westmorland and Furness Council gave the man a penalty charge notice (PCN), but not his neighbour.

The complainant said his neighbour overstayed in an adjacent bay for the same period but did not receive a PCN.

The ombudsman ruled against the complaint on the basis they would not ask the council to cancel a PCN just because another person had not been issued with one.

According to a report by an investigator, the council issued the man - identified as Mr X - a PCN for overstaying the maximum time in an on-street parking bay in November 2023.

The Local Democracy Reporting service reported that Mr X admitted parking in a bay which allowed a maximum 20-minute stay for at least 33 minutes.

Other drivers fined

Despite officers being entitled to issue him a PCN, Mr X believed they "targeted him specifically" and he provided a video from a CCTV camera as evidence.

But the ombudsman said the video did not prove Mr X was being singled out, rather that the PCN had been issued to him.

It added council records showed another three vehicles received PCNs that morning.

The ombudsman added that it would not investigate the matter further as Mr X was not disputing his own PCN, but the lack of one for his neighbour.

The report said "we would not recommend the council cancels the PCN it issued him simply because it did not issue a PCN to someone else".