The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s allegation the Council set a parking trap which specifically targets the local Jewish community. This is because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.
The complaint
The complainant, who I refer to as Mr X, says the Council has set up a parking trap in a road by a residential home which has Jewish residents to specifically target the local Jewish community which it knows will be culturally less inclined to challenge parking tickets.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr X received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for parking alongside a dropped kerb on a raised table with associated tactile paving, in place to assist less abled body people and those with visibility impairment to cross the road.
Rather than pursue an appeal against the issuing of the PCN, Mr X paid his fine at the discounted rate.
He complained to the Council that it had deliberately set a parking trap to target Jewish people. He accused it of being institutionally racist and demanded a full investigation into the matter.
The Council told Mr X the parking contravention for which his PCN had been issued was one enforced in the same way across the whole borough and it rejected wholeheartedly his accusation that it had acted in a discriminatory way.
While I understand Mr X was upset to receive a PCN for a parking contravention he was unaware of, I have seen no evidence to support his allegation of racism or that the local Jewish community had been targeted in a parking trap.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman