Camden New Journal - News: Coiuncil's double U-Turn

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Camden New Journal - by PAUL KEILTHY
Published: 23 August 2007

Alice Whitty

‘This should not have happened – we apologise’

Council’s double u-turn after new journal exposes blunders

AN 80-year-old arthritis sufferer whose application to renew her 10 year old blue badge parking permit was denied by the council has been issued an apology and offered compensation after enquiries by the New Journal.
Somers Town resident Alice Whitty, who uses a three-wheeled walking frame to get around her sheltered accommodation at Clyde House, was incensed when officials turned down her application after an interview at the Town Hall, telling her she no longer qualified.
For the previous ten years her GP had signed off her blue badge applications on the basis of osteo-arthritis in her hips, which she says gives her constant pain when walking – but she was given no medical examination during the interview and learnt that her badge would not be renewed when a letter came through her door.
When the New Journal called about her case, council officials defended their policy on blue badge assessments as following government policy.
But within 48 hours they phoned Mrs Whitty to say that her application had been bungled- and she could have compensation for the stress she had suffered.
Mrs Whitty said: “They were very apologetic, but what kind of department is it that makes that kind of mistake?”
Her ward councillor Roger Robinson, a blue badge holder and disabled rights campaigner himself, lambasted the parking officials who made the error and called the council’s disabled permit policy into question. He said: “This was an absolutely stupid mistake to make which has led to a lot of stress. It is based on the council having very little idea about disability issues. It is just not on – they did this on the basis of no medical examination and a 10-minute interview.”
A Town Hall press official explained that Mrs Whitty should not have been called in for interview, and that she was entitled to keep her existing blue badge for another year before an assessment took place.
He said: “This should not have happened and we apologise to Mrs Whitty for the distress this must have caused. We have reminded staff of the procedures to follow when they process blue badge applications.”
Compensation for her stress and inconvenience had been approved but the amount had not been agreed, he added.

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