Disabled Parking Badges

[spainguy]

At the beginning of April, my mother aged 93 and partially blind wrote to Norwich to ask for a form to renew her and Dad's Parking Badges that expired on 10th May. Neither of my parents are able to walk unaided.
A week later she received the forms which I filled in for them on my latest visit and sent them back with 2 cheques for 2 pounds as requested. Nothing was heard until today when she received a phone call from Norwich asking her where she got the forms from. She explained that they had come from his office and he said the forms were out of date now and the price should be 10 pounds and couldn't issue the badge until she had paid in full. She said that she would send 2 further cheques so that my Dad's badge would not be held up and was told that as his application hadn't been dealt with, so this would not be possible. She was also asked who filled in the form for her as she had stated a range of disabilities.
She now has to deal with the worry of not having a current badge.
She is furious that these people can be so totally incompetent and uncaring. I am sure that eventually after a few more letters and phone calls everything will sort itself out, but shouldn't we expect better than this from people who are paid to provide a service to the public.
Has anyone else had a problem like this... and what is the next step? Write to her MP and ask him to sort it out?

[Mivalanchi]

Contact her County Councillor asap and request they assist. (Contact details on County Website http://www.norfolk.gov.uk Also make a formal complaint to Norfolk County Council details via the Countys website or recorded delivery mail.

[chihuahua606]

I'm lost for words. The person on the phone has no compassion and shouldn't be dealing with the public, especially those that are elderly and infirm.
Complain, complain, complain!

[spainguy]

The latest update on the Parking Badges is as follows:
Dad received a letter saying that he had sent insufficient money and a cheque for the correct amount was sent. He received his Parking Badge last week... a month after the expiry of his last one.
Mum heard nothing although she sent her revised cheque off a month ago. She phoned Norwich today and was told that they have not received her cheque although she sent it off in their pre-paid envelope. The lady on the phone was "very nice" and explained that they have hundreds of calls every day with similar problems, but that it is the fault of the government as they are cracking down on people who shouldn't be entitled to the badges. I never thought that I should be defending this government but is it really their fault that Norwich sent out the wrong forms or made a callous phone call or lost her cheque. The "nice lady" said that they could not accept a payment by bank card but that she would ensure that when a replacement cheque arrives it would receive express service. I have told Mum not to put a stop on her original cheque as her bank would charge more that the amount of the cheque to do so.
Perhaps if Norwich did their job properly in the first place, they would not have to deal with hundreds of complaints every day.

[PER]

Following this thread, I've been shocked at the terrible unsympathetic treatment your Mum and Dad have received. As for the Council not accepting bank cards..... do they not realise this is the 21st century? This deserves a letter to the EDP.

I remember in the Lynn News up till recently they used to have a column every week written by someone who was in a local organisation for people with disabilities (Jon Buss - or did he write something else...) - I think they should be contacted to perhaps put a rocket under NCC. Or maybe Age UK. These petty bureaucrats should NOT be allowed to get away with this bullying. It's bad enough that disabled badge holders have to pay for parking when council workers don't.

Glad your Dad is sorted now, good luck to your Mum.

Pat

[spainguy]

Thank you for your kind words regarding mum and dad's parking badges. I thought that as I haven't reported for some time on this matter you may assume that everything is OK now. Far from it! Mum received a hand written compliments slip in a hand written envelope from Norwich saying that they have found her lost cheque which was enclosed so that she could be assured that it hadn't been cashed. The problem is that the cheque was the replacement one that she sent when they told her that the original one had gone missing.
She is still awaiting her Parking Badge. I assume that she will receive another letter next week saying that they cannot issue the badge until she sends a cheque. I have told her to use her expired badge next time she goes with her 'lift' to Morrisons and hope that she gets a parking ticket!
Finally....between both my parents, they have sent a total of 5 cheques, and as of today not one them has been debited to their bank account.

[spainguy]

This saga just goes on and on. Another phone call to Norwich on Friday and she was told that her application was being 'fast-tracked' and the lady said, "Everything is up on the screen in front of me now and the case has been sent to to the printers to print the badge...just a minute...no...whoever did it hasn't pressed the send button. I'll do it now and you should have the badge within the next ten days."

[PER]

Surely this is one for Henry Bellingham? Not to mention letters to the Lynn News, EDP and even the national press.

This kind of treatment is downright disgusting.

Good luck

[spainguy]

Finally the Parking Badge arrived today!!! Mum phoned this evening with the good news. Obviously she will not make a fuss and complain as she is just happy that she now has her Badge and I suppose that the staff at Norwich County Council will carry on with their ineptitude, incompetence and 'couldn't car less' attitude.
My wish now is that she keeps her Badge in a safe place and doesn't lose it!