Barnet CPZ refunds update - Barnet Alliance (BAPS) doing the councils job

As many readers of this blog will be aware, residents living in Controlled Parking Zone areas (CPZ's) have been being illegally overcharged since the huge hike brought in by convicted criminal councillor Brian Coleman in 2010 when he was in charge of roads. Every Barnet resident is legally entitled to a refund of this overpayment. You would think that having taken the money under false pretences, the Council would do the decent things and give everyone the money back. After all they have details of every permit and who owns it. A little letter of apology would be quite nice as well.

Sadly the Council doesn't work this way. As a result, the Council has unwittingly outsourced the job to the leading protest action group in Barnet, the Barnet Alliance for Public Services. Realising that the council was trying to hang on to as much cash as they can, the ever savvy Barnet Alliance have printed up tens of thousands of leaflets alerting residents to the refund and are currently delivering them all over the Borough in CPZ's.

This is a spectacular own goal by the Council. It has given BAPS a huge PR opportunity. Every resident in a CPZ who gets a leaflet will think that BAPS are wonderful and the Council are a behaving like a bunch of crooks. In effect BAPS are giving every resident who isn't aware of the refund a big brown envelope full of cash. I urged the Council to simply do the decent thing. They haven't so now the local Tory administration are banging another nail into their electoral chances.

Let me share with you an email that the Barnet Alliance recieved following the leafletting drive in High Barnet

Dear barnet alliance What can i say except for heartfelt thankyou. I didnt think people like you existed anymore. Genuine community based action that achieves results for working people is a rare and beautiful thing. after paying a parking fine of £30 which believe it or not we can hardly afford i returned to my home to find one of your inobtrusive leaflets in my hall. I was just about to throw it away when the parking charge headline caught my eye ( i confess i thought they wanted more money) my wife has followed your instructions and we could be due for a little windfall. This could not come at a better time for us as we are only on one wage and trying to raise our 7 month old baby. Well done guys you are making a difference to people and your quiet heroism which is very much appreciated in this corner of barnet.

David

I am quite sure that many people throughout Barnet will feel exactly the same. According to figures released by the Council, only 15% of people have applied for a a refund. If you live in a CPZ and have not applied yet, see the details in the right hand column. The process could not be more simple. Send an email ASAP to CPZParkingRefunds@barnet.gov.uk providing details of your name, telephone number, address, permit ID if they have it and car registration number.

Lets hope that the Council realise just how badly they are behaving and do the decent thing