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A long awaited update on cigarette-gate!
tigtag02
Posts: 6,857 Forumite
For anyone that missed volume one its here:
Well, all has been fun and games in tigland
My wonderful letter was met with a standard we-have-had-loads-of-post-and-will-get-back-to-you-soon reply :rolleyes:
After two weeks I wrote again as we were determined that this was not going to be swept under the carpet. Again I gave them 7 days to respond (with the threat to move up the heirarchy if the didnt) and they responded with a ludicrous reply stating that we hadnt confirmed who the driver was
I wrote AGAIN, in my own abrasive style and on Saturday morning the jolly old postman dropped a dont-write-again-if-you-dont-pay-in-14-days-were-talking-you-to-court letter through the door :eek: :eek: :eek:
Interestingly enough the word *cigarette* had been dropped from the *charge*
Well, for anyone that knows me you know that it didn't stop there dont you
Apolgies for the length but this is the letter I fired off to The Lord Mayor of Leeds on Sunday evening:
My Dear Lord Mayor
I am writing to implore you for your help with an outrageous situation I have unfortunately found myself in with Leeds City Council ~ it also appears that I am not the only one.
Approximately one and a half months ago I received, through the post, a fixed penalty notice for throwing cigarette litter from my car window. Now, even though I was at the place where the fine placed me at the time stated I knew as a non smoker there must be some mistake.
After over 6 weeks or correspondence it has cumulated in LCC believing that they are still able to prosecute me through the courts if I do not comply and pay this fine.
This is where my outrage lies, LCC have not only refused to provide evidence but
have ignored every request that I have made which includes, providing said evidence (photographic or video) and meeting with Dr’s to prove I am a non smoker as just two examples. I am 100% certain that they do not have evidence simply because the alleged offence was not committed. Their most recent letter to me states:
“Our officer has clearly witnessed an offence of littering from the vehicle you were driving and he is willing and fully prepared to give evidence in court”
Two points need raising from the quote:
Two weeks ago The Yorkshire Evening post highlighted the plight of another city resident who is in the same situation as myself and I know that this has generated further correspondence into the paper from discussions with the reporter.
The fact that I am not alone in my plight reinforces the belief that all is not as it seems with this department and something must be done. They are employing nothing short of bullying tactics to try and enforce these shoddy notices and the innocent public who are the victims must take a stand.
Unfortunately, as just one voice I cannot do this alone which is why I write to you as The First Citizen of our great City. This department of the local council is not only a representation of your city but of my city too. Their actions show the same disrespect as if a child misbehaved whilst representing their school on a trip. That would not be allowed to pass without someone being held responsible and the same should go for the despicable way in which this department are disrespecting the council, this city and its citizens.
I am quite willing to provide copies of all correspondence with regards to this issue.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours Sincerely
Miserable Bollox
Mr Miserable Bollox
:j :j RESULT:j :j
Well, all has been fun and games in tigland
My wonderful letter was met with a standard we-have-had-loads-of-post-and-will-get-back-to-you-soon reply :rolleyes: After two weeks I wrote again as we were determined that this was not going to be swept under the carpet. Again I gave them 7 days to respond (with the threat to move up the heirarchy if the didnt) and they responded with a ludicrous reply stating that we hadnt confirmed who the driver was
I wrote AGAIN, in my own abrasive style and on Saturday morning the jolly old postman dropped a dont-write-again-if-you-dont-pay-in-14-days-were-talking-you-to-court letter through the door :eek: :eek: :eek:
Interestingly enough the word *cigarette* had been dropped from the *charge*
Well, for anyone that knows me you know that it didn't stop there dont you
Apolgies for the length but this is the letter I fired off to The Lord Mayor of Leeds on Sunday evening:
My Dear Lord Mayor
I am writing to implore you for your help with an outrageous situation I have unfortunately found myself in with Leeds City Council ~ it also appears that I am not the only one.
Approximately one and a half months ago I received, through the post, a fixed penalty notice for throwing cigarette litter from my car window. Now, even though I was at the place where the fine placed me at the time stated I knew as a non smoker there must be some mistake.
After over 6 weeks or correspondence it has cumulated in LCC believing that they are still able to prosecute me through the courts if I do not comply and pay this fine.
This is where my outrage lies, LCC have not only refused to provide evidence but
have ignored every request that I have made which includes, providing said evidence (photographic or video) and meeting with Dr’s to prove I am a non smoker as just two examples. I am 100% certain that they do not have evidence simply because the alleged offence was not committed. Their most recent letter to me states:
“Our officer has clearly witnessed an offence of littering from the vehicle you were driving and he is willing and fully prepared to give evidence in court”
Two points need raising from the quote:
- Unless this officer is honestly mistaken, which I am finding increasingly hard to believe then this tells me that he is quite willing to purge himself in a court of law.
- It appears also, reading between the lines, that LCC can not only enforce without evidence but move “the goalposts” at will and to suit. I find it highly suspicious that the original wording of cigarette litter has changed to just litter. Is this their feeble attempt to secure a conviction even in the light of their discovery that I don’t smoke and am willing to prove as much?
Two weeks ago The Yorkshire Evening post highlighted the plight of another city resident who is in the same situation as myself and I know that this has generated further correspondence into the paper from discussions with the reporter.
The fact that I am not alone in my plight reinforces the belief that all is not as it seems with this department and something must be done. They are employing nothing short of bullying tactics to try and enforce these shoddy notices and the innocent public who are the victims must take a stand.
Unfortunately, as just one voice I cannot do this alone which is why I write to you as The First Citizen of our great City. This department of the local council is not only a representation of your city but of my city too. Their actions show the same disrespect as if a child misbehaved whilst representing their school on a trip. That would not be allowed to pass without someone being held responsible and the same should go for the despicable way in which this department are disrespecting the council, this city and its citizens.
I am quite willing to provide copies of all correspondence with regards to this issue.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours Sincerely
Miserable Bollox
Mr Miserable Bollox
- Read receipt received Monday morning
- Monday evening call was recieved by LCC apologising to MB and cancelling the fine :T :T :T
:j :j RESULT:j :j
:heartpuls baby no3 due 16th November :heartpuls
TEAM YELLOW
DFD 16/6/10
"Shut your gob! Or I'll come round your houses and stamp on all your toys" The ONE, the ONLY, the LEGENDARY Gene Hunt :heart2:
0
Comments
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Hurray!!!!!!! I'm so pleased for you
What a coincidence that they apologised and dropped the fine on the same day that the Mayor received your letter... :rolleyes:"I wasn't wrong, I just wasn't right enough.":smileyhea97800072589250 -
I know - strange huh?
:rotfl::heartpuls baby no3 due 16th November :heartpulsTEAM YELLOWDFD 16/6/10"Shut your gob! Or I'll come round your houses and stamp on all your toys" The ONE, the ONLY, the LEGENDARY Gene Hunt :heart2:0 -
Splendid result, well done! Although I think perjury (v. perjure) is the offence committed in court - purgeing would probably lead to a whole new prosecution!Official DFW Nerd No 096 - Proud to have dealt with my debt!0
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oh that's fantastic!
What made me laugh hardest though was the Mr MB at the end! :rotfl: I wonder what they would have done had you had put that!!!CCCS DMP:Feb 07
Total:£37,016.47 now £0 DEBT FREE FEB 14
2022 Decluttering Campaign 49/10110 -
Splendid result, well done! Although I think perjury (v. perjure) is the offence committed in court - purgeing would probably lead to a whole new prosecution!
:heartpuls baby no3 due 16th November :heartpulsTEAM YELLOWDFD 16/6/10"Shut your gob! Or I'll come round your houses and stamp on all your toys" The ONE, the ONLY, the LEGENDARY Gene Hunt :heart2:0 -
Splendid result, well done! Although I think perjury (v. perjure) is the offence committed in court - purgeing would probably lead to a whole new prosecution!
And for some people - if they did purge themselves, there'd be nothing left of them. Since they're so full of it..."Follow the money!" - Deepthroat (AKA William Mark Felt Sr - Associate Director of the FBI)
"We were born and raised in a summer haze." Adele 'Someone like you.'
"Blowing your mind, 'cause you know what you'll find, when you're looking for things in the sky." OMD 'Julia's Song'0 -
What a fantastic letter, and an excellent result :TSuccessful women can still have their feet on the ground. They just wear better shoes. (Maud Van de Venne)Life begins at the end of your comfort zone (Neale Donald Walsch)0
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Well done! An excellent result!0
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I've just caught up with this saga and i'm on the floor laughing right now. "Hats off" to you Tig and well done !!!!!!!!!0
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