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National Parking Adjudication Service…on the record

At 5.23pm Tuesday 23rd August 2005 I received a call from Andrew Barfoot, Tribunal Manager for the National Parking Adjudication Service in response to a telephone call I made to him the previous day at his office on 0161 242 527.

I had discussed the case in Sunderland and had offered to meet with him and any NPAS representatives to give them an overview of the Sunderland situation and the very serious matters that were being raised.
He informed me that his boss was Caroline Shepherd, and he would call me back the following day.

The call that came in at 5.23pm today lasted around 11 minutes.
The conversation was amicable and covered a number of areas, the contents of which will be uncovered in due course. It ended with me thanking him for his courtesy in returning my call, unlike the Department for Transport and Secretary of State who appeared to be ‘battening down the hatches and heading for the bunker.’ The call ended.

I picked up the telephone to make another call.
It was still connected.
I was then privy to a converastion between the identifiable Andrew Barfoot and an unidentified female.
The conversation lasted approximately five minutes, the majority of which is clear, especially the voice of Andrew Barfoot.
The line then went dead.

Pressing 1471 revealed the telephone number…a mobile number 07771 *** ****. Quite why a mobile was being used and not the office telephone for a call to myself may be revealed in due course. Draw your own conclusions.

Obviously by what had been said, Andrew Barfoot, who confirmed his location as not in the office but now in the lift with a colleague, had not realised that everything which had been said had come straight through to this office.
I asked for the name of his boss.
She was in the lift with him. She was the female voice.
There was a silence of nearly a minute.

Caroline Shepherd came on the telephone.

Caroline Shepherd confirmed her name and when asked confirmed that she is answerable to the ‘Joint Committee.’ She gave her position as the Service Director at the National Parking Adjudicator
The address was given as Barlow House, Minchull Street, Manchester M1 3DZ.

She gave reassurances that my case would be dealt with fairly and I could appeal following the necessary due process. Her diction is clear and she is very well spoken.
I was informed that my cases will be dealt with by an ‘independent’ solicitor.
I informed her that I had heard all the conversation between herself and Andrew Barfoot…because he had left his mobile telephone on.

I repeated Andrew Barfoot’s opening statement to her.

I stated that I had a full record of everything that was said.
(It will be in the hands of solicitors pending further action hence the reason it is not posted here in case it is prejudicial to proceedings).

At this point she offered her sincerest apologies and gave a solemn undertaking that what was said would not be prejudicial to any appeal that I brought before NPAS. Obviously this was a professional matter and they would undertake the necessary retraining…at this point I interject and state that I will require a full written apology and the matter bringing to the attention of the Joint Committee.
She offered to discuss matters relating to ‘concerns’ but I said that I now wished the matter to be dealt with in writing.
The recorded delivery letter before action will be in the post tomorrow.

What was said by Andrew Barfoot, Tribunal Manager for the National Parking Adjudication Service leaves me in no doubt that they are not independent.