Queues for parking permits - DISGRACE!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on October 28, 2011 at 9:51

Alan obviously I have read the statement because I counted 11 references to customers.

"Customer" is pretty much opposite of what is clearly the fact and given a choice, these "customers" would probably dearly wish not to be "customers". Is this not a perversion of language? I'm surprised that you seem to give this one a free pass, given your creditable past objection to obfustication in council statements.

You will know better than most the role played by Ms Parker in commissioning the Walklate One investigation and you will also know that I have recognised several times the vital importance of that decision. That started to lift the lid on the circumstances surrounding the Licence to Firoka and the role played by the disgraced Cllr. Charles Adje. But in taking some responsibility for the Parking Permits problems Ms Parker is doing no more than her job in recognising a problem exists. The gratitude of the public to senior council staff for doing their job takes the form of six-figure salaries, so let's not be too precious.

Is "customer" a low-level attempt at social engineering, like other council slogans? To make the permit payers feel that they're in command, that they have some power or importance? It's not true, is it?

I'd not have taken issue with the statement if "customer" had been replaced with "target" or "sitting duck". As you are an advocate of the use of clear, plain English, I'd be interested to hear your views of the use of "customer" in council communiques.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 28, 2011 at 10:58

Perhaps, Neiltingley I could get you to read Clay Shirky's article where he writes:

"Here's something you might not have noticed about the internet: Some of the conversations taking place there are less than civil."

My purpose in joining this discussion was to learn about and pass on suggestions for improving the way Haringey Parking Service issues its permits. I'm not going to spend time on pointless rants about six-figure-salaries, Cllr Charles Adje, Edinburgh trams etc.

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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on October 28, 2011 at 11:59

Neil I knew it was a mistake for you to refer to "beardies".

Now, Alan's not going to comment at all about "customers".

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Permalink Reply by Malcolm on October 31, 2011 at 15:57

Dear Clive, can I suggest you look up the word "monomania" and consider it's applicability to your ability to bring Firoka into any thread whatsoever?

Personally I'm thinking of having a competition for the most obscure linkage from a post on HoL to Firoka/Adje.

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on October 28, 2011 at 0:01

Thanks for taking the time to get this response, Alan. Good to hear that new applications are soon to be available online also.

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Permalink Reply by Chrisandsally on October 28, 2011 at 8:31

i joined one of the triage queues and waited for over an hour about six weeks ago.  I was then told that they would not be able to deal with all the 'customers' before closing time, so I was advised to leave and apply online. It is not applying online, it's downloading their application form from the Internet, making sense and annotating the form in a (hopefully) meaningful way and sending it by snail mail. I say snail mail with no irony as I am yet to receive any passes or acknowledgement of my order 6 weeks later. Any thoughts on trying to follow this up? or shall I just cancel my cheque and arrive in the hell they call the customer service centre at 8 am one day?

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Permalink Reply by Malcolm on October 31, 2011 at 15:55

It certainly beggars belief that that target for issuing permits is 20 minutes. I'd love to see how that number was arrived at.

Let's see:

- Check documentation, photocopy (why, especially if it's a council tax bill...) - 5 minutes max

- Enter name, address etc on a computer - 1 minute

- Hit print - 1 minute.

Unless I've missed a bunch of steps, that makes 7 minutes - and for the most complex case, issuing a new resident's permit.

For all renewals & visitor permits, a simple "name? address?", lookup on computer, "how many do you want", hit print.

ING can approve a mortgage in 15 minutes. Shurely shome mistake if parking permits are more difficult?

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Permalink Reply by Malcolm on December 29, 2011 at 13:37

Then we should blame Civica - http://www.civica.co.uk/ - who seem to be (ir)responsible for at least some of the council's systems. Although 'tis oft the fault of the customer as much as the supplier.

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