A man’s claim that the council ‘targeted him’ with a parking fine has been thrown out by a government watchdog.

The Local Government Ombudsman has decided not to investigate a complaint that a civil enforcement officer from Westmorland and Furness Council gave the complainant a penalty charge notice but not the man’s neighbour.

The complainant says his neighbour stayed in the adjacent bay for the same time period but did not receive a PCN.

The report on the decision identifies the complainant as Mr X and states: “Mr X complains the council issued him a penalty charge notice (PCN) but did not issue one to his neighbour, who committed the same contravention.

“He believes the council targeted him.”

It was not said where in Westmorland and Furness Council the man was from, or where the ticket was issued.

According to the investigator’s report, the council issued Mr X a PCN for overstaying the maximum time in an on-street parking bay in November 2023.

Mr X admits he parked in a parking bay which allowed a maximum 20-minute stay but he was there for at least 33 minutes. The council was therefore entitled to issue him a PCN, the report adds.

According to the report Mr X’s complaint comes down to the fact the council issued him a PCN but did not issue a PCN to his neighbour, whom he says was parked in an adjacent bay for the same period of time. He therefore believes the council ‘targeted him specifically’.

The report states: “If Mr X disputed the PCN he received it would have been reasonable for him to appeal.

“It is not a significant injustice to Mr X that the council’s civil enforcement officer (CEO) did not issue his neighbour a PCN, regardless of whether they committed the same contravention, and we would not recommend the council cancels the PCN it issued him simply because it did not issue a PCN to someone else.”

According to the report Mr X provided video from a CCTV camera which he believes proves the council’s CEO targeted him but the investigator states: “I cannot draw this assumption from the footage provided.”

The report adds: “The video shows the CEO taking steps to issue a PCN to a vehicle which exceeded the maximum parking time allowed.

“It does not show intent to target him specifically and the council has confirmed from its records that the CEO issued PCNs to at least three other vehicles parked on the same road that morning.

“We will not investigate this complaint. This is because Mr X’s injustice stems from the PCN he received and if he disputed this it would have been reasonable for him to appeal.

“The fact the CEO did not issue Mr X’s neighbour a PCN as well is not a significant injustice to Mr X and does not show fault in the parking enforcement process.”