Fife Council has “spectacularly failed” after failing to rip up a parking ticket issued to a woman giving birth, a local councillor has claimed.
Donna Foster gave birth just 34 minutes after her partner, Ian Henderson, left their car in a disabled parking space at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.
The couple had been unable to find a standard space for their vehicle and had to abandon their car in the specially-designated space despite not having the necessary blue badge.
As Donna gave birth to baby Tyler Levi in the hospital’s maternity unit, a traffic warden ticketed the couple’s car.
Although she appealed the decision when she arrived home with her newborn, her plea was thrown out by Fife Council a move Glenrothes councillor Ross Vettraino says is completely out of order.
Stunned at the lack of empathy shown by council officers, he said: “The parking attendant did his job. He issued a penalty charge notice, which was the correct thing to do, as there was a car parked in a disabled space without a blue badge being displayed.
“However, the council officer who summarily dismissed Ms Foster’s appeal without even checking to see of she was telling the truth didn’t do his job, as he represents a council that wants to put people first but spectacularly failed to do so.
“There is also a problem with the legislation, which lists six grounds on which a penalty charge notice can be appealed, none of which has any regard to a situation such as that in which Ms Foster’s partner found himself, in which human life or wellbeing was at stake.
“In such circumstances, I expect the council to exercise its discretion and put people first.”
To stop the situation from developing further, Donna’s mother paid the £30 fine on her behalf.
However, following The Courier’s intervention, the local authority has now said it is willing to listen to Ms Foster’s appeal.
Service manager Angus Carmichael said “We understand that Ms Foster has paid her fine.
“However, we appreciate that this was an exceptional set of circumstances and we would ask Ms Foster to consider submitting a formal appeal.”