Some weeks ago I received from Plymouth City Council a letter with a questionnaire containing a load of bumf, mainly regarding my qualification for a blue badge – despite my having been registered disabled and having had a blue badge or equivalent for several years.
One of the seven sections of the form asked me to provide evidence as to who I am by providing a copy of any of a number of documents, for example, a driving licence (I do not drive) or a passport (mine expired years ago), and I was left with a choice of two – marriage certificate and birth certificate, both of which needed an A3 copier/printer, which in turn meant a visit to the library and parting with the princely sum of 20 pence for the service; the copy certificate then had to be certificated as a true reproduction by a responsible person, and the Blue badge Team had helpfully provided a list of forty or so occupations which they considered trustworthy for the purpose. The list included airline pilot, commissioner for oaths, publican, armed forces officer and "recognised" insurance broker (whatever that means), all of which as you might imagine form the nucleus of my immediate neighbours; but those omitted were doctor (I was told they aren't allowed – can't imagine why we shouldn't trust one), and you've probably guessed it – librarian (that would be too convenient). My son's occupation was however listed and nowhere in the guidance notes did it state that family were excluded, but to be on the safe side I rang PCC Blue Badge Team who must all have been at a meeting and in response to an automated message gave all relevant detail and asked for a yes/no answer. I got home later that day to find a message asking me to phone them back, which I did the following morning at 10.30 to be answered with a bright "Good afternoon" from yesterday's caller. I was told that using a family member to verify my birth certificate. Copy was "not ideal" yet it was not ruled out entirely, but couldn't I take the whole thing into town in person and a council officer could easily do the job? And yes, my wife could do this for me if more convenient. This was the consequence of trying to respond to just one question on the form.
An accessory to the main task was that in trying to provide my existing blue badge number, I took the badge from its sleeve which is permanently fixed to the car windscreen, only to find that all the handwritten ink data had been erased, presumably bleached by all that Westcountry summer sunshine. As my badge was not renewable until August, I thought I should report the matter to the Team. I was told in no uncertain terms that to display such a badge inside our car was illegal. My protestations that the fault lay with PCC for using materials unfit for purpose fell on deaf ears, and I was urged to get my new application off to the Team post-haste. I trust I may be forgiven some measure of frustration with bureaucracy.