This information has been extracted from London Evening Standard CLICK HERE

London Borough of Barnet's contractor having messed up the election lists on Thursday morning 5th May for Mayor of London is now getting more adverse publicity

An autistic teen was left stranded on a London bus after the freedom pass she has held for nine years was unexpectedly revoked by the council.

Jenny Fairclough was trying to get a bus from Burnt Oak to Edgware when the driver told her the pass, entitling her to free travel, was no longer valid.

She was allowed to continue her journey by the bus driver but, because of her autism, the teenager became so anxious she was couldn't bring herself to get off the bus until her mother came to pick her up.

The teen, who also suffers from arthritis, explained: "I was very scared and frightened.

"I didn't know why my pass had stopped working and I got very worried. I didn't know how to get home so I called my mum, she told me to stay on the bus and she would come and meet me."

The 19-year-old, who attends Oak Lodge Special School, had previously received a letter saying she did not fit the criteria for a freedom pass, despite being eligible since the age of 10.

But the letter said she had 30 days to appeal and mother Siobhan Fairclough said the sudden cancellation, just 10 days after the document arrived, left them both shocked.

She said: “Barnet gave her no notice that the pass had been cancelled and the letter did not state that the pass would be cancelled.

“Surely under safeguarding the vulnerable Barnet Council have failed? Do Barnet not have a duty of care to their vulnerable people?

“Are they not picking on the ones with the least understanding and ability to fight their corner, all to save money?”

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Comments have been added to the story

Barnet Council have added their own criteria. The London Councils criteria is available to all on the Internet.

Barnet have stated that you have have to (A) be known to the Dennis Scott Unit for 2 years  (B) Have to be known and have regular contact with the Adult Learning Disabilities Team.  Many parents with disabled young people do legally fit the criteria as stated by London Council but somehow do not fit the Learning Disabilities Teams criteria, on their decision the pass gets cancelled. 

The process for the issue of Freedom passes in Barnet has apparently been suspended. In that case why did I receive a phone call form Capita, who run 99% of Barents departments, stating that as Jenny (above) has not as yet been assessed by the team, she cannot have her pass back. Calling the the team, I was informed that they had send a referral for to me and I have not returned it. I discovered that Barnet Learning Disability Team had sent to form to a complete stranger !!!