Free Traffic Legal Advice

Okay. I'll do my best to remember all the details.
I realized only that morning around 9-9:15 that I needed to scratch out a permit and go outside to display it in the car. This was around Breakfast time for my two kids (no playgroup that day hence I visited my parents). My wife was still upstairs so I had them both to feed. I put the one year old in the highchair and gave her Weetabix. The 2 year old was seemingly occupied with his cereal so I thought I'd grab a moment to scratch it out. I gave my phone a cursory glance to check the date while keeping an eye out to prevent a Weetabix tornado. I saw it was the 1st and proceeded to scratch it out.
Calm moments don't last too long and soon noticed the 2 year old run out of his seat , I carried on scratching slightly distracted and must've scratched April by rote. It all went downhill from there... I heard a muffled thud from the dining room and my oldest bursting into loud wails. I grabbed the permit and ran. By the time I had the situ under control I really needed to run to the car. however I came back to the kitchen and discovered that the 1 year old had happily used my absence to practise her make-up artistry - with Weetabix! I must admit by that point I was a bit flustered and yelled to my wife to come down while I ran out to the car. I finished scratching it out and made a dash for it. When came back I had the honors of weeding the Weetabix out of said youngest's hair, and I didn't give another moment's thought to the permit. It wasn't until around 11:45 when my mother mentioned some event that was due to take place on 9th May and she said "next week" that it hit me. I zipped out to the car but it was too late. it was all adorned with a bright yellow souvenir...

That's the basic outline. Theatrics were added for effect (and because I enjoy it.) but all the details are true to the best of my memory. Anyone with kids will understand that a babysitting dad requires too much multitasking for any male. Just the constant thought "what are they gonna do next?" is enough to distract...

I've actually just received my rejection. I've attached it here.
Rejection

Hmm, interesting.
They may have shot themselves in the foot by mentioning they have already cancelled one PCN previously. The implication is that because of this they have not bothered to consider your representations for this latest PCN. This could be interpreted as "fettered discretion", a procedural impropriety.

However, I may be wrong, so wait until others comment.

OP, according to their response - although you hadn't mentioned it as far as I can see - marking the wrong date wasn't the only issue:

'..you also needed to enter the vehicle registration number in the yellow box...but it was blank.'

Then it wasn't valid, ever!

OP, you photo is tricky to view because of the reflected flash, was the VRM entered or not? It seems not.

Then it's the wrong contravention. But maybe we should cut them some slack and say that the CEO thought this permit belonged with your car. In which case IMO it's improper of the authority to use this as part of their rational for rejecting your challenge.

@cp8759, do you think There's any hope? I think my 14 days are up... Please can you help me draft a formal representation? Or do you think I should just pay?

@cp8759, I'm sorry I thought I made it clear (in my first post). I'm married and live in another borough, I was visiting my parents who live in Harringay and ended up staying overnight. I only realised the next morning that if I stay till after 10am I'd need a permit.
P.S. I'm really grateful for all your tireless work. Thank You!

@cp8759 I needed two permits as each one is valid for an hour. (restriction's from 10-12)
I don't have the original permits but these are all the pictures on the council page. You will see that both have the same date (wrong month scratched out- it was the 1st of May...) one is from 10am and the other from 11am, however as the council pointed out, I also forgot to write the reg.
Permits