CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Powys don’t know how much it cost them to take over Civil Parking Enforcement

On 25^th March we submitted two Freedom of Information requests to Powys County Council Records and Compliance Department.

Request 1: F-2012-00218

What were the costs and income for the period 1^st April 2011 to 31^st March 2012 derived from Pay and Display and other designated Car Parks and second, from On-Street Civil Parking Enforcement?

Request 2: F-2012-00219

What were the total costs of Powys County Council adopting responsibility for Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) powers prior to and after April 1st 2011?   

We were notified that “The due date for responding to these request for information is April 25, 2012”

On 26^th April we were told

  

I regret the delay you have experienced with this request. I acknowledge that Powys County Council has failed in its obligation under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to provide you with a response to your request within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.

……… At this moment in time however I have been reassured that I will be in a position to respond tomorrow.

On 27^th April we heard that

……. the information that satisfies your first request F-2012-00218 is nearing completion and will be sent to me shortly. He has advised though that he is struggling with the financial information to satisfy your second request.

…….. I am confident that a response will be provided before 5pm.

At 5:30 that evening we received

……. the attached response to Request Reference F-2012-00218.

…… I regret we are unable to provide a response to F-2012-00219 at this time, due to difficulties we are experiencing with the financial information from the Council’s Finance Department.

I acknowledge that we have failed in our obligations to provide you with the response to both your requests within the statutory timescale ……..

Some of the information supplied in the answer to that Freedom of Information request was included in our 27^th April blog Civil Parking Enforcement in Powys – Costs, Fines and Income.

Later still we were told

I have been assured by the officer that the information will be provided for me on Monday.

No answer was received on Monday, or on Tuesday, but on Wednesday 2^nd May we received the following message:

I regret I have not yet received the information from the service area, to provide a response to your second request.

I am making every effort to get the information to you at the earliest opportunity.

It is really beyond belief that a year after Powys embraced Civil Parking Enforcement. It cannot tell us how much it cost to do so!  

Surely you couldn’t even run a sweet shop on that basis!