Dear Mr Houston

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Request for Information

Thank you for your email dated 1 August received 3 August 2009 requesting the following information:

“Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 I would like to request some information relating to the enforcement of parking restrictions, specifically penalty charge notices.

1. I would like to request the raw data set of parking tickets issued in the name of the council within the last five year period broken down by: date, time, location, narrative of infraction, current status of case, next status of case, transaction details (ie. date, time and method of payments made), officer ID

2. I would also like to request any information to `reward'/bonus schemes/contracts in place for your parking enforcement officers. This is envisaged to cover the details of any systems, including (where bonuses are paid) the amount per officer per year, for the last five years.

Regarding part 1. ideally I would like the location unit to be 'street' but if this is not practical then under your section 16 duty to advise and assist I would expect you to contact me to discuss how you record this geospatial data so that I may narrow my request in a way that works for both of us.

As a supplementary, under section 16, I would also ask that you provide some detail about the recording processes of this parking information. E.g. What software is used? What data fields are recorded? What other data sets it links to, etc.

If this information is held by an outside contractor then it is your responsibility under the FOIA to obtain that information.

If it is held by another public body then please can you inform me of this and if possible transfer the request to that public body. My preferred format to receive this information is by electronic means. For both parts I would like the response to be in the form of a raw text file, tab delimited, with text qualifiers where required.

If you need any clarification of this request or if it is too broad in any way please feel free to email me. If some parts of this request are more difficult to answer than others please release the answerable material as it is available rather than hold up the entire request for the contested data.

If FOI requests of a similar nature have already been asked could you please include your responses to those requests. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you within the 20-working day statutory time period.”

Your request is being considered and will be processed as soon as possible and certainly within the statutory timescale of 20 working-days as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 unless the information requested is subject to an exemption or contains a reference to a third party.

The Act defines a number of exemptions which may prevent release of the information you have requested. There will be an assessment and if any of the exemption categories apply then the information will not be released. You will be informed if this is the case, including your rights of appeal.

If the information you requested contains a reference to a third party, then they may need to be consulted before a decision is taken on whether the information can be released to you. You will be informed if this is the case.

There may be a fee payable for the information you have requested. This will be considered and you will be informed accordingly. In the event of a fee having to be paid, the 20 working-day time limit for your response will be suspended until receipt of the payment.

If you have any further queries, please contact me either in writing at the above address or by telephone on 01773 841601 and quote your ID No 156/09.

Yours sincerely

Joan Jones
Civic Links and FOI Officer

P M Carney, Solicitor
Chief Executive

PO Box 15 Town Hall Ripley
Derbyshire DE5 3XE
Tel: 01773 570222 Fax: 01773 841616
Minicom: 01773 841490
E-Mail: [email address]
Web: www.ambervalley.gov.uk

Caring and Working for Amber Valley

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