Information regarding the removal of "No To the Bike Parking Tax" campaign leaflets in White's Row car park?

The City of London acknowledges receipt of your request.

City of London
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

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Dear Mr Dunne

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 -
INFORMATION REQUEST DES/RFI/2009074

Following your request of 25 June 2009, and our acknowledgement of 26
June, the City of London (CoL) responds as follows. 

1. Could you provide me with the City of London Corporation officer or
employee who ordered the removal of "No To the Bike Parking Tax" campaign
leaflets from motorcycles and scooters at White's Row Car Park on 24th
June 09?

A individual order was not made. The removal of any flyers/leaflets is a
standing instruction made on behalf of the Director of Environmental
Services, Philip Everett, being the Chief Officer responsible for the
CoL's car parks.

2. Could you provide the reason for removal of these leaflets from
motorcycles and scooters at White's Row car park?
The leaflets were removed for the same reasons that all leaflets are
removed from vehicles in CoL owned car parks: the CoL cannot be seen to be
endorsing products or campaigns advertised; and vehicle owners generally
remove the leaflets and drop them on the floor causing litter and health &
safety slip hazards. It is also worth noting that vehicles damaged by
leaflets being left on them are not covered by the insurance policies of
the the CoL or it's management company. If an address is provided on such
leaflets, the CoL writes to those concerned informing them that
leaflets/flyers are not permitted to be left in CoL car parks.

3. Could you provide me with proof of insurance held by the City of London
Corporation or White's Row Car Park, should any damage potentially be
inflicted upon any motorcycles or scooters during the removal of the "No
To the Bike Parking Tax" campaign leaflets?

There is a general disclaimer in the car park which reads:

'All vehicles are left entirely at the customers own risk. The City of
London Corporation and it's Contractors accept no liability for loss,
damage or theft to or from any vehicle left in this car park and customers
are advised to remove all valuables from their vehicle.'

Damage caused to vehicles by members of the public who attach leaflets is
not covered by the City of London's or the management company's insurance.

If a vehicle was proven to be damaged by the actions of our management
company's staff then the management company's insurance would be invoked.
We can confirm that the contract in place requires the management company
to have the relevant insurance policies in place. The policy number,
insurance company, and date of expiry are:

Marsh Ltd
057/P003/AW551298/9
31 December 2009

4. Could you provide evidence of complaints made by any of the
motorcyclists or scooterists parked in White's Row car park, requesting
that the "No To the Bike Parking Tax" campaign leaflets be removed from
their private property?

No complaints have been received requesting the removal of leaflets from
vehicles in CoL car parks at any time. This is probably due to the fact
that leaflets are removed almost immediately after being left.

5. Could you provide information of the tool used to remove the "No To the
Bike Parking Tax" campaign leaflets from the motorcycles and scooters at
White's Row car park?

Leaflets are removed by hand by cleaning staff in all CoL car parks. They
do not use tools. With regard to the leaflet in question, the cleaner was
using his hands to remove the leaflets from vehicles and was also carrying
a litter picker which he was using to collect rubbish from the floor at
the same time.

We hope that this is of assistance. Please note that the CoL is the local
authority for the 'Square Mile' only, ie the historic City of London and
not London as a whole. Please note also that the FOI Act applies to the
CoL as a local authority, police authority and port health authority.

If you wish to make a complaint about the way the CoL has managed your
enquiry under the FOI Act, please make your complaint in writing to the
City of London Complaints Officer, Town Clerk's Department. PO Box 270,
Guildhall, London, EC2P 2EJ. Email: [email address]

For a link to the CoL's FOI complaints procedure, please visit the
following page, [1]www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Feedback, at the end of which
is located the FOI complaints procedure. If, having used the CoL's FOI
Complaints Procedure, you are still dissatisfied, you may request the
Information Commissioner to investigate. Please contact: Information
Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Telephone: (01625) 545700.

The CoL holds the copyright in this communication. The supply of it does
not give a right to re-use it in a way that would infringe that copyright,
for example, by making copies, publishing and issuing copies to the public
or to any other person. Brief extracts of any of the material may be
reproduced under the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988 (sections 29 and 30) for the purposes of research for
non-commercial purposes, private study, criticism, review and news
reporting, subject to an acknowledgement of the copyright owner.

Department of Environmental Services
City of London
[2][email address].uk 
Tel 020 7332 3244

[3]www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

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