Bus Pass Rejections

The request was refused by Stockton-on-Tees Council.

Dear Stockton on Tees Council,

Under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to request some figures around rejections for concessionary travel passes (bus passes).

The following questions refer only to disabled bus pass applications not to concessionary travel for the elderly.

Where years are used this is for the financial year.

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been rejected because the applicant has not met criteria but does have an autist spectrum disorder.
I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial years;
2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been rejected because the applicant has not met criteria but has Asperger’s Syndrome.
I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial years;
2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been accepted and has an autistic spectrum disorder.
I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial years;
2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been accepted and has Asperger’s Syndrome.
I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial years;
2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

Over the same time periods (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date) how many concessionary travel passes have been issued.

Over the same time periods (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date) have concessionary travel passes been issued to anyone who did not present as having a physical disability or learning difficulty or autistic spectrum disorder. If so can you provide this information split by the reason the passes were issued, and the years.

How many currently “active” bus passes are there within Stockton?

How many passes are estimated by the council to be being fraudulently used?

Would someone with an autistic spectrum disorder or Asperger’s syndrome be considered to be fraudulently using a pass?

What criteria do the council use to decide if a pass should be issued or not?
Are there any council specific amendments or changes to this criteria if this is a standard item between councils?

Could you provide copies of application documents which are associated with the application for a pass?

Yours faithfully,

James Stoker

Stockton-on-Tees Council

1 Attachment

Dear James Stoker

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental Information Regulations
2004 – Ref: 4195/1819

 

Thank you for your correspondence received on 14 November 2018

 

Your request is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (whichever is most
appropriate). You will receive the information requested within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days.

 

However, please note the Acts define a number of exemptions that may
prevent release of the requested information. There will therefore be an
assessment of your request to determine if any exemptions apply to the
information requested. If the information cannot be released, or only
released in part you will be informed of the reasons why, together with
any rights of appeal.

 

If the information requested refers to a third party, they may be
consulted before deciding whether it can be released.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD

(01642) 527455

[1][email address]

[2]www.stockton.gov.uk

 

 [3]CSE Logo small

 

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FOI and Complaints, Stockton-on-Tees Council

1 Attachment

This email was classified as : OFFICIAL

 Dear James Stoker

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Ref: 4195/1819

Thank you for your correspondence received on 14 November 2018. In
response to your request I can now provide the following information. 

The following questions refer only to disabled bus pass applications not
to concessionary travel for the elderly.  (Where years are used this is
for the financial year.)

 

Q1) How many bus pass applications have been rejected because the
applicant has not met criteria but does have an autist spectrum disorder.

I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial
years; 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

 

Q2) How many bus pass applications have been rejected because the
applicant has not met criteria but has Asperger’s Syndrome.

I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial
years; 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

 

Q3) How many bus pass applications have been accepted and has an autistic
spectrum disorder.

I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial
years; 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

 

Q4) How many bus pass applications have been accepted and has Asperger’s
Syndrome.

I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial
years; 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

 

Q5) Over the same time periods (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to
date) how many concessionary travel passes have been issued.

 

Q6) Over the same time periods  (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to
date) have concessionary travel passes been issued to anyone who did not
present as having a physical disability or learning difficulty or autistic
spectrum disorder.  If so can you provide this information split by the
reason the passes were issued, and the years.

 

Q7) How many currently “active” bus passes are there within Stockton?

 

Q8) How many passes are estimated by the council to be being fraudulently
used?

 

A8) We are unable to provide estimates. This is not within the spirit of
the act.

 

Q9) Would someone with an autistic spectrum disorder or Asperger’s
syndrome be considered to be fraudulently using a pass?

 

Q10) What criteria do the council use to decide if a pass should be issued
or not?

 

Q11) Are there any council specific amendments or changes to this criteria
if this is a standard item between councils?

 

Q12) Could you provide copies of application documents which are
associated with the application for a pass?

 

A1 -7 & 9 -12) Each individual record needs to be interrogated for these
questions. To extract this data would require a manual process at 30
minutes per record with 765 records to review. It is therefore estimated
that this would take longer than 18 hours at £25.00 per hour and therefore
the cost of locating, retrieving and collating the information would
exceed the “appropriate limit” of £450 as stated under Section 12 of the
Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004 

 

If you have any queries or concerns please contact me in the first
instance.

 

However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has
been handled, you can submit a complaint to
[1][email address

 

If, after your complaint has been determined, you remain dissatisfied with
the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to
the Information Commissioner at:

 

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.  Telephone: 0303 123 1113  Website:
[2]www.ico.org.uk

 

The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Rebecca Horsman

Information Governance Team

 

Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD

(01642) 527455

[3][email address]

[4]www.stockton.gov.uk

 

[5]CSE LOGO NEW

 

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