Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your information request.

If you are making a request for information under FOI(S)A we will aim to
respond within the statutory timeframe of 20 working days.

If you are making a request for environmental information under EIRs we
will aim to respond within the statutory timeframe of 20 working days.
However, for requests of a complex nature it could take us up to 40
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If you are making a request for information under DPA/GDPR we will aim to
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complex or numerous requests in which case this period may be extended by
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Information Requests Privacy Notice: [1]https://tinyurl.com/yac8kodc

Regards,
Aberdeenshire Information Enquiries

References

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Dear Tim  Cullen

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (“The Act”)

We refer to your request dated 15/01/2024 14:17, for the following
information FOI: Disability Blue Badge - Processing times and delays. 

We confirm that the Council holds the following information, which we
believe satisfies your request, and which is below

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│What is the current processing time for completed applications? Average │
│processing time is 6.5 weeks for fully completed applications. │
│ │
│Why does the processing of the forms take up to 12 weeks? It does not │
│take 12 weeks to process the forms. We suggest 12 weeks as a guide to │
│ensure that applicants allow plenty of time to apply for a Blue Badge, │
│particularly applicants who have held a badge before. In our 12 week │
│estimate we include the processing timescales for all elements of the │
│application process for all types of application, we give this guide │
│based on the longest period that it might take us to process an │
│application and it includes the timescale estimate for when the │
│applicant has not provided all of the necessary information. │
│ │
│  │
│ │
│What is the processing involved in this time period? The processing │
│involves a check of the application type, review of the sections to │
│ensure that all sections have been completed & that all necessary │
│information has been provided (e.g. evidence for ID & proof of address, │
│photograph, evidence of eligibility), assessment and /or screening to │
│verify eligibility, notification to applicant of the outcome, request │
│for payment, order badge printing and issue. │
│ │
│  │
│ │
│Can you outline and justify why applications take this long? The outline│
│is as above, timescales are very quick when the applicant has provided │
│everything required, delays happen when information is missing. │
│ │
│How many applications are pending in the system for processing and what │
│is the average wait time for these applications? There are 733 │
│applications in the system at various stages of being processed, of that│
│135 are pending processing, average waiting time is 6.5 weeks. │
│ │
│Is there any reasonable established principle why it would take 12 weeks│
│to process an application when the persons disability is not going to go│
│away in that 12-week period. It does not take 12 weeks as explained │
│above. We are required to verify identity and establish eligibility for │
│all applications, this can be done quickly when applicants provide all │
│of the necessary information, in order to be eligible for a Blue Badge │
│applicants must have a substantial disability that will last for at │
│least 12 months. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Please contact me as the officer responsible for responding to your
request if you have any further queries.

If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with this response, please refer
to the further information attached.

Yours faithfully

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator
Business Services: Finance

Further Information:
Aberdeenshire Council’s Review Procedure under the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland)
Regulations 2004 can be accessed at the following link:

[1]http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/council-...

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

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Aberdeenshire Council.

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thèid a chur an cèill agus chan eil e a’ ciallachadh gu bheil iad a’
riochdachadh beachdan Chomhairle Shiorrachd Obar Dheathain.

www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

References

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Hi Tim,

Following on from your further question re Freedom Of Information Number 31435 as below, I can advise of the answer as follows;

12 weeks is the longest waiting time. However if applicants have not provided all the necessary information, evidence or when requested their payment, their application can be delayed. There is nothing the council can do about an individual applicant's response time to requests for necessary information.

Regards

Freedom Of information Team

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