Number of complaints upheld by RCT

Waiting for an internal review by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council of their handling of this request.

Dear Rhondda Cynon Taff Council,

I would like to know how many complaints have actually been upheld by RCT in the last ten years regard issues such as illegally issued parking tickets, damage to vehicles due to the misuse of the positioning of speed humps and height of such humps, council tax bandings, damage to vehicles due to cheap road surfacing. These are such examples but obviously there will be numerous more issues that RCT residents will have no doubt made complaints about due to the inept and downright shoddy nature of how RCT operate.
It seems that many people are either not getting their complaints looked at and/ or are having said complaints rejected or not upheld for no legitimate reason other than the fact that RCT fails to take responsibility for its actions.

I Look forward to your findings.

Yours faithfully,

Mark Ritchie

Gummer, Claire, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Dear Mr Ritchie

Thank you for your request for information which is receiving attention.

We are looking into this matter and shall contact you again in due course.

Yours sincerely

Claire

Claire Gummer
Corporate Governance Team
Legal & Democratic Services
Rhondda Cynon Taff C.B.C.
The Pavilions
Cambrian Park
Clydach Vale
Tonypandy
CF40 2XX

Tel: (01443) 424111
Fax: (01443) 424114
Email: [email address]

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Gummer, Claire, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Dear Mr Ritchie

I refer to your Freedom of Information Request in respect of the number of complaints upheld by the Council in respect of illegally issued parking tickets, damage to vehicles due to the misuse of the positioning of speed humps and height of such humps, damage to vehicles due to cheap road surfacing.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide this information as your request will exceed the “appropriate limit” as stated in the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.

The system that is used to record complaints is also used to record comments, compliments and service requests. Each record is held by name and address of the complainer and not by subject matter. The system does not allow an electronic extraction, therefore each record would need to be looked into to obtain the information that you have requested, which would take your request beyond the "appropriate limit".

Therefore, in accordance with Section 17 of the Act this e-mail acts as a Refusal Notice to this part of your request.

With regard to complaints in respect of council tax banding, the Council would not have upheld any complaints of this nature as the responsibility for this lies with the VOA and not the Council.

As you may be aware you have a right of appeal against this decision. If you wish to exercise this right please set out in writing your grounds and send your appeal to the Council's Corporate Feedback Co-ordinator. Her name is Mrs. Christine Macey and she may be reached at [email address] or on 01443 424076.

Yours sincerely

Claire
 
Claire Gummer
Corporate Governance Team
Legal & Democratic Services
Rhondda Cynon Taff C.B.C.
The Pavilions
Cambrian Park
Clydach Vale
Tonypandy
CF40 2XX
 
Tel:  (01443) 424111
Fax: (01443) 424114
Email:  [email address]

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Dear Rhondda Cynon Taff Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Rhondda Cynon Taff Council's handling of my FOI request 'Number of complaints upheld by RCT'.

My main issue is the councils stubborn refusal to be open and transparent with regards to its blatant greed by issuing illegal tickets in the Rhondda Cynon Taff borough. And also inflicting more misery on innocent residents of RCT by the slapdash cheapskate resurfacing of roads and erection of speed humps which are far too high for cars which in turn damages the underside of the vehicle including but not restricted to exhausts, mid and back boxes, front and rear bumpers. This cost is constantly picked up by the innocent person and the council escapes scot free. And now with this blanket sweep statement that it will not provide the data I requested, this is obviously to hide the fact that the amount of illegal tickets issued in and around the Pontypridd area is an embarrassing indictment on the council as it is no better than robbing people. I won my case against a parking ticket issued in the town as the signage was and still is, in contravention of government legislation. And even with the erection of a further sign to try to justify the issuing of countless illegal tickets, RCT is still issuing these tickets and refusing to return the money that was and still is being unlawfully taken from the residents of RCT. It is with this in mind that I request an internal review as it is well within the public interest to supply this information so that people who have been wronged by RCT can take the legal action necessary to claim back what is rightfully theirs.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/n...

Yours faithfully,

Mark Ritchie

Freedomofinformation, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Dear Mr Ritchie

Further to our telephone conversation, I apologise for not responding to your Freedom of Information Request within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.

Your sincerely

Claire
 
Claire Gummer
Corporate Governance Team
Legal & Democratic Services
Rhondda Cynon Taff C.B.C.
The Pavilions
Cambrian Park
Clydach Vale
Tonypandy
CF40 2XX
 
Tel:  (01443) 424111
Fax: (01443) 424114
Email:  [email address]

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Llewellyn, Julie A, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

THIS E-MAIL IS SENT ON BEHALF OF CHRISTOPHER JONES, SERVICE DIRECTOR LEGAL AND DEMOCRATIC SERVICES

Dear Mr. Ritchie,

I refer to your email requesting an internal review of a freedom of information request that you submitted in relation to the number of complaints upheld over the last 10 years relating to illegally issued parking tickets, damage to vehicles due to the misuse of the positioning of speed humps and height of such humps, council tax bandings, damage to vehicles due to cheap road surfacing.

As the Service Director for Legal and Democratic Services it falls to me to consider how the freedom of information request was originally handled.
I have found that the decision to originally refuse this request was correct. I agree with the original finding that because of the way data regarding complaints are recorded, the total costs of providing the information that you have requested will exceed the "appropriate limit" as stated in The Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.

It may be that we can supply some information if you are willing to refine or reduce your request to more manageable proportions and resubmit your request so that it reduces the aggregate cost to within the "appropriate limit". I have discussed your request with relevant officers who have confirmed that if you reduced the period of time i.e. two/three months, the Authority may be able to provide some information.

As you are aware you may now, if you are dissatisfied, appeal to the Information Commissioner and you will find further details of the process on his website at http://www.ico.gov.uk/

Yours sincerely,

Christopher B. Jones
Service Director - Legal and Democratic Services

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Dear Llewellyn, Julie A,

Ok i will narrow it down.

1. How many illegal parking tickets have been issued by Rhonnda Cynon Taff in the last 2 years.

That will suffice for now.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Ritchie

Llewellyn, Julie A, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

THIS E-MAIL IS SENT ON BEHALF OF CHRISTOPHER JONES, SERVICE DIRECTOR LEGAL AND DEMOCRATIC SERVICES

Dear Mr. Ritchie,

I refer to your email below where you ask 'how many illegal parking tickets have been issued by Rhondda Cynon Taff in the last 2 years'.

Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council became a Civil Enforcement Area on 1st August 2012 and as the Council did not commence issuing Penalty Charge Notices to unlawfully parked vehicles until that date, all such Notices have been issued legally.

Yours sincerely

Christopher B. Jones
Service Director - Legal and Democratic Services

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Dear Llewellyn, Julie A,

You know that is completely untrue because you issued an illegal ticket to me for starters which I got thrown out at the tribunal. Be honest with me here and tell me how many illegal tickets have been issued in the last two years?

Yours sincerely,

Mark Ritchie

Gummer, Claire, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Ritchie

The following response and attachment is in relation to parking legislation in Pontypridd Town Centre.

Enclosed is a copy of the Welsh Government approval for the signs used in Taff Street, Pontypridd.

I would refer you to previous correspondence which refers to Chapter 3 of the Traffic Signs Manual Section 13, subsection 13.3, page 102 which states: "provision may be made for parking and loading within a zone, with bays being delineated either by white road markings or by physical features such as block paving, planters, bollards etc."

Having considered the guidance provided and the measures that have been implemented, we are satisfied that we have met the requirements of the Traffic Signs and General Directions and Chapter 3 of the Traffic Signs Manual.

Further to the above, since receiving approval, the council has enhanced the signing through the town centre in order to assist drivers.

I apologise for the delay.

Yours sincerely

Claire
 
Claire Gummer
Corporate Governance Team
Legal & Democratic Services
Rhondda Cynon Taff C.B.C.
The Pavilions
Cambrian Park
Clydach Vale
Tonypandy
CF40 2XX
 
Tel:  (01443) 424111
Fax: (01443) 424114
Email:  [email address]

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Dear Gummer, Claire,

In the road traffic manual set by central government, it states disabled bays have to come with road markings. It does not state that you can mark out bays using block paving. Also, it is in no way clear how RCT have delineated the bays as you you have just placed the same bricks in a different direction. This does not make it clear to disabled badge users that it is in fact a disabled bay, and also the signage was inadequate. This is why, as soon as I won my case against you, you suddenly started erecting more signs in that very area where I was issued with an illegal parking ticket. These are the reasons I won my appeal against the illegal Parking ticket and you should now do the right thing and return the illicit money raised through entrapping motorists in this way.

You keep trying to justify what you are doing yet will not answer me when I ask, that if in fact what RCT are doing is legal then why did the illegal ticket issued against me get thrown at by the tribunal based on the very reasons I have stated above?

Yours sincerely,

Mark Ritchie