Request for internal review of 2 separate replies titled “response to queries 23/03/2018” and “FOI AD/13547”) dated 20/04/2018.

Reply-To: john.mct@

Dear Alun Williams,

 

I wish to request an internal review of the 2 separate replies supplied by Caroline Wride, Ceredigion Council Senior Business Support Officer (titled “response to queries 23/03/2018” and “FOI AD/13547”) dated 20/04/2018.  The 2 separate replies relate to the single Freedom of Information Request that I  made on 23/03/2018 to Councillor Alun Williams on the subject of a T3 route from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of Barmouth and T2/T1 connectivity in Aberystwyth. .

 

Before I address the request for an internal review, I wish to point out several aspects of the way Ceredigion Council have dealt with my Information Request of 23/03/2018.

 

CEREDIGION COUNCIL PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST OF 23/03/2018.

 

Twelve days after the request of 23/03/2018  was made , on 11/04/2018, I received an acknowledgement of the request from Marie-Neige Hadfield stating _“”some __correspondence would be considered under Freedom of Information legislation and others in accordance with Ceredigion County Council’s Customer Charter as these are considered to be enquiries rather than requests for information””_.  On 12/04/2018 I wrote to Marie-Neige Hadfield stating _“”Would you please arrange for examination of Ceredigion Council’s recorded information and arrange for answers to all my 13 questions as a Freedom of Information request and state where you do not hold information and at that stage provide the answers you wish to give to those requests where no information is held.””_. Marie-Neige Hadfield ignored my request to treat all 13 questions under FOIA and you have therefore provided 2 separate replies, one under  FOIA and one under Ceredigion County Council’s Customer Charter.

 

Ceredigion Council chose immediately on receipt of my Freedom of Information Request to split it into 5 questions to be replied to under the Freedom of Information Act and 8 questions to be dealt with as “queries”  under the Ceredigion Council Customer Charter.  This was done by separating the 5 questions  which asked for copies of documentation/emails to be dealt with under the FOIA.  This was done without examining Ceredigion Council documentation to assess whether information in the Ceredigion Council documentation fell within the scope of the other 8 questions which Ceredigion Council had decided would not be covered under FOIA . The splitting into FOIA and Customer Charter questions was done for a reason and that reason was to allow Ceredigion Council to introduce the  “”Policy on Unacceptable Actions by Service Users”” document , which was included in Ceredigion Council’s  reply to the 8 “queries”.  None of the 8 questions (“queries”)  made  under FOIA on 23/03/2018 related to me being a Customer of Ceredigion Council using Ceredigion Council’s services . The “queries” related to Trawscymru bus services, provided by different Bus Companies, and funded by the Welsh Government.

Ceredigion Council’s reply to the 8 “queries” also contained the following statements:-

 

(1) Ceredigion Council do not have a duty to respond to individuals who are in pursuit of a cause.

 

(2) Several public services have made the decision to not respond to your frequent and extensive correspondence.

 

(3) The “”Policy on Unacceptable Actions by Service Users””

document is used when service users are unreasonably persistent and their behaviour is abusive or aggressive.  (4) We ask that you consider the frequency, tone and content of your future communications with Ceredigion Council

 

(4) We ask that you consider the frequency, tone and content of your future communications with Ceredigion Council

 

WITH RESPECT TO STATEMENT (1),  I am not in “”pursuit of a cause.””  . There are a number of areas where the Welsh Government have introduced changes or failed to take action which have then led to poor Trawscymru services for the residents of Mid and West Wales  These changes and lack of action have been accepted by Ceredigion Council.  I would include the following areas :-

 

(a) The lack of connectivity in Aberystwyth on the Trawscymru T2/T1 route ( Bangor to Carmarthen), which is due to the excessive 15 minute delays to the T2 in Dolgellau to wait for the T3 service from Wrexham and South Clwyd.  Further damage to T2/T1 connectivity occurred with T2 changes in January 2018.  The Trawscymru website now quotes connectivity in only 2 places (Dolgellau where the T2 waits for the T3 and Aberaeron where the T1 to Carmarthen waits for the T5 from Cardigan).  There is no such connectivity recorded on the website for the T2,T1 and T5 services in Aberystwyth.

 

(b) A review of a T3 service between Aberystwyth and Wrexham. This review should have taken place in 2013/2014 before the T3 Wrexham to Barmouth service was introduced and the Bevan Foundation report on Trawscymru produced in 2013 recommended that the T3 route should run

from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth.    Six

months ago, on 14/11/2017, Ken Skates, the Minister responsible for Transport, wrote to Alun Williams, Ceredigion Councillor responsible for Transport and said he had commissioned a “high level” review of a Wrexham to Aberystwyth route. Not only has this a “high level”

review not happened, but Ceredigion Council have no documentation on this topic, hold no emails and have had no consultations on this topic.

Based on Ceredigion Council responses, nothing has been done by Ceredigion Council in the past 6 months to attempt to get the Welsh Government to activate this review and I have been told that this review will not be pursued by Ceredigion Council.  In May 2018 the Welsh Government say they will report on the future Trawscymru network and in April 2018 Carwyn Jones announced to the Welsh Assembly that 2 new Trawscymru routes were being considered . Neither of the routes involved Aberystwyth, but both these new routes involved traversing South Clwyd (the Constituency of Ken Skates)

 

(c) The January 2018 T2 timetable changes.  These changes were made to improve connectivity in Dolgellau with the T3 service from Wrexham, despite the fact that Ken Skates had supposedly , on 14/11/2017, commissioned the review of a T3 Wrexham to Aberystwyth route.  These changes did further damage to T2/T1 connectivity in Aberystwyth .

 

(d) The reversal in January 2018 of 2 improvements to T2/T1 connectivity in Aberystwyth , which had been introduced in 2016 , firstly by the intervention of the previous Transport Minister (Edwina Hart) to overrule the Trawscymru Network Manager and secondly by the Traffic Commissioner for Wales to again overrule the Trawscymru  Network Manager

)

 

(e) The recent introduction in April 2018 of the T1C service (Aberystwyth to Cardiff) timed to depart at 9.30 from Aberystwyth , when the T2 from Dolgellau arrives in Aberystwyth at 9.30/9.32 (some confusion between printed timetable and the website ? ).  The T2 passengers arriving at 9.30 from Dolgellau cannot therefore connect with and use the T1C service from Aberystwyth to Cardiff.  The T1C passengers also have difficulty in Carmarthen if they wish to use the T1S service to Swansea as the 2 services have only 3 minutes to connect.

 

So this is not a “cause” it is a range of issues raised over a period of time (the review of a T3 service from Aberystwyth to Wrexham commissioned by Ken Skates in November 2017, the T2 changes of January

2018 which were detrimental to T2/T1 connectivity in Aberystwyth, reversal of previous improvements made in 2016 to T2/T1 connectivity in Aberystwyth, and recently in April 2018 a new T1C service introduced with no connectivity in Aberystwyth between T1C (Aberystwyth to Cardiff) and poor connectivity in Carmarthen between T1C (Aberystwyth to Cardiff) and  T1S service to Swansea).

 

WITH RESPECT TO STATEMENT (2) As usual Ceredigion Council are hanging their hat on the peg of the Welsh Government and Ceredigion Council should be more careful in what credence they place on statements from

the Welsh Government.   The Welsh Government have told you that they

have taken the decision to not respond to  “frequent and extensive correspondence.” , but have they given you the full picture.  On

18/02/2018 I wrote to Ken Skates to ask about the new Trawscymru route under examination between Chirk and Bangor (via South Clwyd and

Wrexham).   I already had 2 other FOIA requests placed with the Welsh

Government in January 2018 on the subject of the T2 changes of

01/01/2018 (changes made by the Welsh Government for the benefit of T3 passengers from Wrexham and South Clwyd) and on the subject of the “high level” review of a  T3 Wrexham to Aberystwyth route commissioned by Ken Skates in November 2017.  The Welsh Government , just like Ceredigion Council, did not want to answer any of those questions and on the following day, (19/02/2018),  the Welsh Government declared all my correspondence was “vexatious” and they would not reply to any further correspondence.  However the Welsh Government have not explained to you that this action by the Welsh Government to not reply to any further correspondence is being investigated by a senior

case officer on behalf of the Information Commissioner.   The Welsh

Government also may not have explained to you that Conwy Council (the home Council of the Trawscymru Network Manager) and Flintshire Council (the home Council of Ken Skates) were both issued with Decision Notices (with the threat of possible High Court action) because of their repeated refusal over a period of 5 months to answer a Freedom of Information request, and were forced to reply and issued with warnings

by the Information Commissioner .   I have no reason to not believe that

the Welsh Government will follow the same path as Conwy and Flintshire Councils, and be reprimanded by the Information Commissioner , but I would sincerely hope that Ceredigion Council will disassociate themselves from the Welsh Government decision to not respond to frequent and extensive correspondence and I would sincerely hope that Ceredigion Council will instead begin to act on behalf of Ceredigion and West Wales residents and support improvements in Trawscymru services..

 

WITH RESPECT TO STATEMENT (3) The inference made by Ceredigion Council is that I have been unreasonably persistent and my behaviour is abusive or aggressive. I have had to be persistent for several reasons:-

 

(a) because there has been no action by Ceredigion Council other than the letter of written by Alun Williams to Ken Skates in October 2017 regarding a T3 route from Aberystwyth to Wrexham, and that letter mysteriously no longer exists.

 

(b) because of Ceredigion Council’s practice of taking the full 20 days or more to reply to FOIA requests

 

(c) because Ceredigion Council’s replies can be at best vague (the use of “”not specifically””, “”no comment””, “”nothing more to add””) and at worst incorrect (timetable changes not subject to Ceredigion Council Agreement)

 

(d) Deliberate misinterpretation of FOIA questions by  Ceredigion Council

 

(e) because of lack of openness in the responses from Ceredigion Council and the Welsh Government I have been forced to consult other organisations and this inevitably leads to further questions to Ceredigion Council.

 

(f) As I have outlined in comments on statement 1, there are a number of new events that have been raised recently (T3 route from Aberystwyth to Wrexham in November 2017  , changes to the T2 timetable on 15/01/2018, and no connectivity between T2/T1C services in Aberystwyth ,and T1C /T1S services in Carmarthen in April 2018).

 

This is not “unreasonable” persistence and reflects the fact that Trawscymru passengers in West Wales are consistently not being treated fairly and where they are not being treated fairly I have the right to raise each new issue with the relevant Public Authorities, including Ceredigion Council.

 

My language is not abusive or aggressive.

 

However Ceredigion Council’s actions are aggressive. The statement  by Ceredigion Council that “”Ceredigion Council do not have a duty to respond to individuals who are in pursuit of a cause.”” , the sending by Ceredigion Council of the “”Policy on Unacceptable Actions by Service Users”” document because of unreasonable persistence,  abusive or aggressive language, and the request to consider the frequency, tone and content of future communications are all clear, aggressive actions designed to intimidate a member of the public from further questioning of the actions (or lack of actions) of Ceredigion Council.

 

WITH RESPECT TO STATEMENT (4) which was “”We ask that you consider the frequency, tone and content of your future communications with Ceredigion Council “”

 

I would respectfully ask that Ceredigion Council fulfil their obligation to the residents of Ceredigion and West Wales and make representations to the Welsh Government regarding the lack of connectivity of Trawscymru Services through Aberystwyth and the failure to carry out a review of a Trawscymru  Aberystwyth to Wrexham route promised to Councillor Alun Williams in November 2017 . Ceredigion Council have refused to carry out both these 2 actions . I would also respectfully ask that Ceredigion Council act on every individual complaint now and in the future regarding Trawscymru bus services (for example the recent complaint of

05/05/2018 on “Lack of Connectivity for passengers North of Aberystwyth on the T1C Aberystwyth to Cardiff service”).

 

REQUEST FOR AN INTERNAL REVIEW.

 

Five points to note before I cover the 13 questions in detail

 

(a) The FOIA states that _“”you may have to disclose information in spite of an exemption, where it is in the public interest to do so. If the exemption you wish to apply is qualified, then you will need to do a public interest test, even if you know the exemption applies. Similarly, when considering whether you should disclose information, you will need to weigh the public interest in disclosure against the public interest in maintaining the exemption. You must bear in mind that the principle behind the Act is to release information unless there is a good reason not to. To justify withholding information, the public interest in maintaining the exemption would have to outweigh the public interest in disclosure””._

 

(b) The FOIA also states _“”You have two separate duties when responding to these requests: to tell the applicant whether you hold any information falling within the scope of their request and to provide that information””_

 

On 11/04/2018, I received an acknowledgement of my request from Marie-Neige Hadfield, the Freedom of Information Officer stating that only 5 of the 13 questions I asked would be replied to under the FOIA and in all those 5 questions I asked for copies of emails or documentation.  The removal of the other 8 questions to be covered under Ceredigion Council’s Customer charter was premature as the Freedom of Information Officer did not know at that stage whether  Ceredigion County Council _held any information falling within the scope of the questions I posed in the request_.  The FOIA does not specify that a requester has to ask for copies of emails or documentation in order for

the questions in the request to be valid questions   All 13 questions

should have been replied to under the FOIA as I requested on 12/04/2018 and it was the duty of Ceredigion Council to examine all 13 questions under the FOIA and consider whether they held any information falling within the scope of the 13 questions .

 

INTERNAL REVIEW REQUEST FOR THE 13 QUESTIONS

 

In your internal review I wish each reply to all 13 questions raised in my request of 23/03/2018 to be covered together .  I have recorded against each question in brackets which of Ceredigion Council’s replies is relevant ie  (FOIA) reply and (Customer Charter) reply.

 

Question (1) (FOIA) Could Ceredigion Council please supply me with all

the emails from 01/12/2017 to 15/01/2018   between Ceredigion Council

and Gwynedd, Powys, Denbighshire and Wrexham Local Authorities and the Welsh Government that relate to the discussions/consultations on the T2 timetable changes of 15/01/2018,  as described in your reply of

21/03/2018 (all consultations took place on 07/12/2017?).

 

Ceredigion Council reply .   _“””The information is held by

Ceredigion Council but is exempt as disclosure to the public of the information would constitute a breach of confidence.””_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.

Could Ceredigion Council review this reply as releasing information on the discussions/consultations on the T2 timetable changes of 15/01/2018 is not going to breach anyones confidence.  (We are talking about bus timetable changes that have been implemented 5 months ago and not sensitive matters or state secrets).  The information should be released and the following part of the FOIA applies “” _you may have to disclose information in spite of an exemption, where it is in the public interest to do so. You must bear in mind that the principle behind the Act is to release information unless there is a good reason not to. To justify withholding information, the public interest in maintaining the exemption would have to outweigh the public interest in disclosure””._

 

Question (2) (Customer Charter) Could Ceredigion Council please tell me whether  the T2 timetable change of 15/01/2018 to the last T2 arrival of

the day in Aberystwyth was requested by Ceredigion Council.?   The

arrival time in Aberystwyth was changed from 18.40 to 18.50 in order to AVOID making a connection with the T1 departure from Aberystwyth to Carmarthen at 18.40. This was done by an unnecessary 5 minute stop in Machynleth and a detour off the A487 in Aberystwyth through the village

of Comins Coch and the Aberystwyth Waunfawr estate.   Could Ceredigion

Council please also tell me whether a detour off the A487 in Aberystwyth through the village of Comins Coch and the Aberystwyth Waunfawr

estate.was requested by Ceredigion Council?   Could Ceredigion Council

please tell me whether they agree with this arrival time change from 18.40 to 18.50 ?

 

Ceredigion Council reply          “”_No this was not suggested by

Ceredigion Council. Agreement to the change is not required from Ceredigion Council and it has no comment to make on it.””_

 

Request for Internal Review of the Ceredigion Council reply.         The

above change to the T2 arrival time from 18.40 to 18.50 made sure that the T2  could not connect with the T1 departure to Carmarthen so that passengers from North of Aberystwyth in Powys and Gwynedd could not catch the last T1 of the day and therefore could not catch the last

train of the day from Carmarthen to Cardiff.     That means passengers

using the T2 15.25 departure from Bangor, throughout West Wales, cannot

reach Cardiff.    For example a passenger leaving Dolgellau at 17.25

cannot reach Cardiff. Could Ceredigion Council please answer the last part of the question and tell me whether they agree with this arrival

time change from 18.40 to 18.50 ?   It is no good trying to say the

timetable change was not subject to Ceredigion Council’s agreement as

(a) I was trold by Gwynedd Council who manage the T2 contract that all partners agreed to the changes and b) I was made aware on 16/05/2018 that Ceredigion Council are partners in the T2/T3 service delivery group and would therefore be in a position to agree or disagree with this

timetable change.    Also In 2016 after Carmarthenshire Council said

they had not objected to a T1 departure time change in Aberystwyth from 18.40 to 18.45 to connect with the T2 arrival at 18.40, Ceredigion Council went into great detail explaining why they disagreed with a change to 18.45 and this suggested change was never made.  In 2016 Ceredigion Council were happy to disagree with a proposed T1 timetable change but in 2018 Ceredigion Council say _“”Agreement to the T2 changes of January 2018 is not required from Ceredigion Council and it has no comment to make. “”._ If Ceredigion Council are partners on the T2/T3 service delivery group , they should have expressed agreement or disagreement with a timetable change that destroyed all possibility of passengers on the T2 from Bangor making a connection in Aberystwyth with the last T1 of the day to Carmarthen.

 

Question (3) (Customer Charter) Could Ceredigion Council please tell me whether  the T2 timetable change of 15/01/2018 for the T2 to depart Aberystwyth at 10.00am instead of 10.05 was requested by Ceredigion Council.? The 10.05 T2 departure time was introduced by the previous Transport Minister (Edwina Hart) in 2016 to improve connectivity of the

T5 with the T2.   Could Ceredigion Council please tell me whether they

agree with the removal of this improvement ?

 

Ceredigion Council reply    _“”Ceredigion Council did not request

this change. Agreement to the change is not required from Ceredigion Council and it has no comment to make on it.””_

 

Request for Internal Review of the Ceredigion Council reply. ?       It

is no good trying to say the timetable change was not subject to Ceredigion Council’s agreement as I am now aware that Ceredigion Council are partners in the T2/T3 service delivery group and would therefore be in a position to agree or disagree with this T2 timetable change. The change introduced in 2016 by the previous Transport Minister (Edwina Hart) was as a result of a complaint by a Ceredigion resident that was also affecting other passengers travelling through Aberystwyth to North Wales, and Ceredigion Council should have a view on whether reversal of the change by Edwina Hart was detrimental to T5/T2

connectivity in Aberystwyth.      Ceredigion Council are also managers

of the T5 contract and therefore have a dual responsibility to represent the interests of passengers on the T5 from Cardigan who wish to connect with the Northbound T2 to Bangor in Aberystwyth.

 

Question (4) (Customer Charter) Could Ceredigion Council please tell me whether  the T2 timetable changes of 15/01/2018 were discussed by Ceredigion Council with Carmarthenshire Council in  respect of the effects of the changes on the T2 connections in Aberystwyth. with the T1 service to Carmarthen?

 

Ceredigion Council reply    _“”No this was not discussed””_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.        I am now

aware that Ceredigion Council are partners in the T2/T3 service delivery group. Carmarthenshire Council are not partners in the T2/T3 service delivery group. The interests of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire residents in terms of connectivity of T2/T1 services through Aberystwyth is therefore in the hands on Ceredigion Council. It is the duty of Ceredigion Council to act in the best interests of Ceredigion (and

Carmarthenshire) residents and it seems bizarre that a) Ceredigion Council did not object to the T2 changes which were hugely detrimental to T2/T1 connectivity in Aberystwyth and b) did not bother to discuss the changes with their fellow partner in the T1 contract (Carmarthenshire Council whose residents would also be affected by these detrimental T2 changes which affected connectivity on the T2/T1 (Bangor to Carmarthen route). . All I can ask you to do in respect of this answer is to ask that you double check that no discussions took place with Carmarthenshire Council,  as I find the answer “no discussions took place” to be an astounding statement.

 

Question (5) (FOIA) Could Ceredigion Council please supply me with a copy of the letter written by Alun Williams to Ken Skates on 24/10/2017, which I asked him to send , and which resulted in a reply from Ken Skates ,the Minister for Transport , commissioning a “high level”

review of the Wrexham to Aberystwyth route.

 

Ceredigion Council reply _“”Ceredigion Council does not hold a copy of this letter””_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.       I find it

hard to believe that correspondence between the Ceredigion Councillor responsible for Transport to the Welsh Minister responsible for Transport on the important subject of a new Trawscymru service from

Aberystwyth to Wrexham is not held by Ceredigion Council.   Is there no

procedure in place within Ceredigion Council for recording communications between Councillors and Welsh Government Ministers? . The reply from Ken Skates to Alun Williams (dated 14/11/2017) was sent to Alun Williams by email. Have Ceredigion Council checked Alun Williams emails of 24/10/2017 to see whether his letter was sent by email ? Could you please check again and provide a copy of this letter. If you do not find a copy of the letter could you please explain why Ceredigion Council does not hold a copy of this letter ?

 

Question (6) (FOIA) Could Ceredigion Council please supply me with a copy of the reply from Councillor Alun Williams to Ken Skates, the Transport Minister  regarding  the commissioning of a “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of Barmouth,  which was promised by the Minister for Transport, Ken Skates,  to Councillor Alun Williams  on 14/11/2017 and which Ceredigion Council are now refusing to pursue .

 

Ceredigion Council reply.  _“”You state in your correspondence of

23/03/2018 that you already have a copy of this letter.””_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.     This is a

deliberate misinterpretation of my question.  On 17/11/2017 Alun Williams sent me a copy of Ken Skates letter of 14/11/2017 which commissioned a “high level” review of a T3 Aberystwyth to Wrexham

route.   I have received no letters whatsoever written by Alun Williams

to Ken Skates.    My question asked for a copy of the reply from

Councillor Alun Williams to Ken Skates, the Transport Minister regarding  the commissioning of a “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of Barmouth,  My question did not ask for a copy of the letter from Ken Skates to Alun Williams which as you point out I have already received. If we are to believe Ceredigion Council the only documentation in existence at Ceredigion Council on a “high level” review of a T3 Aberystwyth to Wrexham route is Ken Skates letter of 14/11/2017  . ? Could you please check again and provide a copy of the reply from Alun Williams to Ken Skates letter of 14/11/2017  ?. If you do not find a copy of the letter could you please explain why Ceredigion Council does not hold a copy of this

letter ?   Have Ceredigion Council checked Alun Williams emails after

14/11/2017 to see whether his letter to Ken Skates was sent by email ?

 

Question (7) (Customer Charter) Could Ceredigion Council please state the reason that Ceredigion Council are refusing to pursue the option of a “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of Barmouth,  which was promised by the Minister for Transport, Ken Skates,  to Councillor Alun Williams on 17/11/2017  and which was the recommendation of the Bevan Foundation Independent Review of Trawscymru.

 

Ceredigion Council reply     _“”Ceredigion Council will engage with

a review if, as and when required. “”_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.    It is now

six months since the review of a T3 Aberystwyth to Wrexham route was commissioned by Ken Skates on 14/11/2017 and the offer was made to the

Ceredigion Councillor responsible for Transport.   In that six months

the Welsh government have

 

(a) explored 2 other routes not involving Aberystwyth

 

(b)  The Welsh government have in January 2018 increased the number of

T3 services on the Wrexham to Barmouth route and ignored reviewing the

T3 Aberystwyth to Wrexham route

 

(c) the First Minister has announced these 2 other routes (not involving

Aberystwyth) to the Welsh Assembly on 24/04/2018.

 

In the same six months Ceredigion Council have:-

 

(a) Had no discussions/consultations on the T3 Aberystwyth to Wrexham route

 

(b) Can find no documentation on the  “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth

 

(c) Have allowed the changes of January 2018 to the T2 service to “”improve the T3 Wrexham to Barmouth service”” to pass without comment.

 

(d) have made the comment via Ceredigion Group Manager Local Environment Services that “we do not wish to pursue the  “”high level””

review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.”

 

(e) Ceredigion Council have refused to approach the Welsh Government to pursue the  “”high level”” review

 

This question (7) should not have been answered under The Ceredigion Council Customer Charter.  The answer to question (7) came from a Senior Business Support Officer stating _“”Ceredigion Council will engage with a review if, as and when required. “”_ and this answer completely contradicts the statement  by the  Ceredigion Group Manager Local Environment Services that said “we do not wish to pursue the “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.  The above statement by the  Senior Business Support Officer also does not fit with the experience over the past 6 months where  all indications are that the  “”high level”” review is not being pursued by either the Welsh Government or by Ceredigion Council.

 

It is therefore time that a Councillor, not a Council employee answered the above question (7) . I would respectfully ask that Councillor Alun Williams, who received the letter commissioning the  “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth, should answer Question 7.  Ceredigion Councillors should be actively pursuing a

T3 route from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.

 

Question (8) (Customer Charter) Could Gerwyn Jones please state his reasons for saying  that my suggestions ( to follow the published Welsh Government Transport strategy and the Bevan Foundation Independent Review recommendation with respect to the T1/T2/T3 services )  are , in the words of Gerwyn Jones, “”_detrimental to the overall network and for the passengers from and beyond Ceredigion.””_

 

Ceredigion Council reply  _“Gerwyn Jones has nothing to add”_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply    I would hope

that Gerwyn Jones when he made the statement “”_detrimental to the overall network and for the passengers from and beyond Ceredigion.””_ used facts and evidence from the Trawscymru

timetables in order to justify making that statement.    In question (8)

I asked that Gerwyn Jones state the reasons, based on the facts and evidence from the Trawscymru timetables, that he made the above statement. The changes of January 2018 to the T2 timetable were of benefit to one group of passengers only on the T3 from Wrexham to Dolgellau and the changes to the T2 timetable were extremely damaging to connectivity of Trawscymru services in Aberystwyth.  Not only were the changes to the T2 timetable damaging to connectivity of Trawscymru services in Aberystwyth, but the changes were contrary to the published Welsh Government Transport strategy and the Bevan Foundation Independent Review.  I would change Gerwyn Jones statement to say _“”The changes of January 2018 to the T2 timetable were of benefit to one group of passengers only on the T3 from Wrexham to Dolgellau and were detrimental to the overall network and for the passengers from and beyond Ceredigion.””_

 

I would ask that Gerwyn Jones looks at the changes of January 2018 to the T2 timetable and then assess which passengers benefited from the changes and which passengers lost out.  He could then assess whether the published Welsh Government Transport strategy and the Bevan Foundation Independent Review recommendation with respect to the T1/T2/T3 services was followed when the T2 changes were made.  When he has done all those tasks he will be able to answer Question 8 and provide the reasons for

his statement.   He may also change his mind and recognise that the

changes were detrimental only to passengers on the T2/T1 Bangor to Carmarthen route.

 

Question (9) (Customer Charter) In view of the theories expounded by Gerwyn Jones on the detriments of the Welsh Government Transport Strategy and the Bevan Foundation Independent Review recommendation., could Gerwyn Jones please state which group of passengers (ie passengers on the T1/T2/T3/T5 services)  benefitted from the T2 timetable changes of 15/01/2018 and whether the changes were  “”beneficial to the overall network and for the passengers from and beyond Ceredigion.””

 

 

Ceredigion Council reply  _“Gerwyn Jones has nothing to add”_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.  I would ask that Gerwyn Jones looks at the changes of January 2018 to the T2 timetable and then assess which passengers benefited from the changes and which passengers lost out. He could then assess whether the published Welsh Government Transport strategy and the Bevan Foundation Independent Review recommendation with respect to the T1/T2/T3 services was followed when the T2 changes were made. When he has done all those tasks he will be able to answer Question 8 and provide the reasons for his statement.  He may also change his mind and recognise that the changes were detrimental only to passengers on the T2/T1 Bangor to Carmarthen route.

 

Question (10) (Customer Charter) Could Ceredigion Council please state who, within Ceredigion Council, made the decision to refuse to pursue the commissioned “”high level”” review  of the Wrexham to Aberystwyth route.

 

Ceredigion Council reply  _“”This is not a decision for Ceredigion Council and no such decision has been made.””_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.  Question (10) should not have been answered under The Ceredigion Council Customer Charter. The above answer to my question (10) came from a Senior Business Support Officer stating _“”This is not a decision for Ceredigion Council and no such decision has been made.”” _and this answer completely contradicts the statement  by the  Ceredigion Group Manager Local Environment Services that said “we do not wish to pursue the  “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.  The above statement by the  Senior Business Support Officer also does not fit with the experience over the past 6 months where  all indications are that the  “”high level”” review is not being pursued by either the Welsh Government or by Ceredigion Council.

 

It is therefore time that a Councillor, not a Council employee answered the above question (10) . I would respectfully ask that Councillor Alun Williams, who received the letter commissioning the  “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth, should answer Question 10.

 

Question (11) (Customer Charter) Could Ceredigion Council please state whether the refusal to pursue the commissioned “”high level””

review  of the Wrexham to Aberystwyth route is a Council policy decision by Councillor Alun Williams  and/or Ceredigion Council or whether it is a decision that has been taken by a Council official (Gerwyn Jones or Shan Witts? ).

 

Ceredigion Council reply   “”Please see answer to (10) above “”

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply    Question (11)

should not have been answered under The Ceredigion Council Customer Charter. The above answer to my question (11) came from a Senior Business Support Officer stating _“”This is not a decision for Ceredigion Council and no such decision has been made.”” _and this answer completely contradicts the statement  by the  Ceredigion Group Manager Local Environment Services that said “we do not wish to pursue the  “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.  The above statement by the  Senior Business Support Officer also does not fit with the experience over the past 6 months where  all indications are that the  “”high level”” review is not being pursued by either the Welsh Government or by Ceredigion Council.

 

It is therefore time that a Councillor, not a Council employee answered the above question (11) . I would respectfully ask that Councillor Alun Williams, who received the letter commissioning the  “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth, should answer Question 11.

 

Question (12) (FOIA) Have Ceredigion Council written to the Welsh Government to say they are refusing to pursue the commissioned “”high level”” review  of the Wrexham to Aberystwyth route and if so could Ceredigion Council please supply me with a copy of the letter..

 

Ceredigion Council reply. _“”Ceredigion Council has not written such a letter””_

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.  No request for Internal Review.  Gerwyn Jones made the statement that Ceredigion Council  refused to pursue the commissioned “”high level””

review.  The Ceredigion Senior Business Support Officer says otherwise.

I know Ceredigion Council have done nothing to expedite the “”high level”” review and I therefore accept that Ceredigion Council have also not written to the Welsh Government to say they are refusing to pursue the commissioned “”high level”” review .

 

However I would request that Ceredigion Council write to the Welsh Government to ask for the “”high level”” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth to be expedited.

 

Question (13) (FOIA) Could Ceredigion Council please supply me with all the emails from 14/11/2017 to  21/03/2018  between Ceredigion Council and  the Welsh Government regarding  the “”high level”” review to examine  the T3 route from Wrexham to Aberystwyth ,  which was commissioned by the Minister for Transport, Ken Skates,  in his letter to Councillor Alun Williams  on 17/11/2017 and which Ceredigion Council are now refusing to pursue .

 

Ceredigion Council reply   “”No such emails exist””

 

Request for Internal Review of Ceredigion Council reply.       Six

months of doing nothing by Ceredigion Council.    No request for

Internal Review.

 

YOURS SINCERELY

 

John McTighe