Another Council Data Breach reveals £164,500 is owed in unpaid PCNs

Updated 01/02/22 @ 16:25

In yet another data breach by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, we now know that 127 people owe £164,498 for 1,667 unpaid Parking Charge Notices (PCNs) more commonly known as parking fines.

The period for these unpaid PCNs spans late 2019 to Jan 2022.

The data was found by a member of the public, blowing in the wind earlier this morning, Monday 31 Jan, 2022. According to them, it showed, number plate details names, amount of PCNs, amount owed in unpaid PCNS and an address.

We understand they have reported this data breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO].

The Cabinet Member responsible for Information Security is Cllr Ray Field [pictured]. He who betrayed Princes Parade.

The council lost approx £442,000 in parking income [on street & off street] during 2020/21, due to Covid 19. Many of the fines they issue to foreign HGVs  go unpaid, the sum owed, by those on the lost papers, plus HGVs, and the amounts lost for onstreet and off street parking, during Covid, is more likely than not, in excess of £750,000.

Many of those on the papers lost by FHDC, will have been what are called “Persistent Evaders”, which we wrote about back in April 2020.

Given that the people on this list would be considered to be “Persistent Evaders”, enforcement officers are told to stop booking them by the Council, raising the question how much more money will be lost.

The council employ debt collectors, but it appears given the length of some the outstanding PCNs, they have been unsuccessful in collecting what is owed.

What concerns us most is the potential fine FHDC might receive from the ICO for this data breach, given the Council have had so many between 2019 and 2022. especially  the Covid 19 grant data breach. It is the public purse which will pick up the tab, and of course you as Council Tax payers for their incompetence.

For those of you who are not aware, an individual, or company, can make a claim for compensation against the council for a data breach. The information on how to do this can be found on the ICO’s website ⇒ here

The Council have been informed of this serious data breach.

Below are the Number of PCNs on the left each individual has and the amount owed on the right. The single largest number of PCN outstanding is 134.

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We’d love to reveal the names and address of these 127 individuals, but the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, forbid this.

The Shepway Vox Team

The Velvet Voices of Dissent