BOROUGH of Poole has refused to provide information on the holders of its parking permits.

In response to a Freedom of Information request by the Daily Echo, the council said it has issued more than 1,000 free permits, but it could not reveal the details of recipients due to restrictions imposed by the Data Protection Act.

In an email, the borough’s corporate strategy team said: “The information you have requested would involve the disclosure of individual’s names which would breach the Data Protection Act.

“As such this information is exempt under section 40(2) of the Act and therefore we are not able to supply a list.

“This exemption is not subject to the public interest test.”

The Echo has requested the same information from Bournemouth council, as well as from Christchurch and East Dorset councils.

The former, Bournemouth, has yet to respond to our request, although a response has been promised before the 20-day deadline is reached.

Both Christchurch and East Dorset councils have revealed a list of their permit recipients including names, or at least job titles, as well as locations where the permits are valid.

The list includes councillors and council staff, as well as contractors, volunteers and seasonal staff and civic figures, including MP Christopher Chope.

The Echo has got back in touch with Borough of Poole to request figures on the cost to the council of the 1,084 permits, and to draw the authority’s attention to the example set by the other authorities in the county.

As of last week there has been no response beyond an automatic acknowledgement email.

Opposition councillor Philip Eades said the number of permits was “surprising”, although he said 42 will be for members themselves.

“That is for us to use surface car parks on council business, not to park up at Sandbanks and go to the beach,” he said.

“There will be a number of council employees, such as social services workers who need to visit residents, but I am surprised the figure is so high.

“I call on the council to provide a greater breakdown so residents can judge if this is reasonable or not.”