CaRT fails to respond
THE Canal & River Trust (CaRT) has failed to respond to a request to provide financial information relating to its latest three year plan, writes Allan Richards.
By law, it is required to respond promptly and, in any case, within 20 working days. However, a request for information made on 29th April remains unanswered on 1st June—33 days later.
Bizarre explanation
The request was made following the discovery that CaRT has produced its latest Three Year Business Plan in a different format to previous plans preventing direct comparison of anything except total income.
.... and total income shows a £13m loss of income last year (2014/15) against CaRT's previous plan and a £58.5m reduction of income over a three year period (see spreadsheet).
Bizzare explanation
CaRT's bizarre explanation for the £58.5m discrepancy between plans is that its latest plan does not show all of its income on the lines that shows ‘gross income' and ‘total income' (Hide & Seek!).
A more rational explanation might be that parts of CaRT's business are underperforming and it is trying to hide this by altering the way it presents financial information.
The request
The request was:
‘I refer to your recently released three year plan (BUSINESS PLAN 2015/16-17/18).
Unfortunately, you have presented the financial information in the plan in a different manner to your previous plan (BUSINESS PLAN - 2017).
This gives considerable difficulty in determining financial achievement against plan 2014/15 and how plans for 2016/17 have changed year on year.
To give just two examples of the confusion introduced—It appears that you have spent about £2m less on major works than planned last year but about £19m more on waterway maintenance and repair.
However, as the description alongside these items has changed slightly, it is probable that this is not a like for like comparison.
Can you please provide via whatdotheyknow.com the financial information in the most recent plan in the format of the previous plan'.
CaRT have been asked to provide the information within the next two working days.