Sidmouth resident Peter Whitfield is concerned by the reply from EDDC’s Information and Complaints Officer,Kate Symington, to his recent Request for information (ref 369093).

He asked EDDC
1. How many rooms in the old hotel/apartments building are currently in use as offices:
a. On the ground floor?
b. On the first floor?
c. On the second floor?

2. How many staff currently work in these rooms?

In her reply on behalf of EDDC, on July 1st 2015, Kate Symington wrote:
” I can confirm that, as at the last count (Jan 15), there were 375 officers listed as being based at the Knowle,” but said in a following e-mail to Mr Whitfield, on the 7th July,
“I am sorry but we do not hold information on how many officers are based within each room. Most of the numbered rooms on the floor plans provided are used as office space.”

SOS finds this state of affairs extraordinary. As Mr Whitfield says,”So we don’t really know where our staff actually work! What happens when checking after a building emergency evacuation?
There are about 115 numbered rooms on the three floors but I don’t believe that number are used as working offices. As “office space” maybe, but we still don’t know haw many staff are actually affected by the “not fit for purpose” old building.”