Post at Lincolnshire County Councils buildings - Find a freedom of information request

1. From August 1st 2022 to July 31st 2023, how many parcels (ie. not a postcard, letter, or flat envelope) did your organisation receive? If the precise data isn't available, please provide an estimate.

2. From August 1st 2022 to July 31st 2023, how many letters did your organisation receive? If the precise data is not available, please provide an estimate.

3. From August 1st 2022 to July 31st 2023, how many mail items (including packages, letters, and flat envelopes) did you receive that were deemed 'suspicious'?

a. Parcels with protruding wires, aluminium foil, or oil stains

b. Mail items emitting a peculiar odour

c. Greasy or oily patches on the mail item

d. Mail items sealed in such a way so as to encourage opening them at a particular end

e. Unusually printed address that might include spelling errors

f. Adverse physical reaction to the handling of the mail item - e.g., itching or irritation

g. No return address or return address that cannot be verified

h. Unusual postmark or no postmark

In relation to question 3, how many of these suspicious mail items actually contained something dangerous / unpleasant / illegal?

a. Substances and objects which may explode

b. Gases which have been compressed, liquefied, or dissolved under pressure

c. Flammable liquids and solids

d. Biological substances

e. Asbestos

f. Controlled drugs and narcotics

g. Corrosives

h. Live creatures, insects, and invertebrates

i. Waste, dirt, filth, or refuse

j. Weapons and sharp objects

k. Poisons, toxic liquids, solids, and gases

l. Obscene publications or unlawful indecent images

4. How many of these mail items did your organisation report to the police?

5. From August 1st 2022 to July 31st 2023, how many unpleasant / threatening letters did your organisation receive?

a. Letters containing threats to the organisation or a member of the organisation

b. Letters containing hate speech

c. Letters containing blackmail

d. Letters constituting harassment

6. What process do you have in place for receiving inbound mail?

a. A record is kept of all packages and letters that arrived

b. All mail items are scanned on delivery

c. The mailroom is under 24/7 surveillance

d. All mail is tracked all the way to the end recipient (if an individual)

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) . I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. Approximately 662 Parcels from 1st August 2022 - 31st July 2023 were received.

2. Approximately 40,360 letters were received from 1st August 2022 - 31st July 2023.

3. Nothing has been received that has been deemed as suspicious between 1st August 2022 - 31st July 2023.

4. N/A - No items of post have been reported to the police.

5. Lincolnshire County Council does not hold this information.

6. a. A record is kept of the number of packages/letters that arrive in the post team but we do not keep a record of the contents of each item of post.

b. Some mail items are scanned on delivery, the process differs depending on the department and their requirements. Some post is collected directly by the department and we would not open their mail. We are gradually taking on more and more scanning responsibilities for the organisation but this does not work for every department.

c. Yes

d. LCC track and record all recorded mail and ensure that it is signed for on receipt. LCC do not track each individual item.

* Please note the information provided is for The Lincolnshire County Council Buildings at Newland Lincoln LN1 1YL