Request reference: FOI 10113
Issue date: 03.10.24
Request received:
1. Details of any pay increases by percentage for employees of North Devon Council for 2022/23 and 2023/24. If different grades have been awarded different increases, then please provide all information
2. Salary details for the Chief Executive and all senior officers for 2022/23 and 2023/24
3. Details of any in-year salary increases for the Chief Executive and all senior officers for 2022/23 and 2023/24
4. Details of any salary grade increases for the Chief Executive and all senior officers for 2022/23 and 2023/24
Response provided:
1. 01.04.2022 = 4.04%
- = 3.88%
2. Applicant referred to the Council website for this information: Human Resources Policies
3. The salaries each year are shown in the policies as published as referred to in question 2. There haven’t been any in year increases, they are always effective 1 April each year even if backdated if agreement is made mid-year
4. 01.04.22 Chief Executive - £1,925 Chief Officers - £1,925 and 01.04.2023 Chief Executive – 3.5% Chief Officers 3.50%
Request reference: FOI 10117
Issue date: 10.10.24
Request received:
A list (in Excel format) in chronological (date) order, of all planning applications submitted from 6th December 2023 to the most recent data available where no decision was made within the statutory period (26 weeks for major applications and 16 weeks for non-major applications), unless a longer period has/had been agreed in writing between the applicant and the Local Authority, and no refund of fees has been made to date
Requested Columns:
1. Planning application reference
2. Applicant name
3. Site address
4. Valid date
5. Planning application fee paid (£)
6. Decision due date
7. Actual decision date
8. Number of days to decision
9. The decision (e g approved, refused, etc)
10. Extension of time/Planning performance agreement (Yes or No)
11. Refund (Yes or No)
12. Eligible for Refund (Yes or No) (Based on statutory decision deadlines: 16 weeks for non-major applications and 26 weeks for major applications)
13. Withdrawn (Yes or No)
14. Proposal description
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information held in Excel format, which is available upon request
Request reference: FOI 10121
Issue date: 01.10.24
Request received:
Information relating to Planning Application 79124: A copy of a report provided by the EHO within Environmental Health to their Manager
Response provided:
The Council confirmed to the applicant that the EHO concerned confirms that they did not produce a written report to their Manager, instead they provided a verbal update. The EHO further advised that they were not involved within the planning consultation process
Request reference: EIR 10126
Issue date: 01.10.24
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX18 7DH
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information
Request reference: FOI 10129
Issue date: 08.10.24
Request received:
1. The average length of time households spent in temporary accommodation (including Bed and Breakfasts and hotels) after making a homelessness application to the council (NB: The average time for households whose temporary accommodation finished within these time periods so won’t include recently made applications within time period) between:
a) April 1st 2020 and March 31st 2021
b) April 1st 2021 and March 31st 2022
c) April 1st 2022 and March 2023
2, The average length of time households with children spent in temporary accommodation (including Bed and Breakfasts and hotels) after making a homelessness application to the council between:
a) April 1st 2020 and March 31st 2021
b) April 1st 2021 and March 31st 2022
c) April 1st 2022 and March 2023
3. What is the longest time anyone is spending in temporary accommodation as of 31st July 2024?
Response provided:
1. a) 37.73 days
b) 46.64 days
c) 68.67 days
2. a) 110.21 days
b) 61.84 days
c) 87.66 days
3. Since 05.05.2021
Request reference: FOI 10130
Issue date: 07.10.24
Request received:
The following information about human remains that are currently held by the council, including in its collections and museums
To assist you with this request, this information should be recorded in the collections’ database, list or inventory. (These items are usually, but not always, held in anthropological, ethnographic, cultural and medical collections.)
Where there are gaps in your records that limit the information you can provide please explain these in response to the relevant question
For questions 1, 3, 4 5, 6 and 8, if precise numbers are not available please provide an estimate. If you do not know, or cannot provide an estimate, please say ‘unknown’
N.B. The term ‘items’ in the questions below refers to individual items of human remains. This includes human bone, skulls, skin, hair, nails, and other body parts - including ‘modified’ or composite items (which consist of human remains and other materials), as well as ‘unmodified’ human remains
Questions:
1. How many individual items of human remains are recorded on a database, list or other overview of the current holdings of the council's collections and museums?
1.1 Does this figure include items on loan to the council's collections and museums? (Please answer yes or no.)
1.2. If it does, how many of these items are loaned to the collection and/or museum?
1.3. Does this figure include items loaned to other institutions? (Please answer yes or no.)
1.4 If it does, how many of these items are on loan to other institutions?
2. Which of the following types of human remains are held in your collections? Please answer yes or no to each:
2.1 Skeletons (whole and partial)
2.2 Bones (whole and fragments)
2.3 Skulls (whole and partial)
2.4 Skin
2.5 Hair and scalps
2.6 Nails
2.7 Other body parts
2.8 Mummified remains
2.9 ‘Modified’ or composite items, such as handmade artefacts that include human remains
3. According to your records, how many of these items originate from the UK?
3.1 Of these items, how many are clearly evidenced as having come from archaeological excavations in the UK?
4. According to your records, how many of these items originate from outside of the UK?
4.1 Of these items, how many are clearly evidenced as having come from archaeological excavations from outside of the UK?
5. Are there further human remains currently in council's collection/s that are not currently recorded on a collection database or other inventory? (Please answer yes or no.)
5.1 If so, how many items are not currently in the collection/s database?
6. How many of the total number of human remains currently held or cared for by the council are clearly recorded as having provenance from specific continents?
Please provide the number of items from:
6.1 Europe
6.2 Asia
6.3 Africa
6.4 North America
6.5 South America
6.6 Oceania
6.7 Continent unknown
7. Has the council or any of its museums/collections ever undertaken a formal or informal review, assessment, audit or review of its current holdings of human remains, and/or of their storage, documentation and provenance? Please answer yes or no
8. How many requests for the return, restitution or repatriation of human remains have you received from outside of the UK over the past five financial years? Please provide the data for each year and the five year total
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
8.1 How many items have been returned to their country of origin as a result of these requests? Please provide the data for each year and the five year total
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
Response provided:
- The Council holds three deposits of excavated human remains, representing around 80 individuals. It is not possible to count items as most are fragmentary
- The remains are held under home office licence pending further research or reburial and are not accessioned into the museum collections
- N/A
- No, though some small samples have been extracted and provided to the Francis Crick Institute for DNS analysis in line with the Council’s research policy
- N/A
- As follows:
- Yes
- Yes
- Yes
- No
- No
- No
- No, though there may be some human histological material within the Council’s Victorian slide collections.
- No
- No
- All
- All
- None
- N/A
- No
- No
- All UK
- All
- No
- Zero in each of the requested financial years
8.1 Zero in each of the requested financial years
Request reference: EIR 10136
Issue date: 15.10.24
Request received:
Information for an Environmental Review of Golden Coast and Cleavewood Leisure Park, Woolacombe:
1. Has the site been identified for inspection or further review under the Council's Contaminated Land Strategy (or other Part IIA undertaking)? If so, please describe the priority status/risk ranking of the site and the likely timescale for any further scrutiny of the site
2. Are there any known contamination issues associated with the site or in the near vicinity e.g. in terms of former or current contaminative site uses, leaks or spills of any oil/chemical substances etc.? If there have been any intrusive investigations at the site or near vicinity, please provide dates and titles of any reports and confirm whether the reports are publicly available
3. Please provide the following details of any current or former landfills located within a 250m radius of the site:
a) The location of all landfills, both closed and operational (i e National Grid Reference and location plan if available)
b) Dates when the landfill was operational
c) Types of waste deposited
d) Any information on volume of waste deposited, depth of infilling and landfill structure
e) Details of any landfill gas monitoring, site investigation or gas spiking undertaken at the landfill or in the immediate vicinity of the site
4. Have elevated indoor radon gas concentrations been identified within buildings on or within 100m of the site? Have radon protection measures been required in buildings on site or within 100m? If so, please provide details
5. Are there any known current or former nuisance issues, prosecutions or enforcements associated with the site or adjoining properties, e g noise, odour or dust issues/complaints? If yes, what was the nature of the issue and what was the outcome?
6. Are there any known private water supplies recorded on your Local Authority Private Water Supply Register, within 2km radius of the site? If yes what is the location (i e NGR), the source of abstraction and its purpose?
7. Please provide details of any Part A(2) or Part B Environmental Permits (formerly LAAPC/LAPPC authorisations) licensed to the site or to adjoining properties
Response provided:
1-3. Applicant provided with a map in PDF and QGIS contaminated land report in Excel, which are available upon request. Environmental Protection does not hold any other records regarding potentially contaminated land in this area and recommended that the applicant also contact the Environment Agency and Devon County Council regarding any information they may hold in relation to the site or the land in the vicinity
North Devon Council has not yet fully inspected its area to identify sites of contaminated land as required by Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. As such, it is not possible to say whether or not this site will be classified under this legislation. At this time, it is considered unlikely that this site would be the subject of inspection under this legislation to the future
4. The Council does not hold this information
5. None
6. Applicant provided with an email and spreadsheet providing this information which is available upon request
7. None
Request reference: FOI 10138
Issue date: 07.10.24
Request received:
Green Lanes Shopping Centre information
1. Please confirm the exact date that North Devon Council completed the purchase of Green Lanes Shopping Centre
2. Please advise the purchase cost and detail the legal and other professional costs involved in the transaction
3. What is the total retail space as originally designed?
4. Please provide the size of the retail space (and any ancillary spaces) for each letting unit
5. Please provide the occupancy percentage for each quarter since purchase
6. What percentage of the total retail space as originally designed cannot now be used, and provide the reasons for any units so affected
7. What is the estimated total backlog maintenance (capital and/or revenue)?
8. Please provide full details including costs, for any maintenance that has been carried out since the date of purchase
9. Please provide total area, rental charge and council tax attributable to each unit (by fiscal year)
10. Please provide the total revenue cost of operating Green Lanes Shopping Centre for each fiscal year
11. Please provide overall profit or loss for each fiscal year
Response provided:
1. The date that North Devon Council completed the purchase = 12.11.2021
2. Acquisition cost of purchasing Green Lanes was £8.2 million and the associated cost of stamp duty, legal fees and professional fees was £616,000; producing an overall cost of £8.816 million
3. Applicant provided with this information within a pdf document which is available upon request
4. As 3. above
5. Date Occupancy
Dec-21 92%
Mar-22 89%
Jun-22 89%
Sep-22 89%
Dec-22 89%
Mar-23 89%
Jun-23 91%
Sep-23 91%
Dec-23 79%
Mar-24 91%
Jun-24 91%
6. 0%
7. The Council does not considered that there is a backlog of maintenance. There are capital projects in the pipeline, but this is falls under redesign and replacement
8. Total Maintenance and repairs costs for the period of the Council’s ownership since 12.011.24 = £1,076,663
9. The rental charge broken down by each unit is considered by the Council to be commercially sensitive information and therefore it cannot disclose this. Whilst it is accepted that those tenants pay business rates those specific business rates paid are considered to be the personal information of those ratepayers which the Council cannot disclose. As such, the Council has considered and relies on Section 43 - Commercial Interests and has carried out the following Public Interest Test which it must do when applying this exemption
Arguments for Disclosure
Disclosure of the information would provide you with specific and detailed financial information about each unit available within Green Lanes Shopping Centre that is not already publicly available; providing you with further insight and understanding into the amounts of revenue they have generated since the Council purchased the premises
Arguments for Withholding
Disclosure of such information which is considered to be commercial in nature would likely prejudice the Council in terms of its negotiating position and also to the Council’s tenants as this information is their personal information. There is a strong public interest in ensuring that the interests of the Council and its tenants are not damaged or undermined by a disclosure of information not already publicly available and which would be harmful to the Council’s commercial bargaining position and would likely impact future rental negotiations for the Council and provide an unfair advantage to future tenants; resulting in a loss of the revenue/income to the Council
The information would, in the Council’s view be held under the implied obligation of confidentiality and those tenants would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to disclose their sensitive commercial and personal information, as a disclosure under the Act is not just to you as the requester, but also to the world at large and essentially places the information into the public domain. If further information requests were to be received by the Council for the same information the Council would be obliged to respond in the same way and then by doing so would increase the chance of the information being obtained by those who may not have genuine reasons to see the information and could be considered competitors looking to use the information to further their own financial gain and undermine those that the information belongs to
Under the Act, the Council does not have any provision or right to seek to verify the identity of information request applicants and so it cannot be certain that when disclosing information to requesters that they are who they say they are. For instance, a competitor could create an email account with a very common name such as John Smith and the Council would be obliged to respond to that individual in the same way as it is responding to you
There is genuine concern of the future implications that a disclosure of such information would have on the Council’s Estates and Property service in its abilities to successfully lease units within the shopping centre, ensuring it can fill the units available at a competitive but fair rental charge. If it were to become public knowledge that the Council was disclosing sensitive and commercially confidential information provided to it (under the implied obligation of confidentiality) and is then releasing such information to other parties with whom the tenants of the information have no relationship with, this would, in the Council’s view, negatively harm the Estates and Property teams ongoing working relationships with those prospective tenants and would ultimately lead to greater difficulties when entering into negotiations with both current and future tenants. In some instances, the team may find themselves in a position where they are unable to fill vacant units and so are empty for extended periods of times whilst negotiations are ongoing, which would result in a loss of revenue to the Council and then impact its ability to maintain the premises
A disclosure of the information would also leave the Council open to future legal challenge should any past/current/prospective tenants determine/evidence/link any disclosure with any type of adverse/detrimental harm to them. This would leave the Council open to potentially large sums in terms of costs against it, which again at a time when Council budgets are being cut year upon year, would ultimately impact the authority and the customers that it serves
Balance of Public Interest
Having taken into account the arguments for and against disclosure, the Council has determined that the public interest in this case is best served by maintaining the exemption and by not disclosing the commercially sensitive information that falls under this part of your request
However, it is possible to search for business rates valuation (RV’s) on the government website at Find a business rates valuation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
In addition, you may also wish to review the Council’s quarterly NDR datasets that it publishes on its website: Business Rates
10. The net revenue financial outturn is included within the NDC statement of accounts, these can be found at Statement of accounts | North Devon Council this is included within both the 2022/23 accounts and 2023/24 accounts narrative statement (page 8 on both sets of accounts) and covers off financial years 2021/22; 2022/23 and 2023/24
11. As outlined in 10 above
Request reference: FOI 10143
Issue date: 11.10.24
Request received:
Information regarding overseas travel undertaken by councillors or council officials for each of the financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24:
1. Total Annual Spend
2. The total annual expenditure by the council on overseas travel
3. Breakdown of Overseas Travel Expenditure
4. For each trip, please include the following details:
Destination: The country and city of the trip
Length of Trip: Duration in days
Number of Officials Involved: The number of councillors or officials on each trip
Hotel Details: The name and address of the hotel(s) booked
Flights Booked: Details of the flights, including which class was booked
Purpose of Trip: A brief description of the purpose of the trip
Expenses for Food and Drink: Details of expenses related to food and drink. Where possible, please provide receipts
5. Funding Details
6. Please specify whether each trip was fully funded by the council, partially funded, or fully funded by an external body. If funded by an external body, provide the name of the body and the amount contributed
Note: "Overseas travel" refers to all travel to a foreign country and does not include Northern Ireland
Response provided:
1. Please refer to the Council’s published Statement of Accounts for 2022/23 and 2023/24
2. 2022/23 = £0/Zero for both Councillors and Council Officials
2023/24 = £0/Zero for both Councillors and Council Officials
3. N/A
4. N/A
5. N/A
6. N/A
Request reference: FOI 10144
Issue date: 17.10.24
Request received:
1. The number of trees currently registered with Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs)
2. The number of applications received from insurance companies to fell trees with TPOs within the following timescales:
- 2024 to date
- Jan 2019 – Dec 2023
- Jan 2014 - Dec 2018
3. The number of successful applications from insurance companies to fell trees with TPOs, within the following timescales:
- 2024 to date
- Jan 2019 – Dec 2023
- Jan 2014 - Dec 2018
Response provided:
1. The Council publishes a TPO dataset which in the description records the numbers of trees where they are known: https://northdevon-self.achieveservice.com/service/results?ID=8E240974-7F57-4F5D-AEB4-5982ACAC997A&DS=4005. The dataset is due to be reviewed in early December 2024
In addition, the applicant was informed that there are 360 registered TPO’s within North Devon. Many of these are blanket TPO’s so will cover many trees rather than individual trees.
2 and 3. The Council does not record this information in a way that it can be easily provided. All TPO applications are made/received into Planning Support team. Planning applications are a matter of public record and so the applicant was advised that they would be able to search through all published applications for the requested period 01.01.14 – 17.10.24 to determine which are applicable to the request. However, it is worth bearing in mind that in some circumstances an insurance company may instruct an agent or consultation on their behalf and so it may not be recorded on a file
In accordance with Section 21(1) of the Act, the Council is not obliged to provide information that is already in the public domain. However, it does have a duty under Section 16(1) to provide all applicants advice and assistance in order to assist with locating the information, which the Council has done so in providing the applicant with the link to search result of all TPO Planning Applications that fall within the remit of the request, as above
Request reference: FOI 10145
Issue date: 15.10.24
Request received:
1. Current Working Arrangements: Could you please provide details on the current working arrangements for council employees? Specifically, I am interested in the proportion of staff working:
A. Fully remotely
B. Fully in-office
C. On a hybrid basis (part remote, part in-office)
2. Hybrid/Home Working Policy: If applicable, could you share a copy of the council's policy or guidelines on hybrid and/or home working, including any updates or changes made since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic
3. Any job roles where working from home or hybrid working is not permitted
Response provided:
1. The Council has adopted flexible working arrangements to fit the needs of the particular team and the personal circumstances of the individual. As a result, many of the authority’s staff have the option to work from home for either part or all of the working week. The number of people working from home and the duration fluctuates each week. For example, an officer who currently works substantially in the office may on infrequent occasions work from home
2. Applicant provided with a copy of the Council’s Hybrid Working Policy, which is available on request
3. Applicant referred to page 2 of the Council aforementioned Policy in 2 above
Request reference: FOI 10148
Issue date: 07.10.24
Request received:
In Excel format, a breakdown of all driving offence fines given out in 2023 and so far in 2024, including:
- a list of the offences committed in 2023 and to date in 2024 (separated per year)
- a list of the fines associated with each offence
- total amount collected in fines in 2023 and to date in 2024 (separated per year)
- total number of offences in 2023 and to date in 2024 (up until records allow) (separated per year)
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the Council’s response in relation to Off-street Parking enforcement only (Car parks) in Excel format and directed to Devon County Council for On-street parking enforcement
Request reference: EIR 10149
Issue date: 25.10.24
Request received:
All information regarding Planning Enforcement 13715 - Alleged unauthorised development- rear extension, change of roof colour and raised patio
Response provided:
Applicant provided with some of the information held, save for you any personal information of third parties which was both fully withheld and redacted from some of the disclosable information under Regulation 12 of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)
Request reference: FOI 10150
Issue date: 15.10.24
Request received:
The most up-to-date figures the Council holds on the average time (in days if possible) that homeless applicants owed the main homelessness duty on the housing register take to be housed for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom properties
Response provided:
Average waiting time (in days) for North Devon Council’s Statutory Homeless applicants to be housed through Devon Home Choice from 01.10.23 - 15.10.24
1 bed = 234 average days
2 bed = 265 average days
3 bed = 261 average days
4 bed = 486 average days
5 bed = No lets, no data
Request reference: FOI 10151
Issue date: 01.10.24
Request received:
Non-domestic ratepayer information request
1. Please confirm the name of the individual or entity liable to pay non-domestic rates in respect of the Site from: 14th April 2023 till 01.01.
2. If more than one individual or entity is/was liable to pay non-domestic rates in respect of the Site during the Relevant Period, please confirm:
a. The name of each individual/entity
b. The period in respect of which that individual/entity was liable for the payment of non-domestic rates
Response provided:
13.04.2023 – 02.10.2023 – Mullacott Caravan and Marine Ltd in liquidation
03.10.2023 – 31.12.2023 – Rowanmoor Trustees Ltd
01.01.2024 onwards - Gemini Accident Repair Centres Limited
Request reference: FOI 10152
Issue date: 07.10.24
Request received:
These are all questions pertaining to Local Authority/ Public sector vehicle fleets and associated systems
1. Full fleet list with vehicle makes types and quantities?
2. Any fleet replacement programmes planned for the next five years, with details of the manufacturer that will be used if already agreed
3. Total number of vehicles with CCTV camera systems installed?
4. Who is the CCTV system provider?
5. Total Number of vehicles with vehicle tracking/telematics installed?
6. Who is the Telematics system provider?
7. Contract budgets, length of contract, expiry date and annual spend, for telematics and camera systems?
8. Details of all safety-related incidents in the last five years?
9. Do you currently operate waste services (collections) directly, or through a waste/recycling/street cleansing contractor such as Biffa, Suez or Veolia. If through a contractor, please name them (if relevant)?
10. Which of the IT systems below do you use for the management of day-to-day municipal waste management/cleansing services (if relevant):
a. Yotta
b. Bartec Collective
c. Whitespace/Powersuite
d. Selected Interventions / Echo
e. Core (Suez)
f. Webaspx
g. Other: [please name]
11. When is your current contract for the IT system OR outsourced waste contract for waste collections management due to expire (if relevant)?
Response provided:
1. Applicant provided with this information in spreadsheet format which is available upon request
2. Rolling programme, swapping like for like
3. 47
4. VT
5. All
6. BARTEC/Inseeago
7. Contract budgets = £43.000 pa, length of contract = 3 years, expiry date = Nov 27 annual spend for telematics and camera systems = £50.000
8. Zero
9. In-house waste and recycling collections.
10. BARTEC
11. In-house IT system
Request reference: FOI 10153
Issue date: 03.10.24
Request received:
In Excel, a list of current Private Hire Operators Licensed by North Devon Council, with Contact details (email addresses and phone numbers)
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the requested information in Excel. Where the contact information held is already publicly available, this is provided to the applicant. All other contact details that is not publish is withheld from disclosure under Section 40 of the Act (personal data)
Request reference: FOI 10154
Issue date: 03.10.24
Request received:
1. A record of the council’s first considerations of what action to take for biodiversity, which was due to be completed by 1 January 2024
2. Any policies and objectives for biodiversity which were agreed as soon as possible after this
3. How many hectares of priority habitat identified for restoration or creation in the next five years
Response provided:
1. Applicant referred to the published report dated 13.05.24 Biodiversity Duty and Actions
2. The Council’s Sustainability Officer confirms that they do not have any specific answer as no actions have been identified as of yet
- As 2. above
Request reference: FOI 10155
Issue date: 04.10.24
Request received:
An excel sheet of unexpended/unused/unspent s106 contributions as the particular clawback of 5/7/10 years has expired
Response provided:
The Council confirmed to the applicant it has some unspent S106 contributions that date back a number of years. The term when they have to spent can vary by each S106 agreement but most are between 5 to 10 years. The revenue contributions are mostly to maintain a public open space or a play area over a number of years and these are reducing each year by the maintenance cost for that year
Below is a table showing the sums the Council were holding at 31.03.24 and listed by the year they were received:
Capital Revenue
2001/02 0 9,910
2002/03 0 0
2003/04 0 0
2004/05 0 5,996
2005/06 934 27,515
2006/07 16,400 0
2007/08 0 0
2008/09 0 0
2009/10 0 11,942
2010/11 0 30,862
2011/12 0 0
2012/13 2,459 52,933
2013/14 5,000 6,332
2014/15 36,285 6,185
2015/16 76,046 0
2016/17 24,523 0
2017/18 153,340 0
2018/19 161,253 31,242
2019/20 713,768 0
2020/21 171,507 0
2021/22 312,325 0
2022/23 1,873,699 0
2023/24 421,819 10,000
Total 3,969,357 192,917
Request reference: FOI 10156
Issue date: 24.10.24
Request received:
1. Has your local authority adopted a design code? if so please provide a copy
2. If you have adopted a Design Code, what measures (if any) you undertook to test its popular support locally? Specifically, was any market research conducted? Was the relative support of alternative types of architecture measured using illustrated examples?
3. If you have not adopted a Design Code, what plans (if any) do you have to do so?
Response provided:
1. No
2. N/A
3. North Devon and Torridge district councils have committed to preparing a new joint local plan and this will formally commence once the necessary secondary legislation related to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (2023) is in place design codes will be prepared as part of this process. However, the Councils’ are currently considering the format the design codes will take following the government’s proposal to delete paragraph 130 of the National Planning Policy Framework which set out a requirement for authority wide design codes
Request reference: FOI 10157
Issue date: 15.10.24
Request received:
1. The details of any office accommodation the Council provides to staff to carry out trade union business including details of:
- space measured in square feet
- how much of this space is contained within entirely separate buildings (i e occupied solely by staff carrying out trade union business)
- whether a professional valuation of the market rental value of the space has been sought either in-house or externally, and if so, what the valuation of the space was
- any charges the council levy for office space given to trade unions
2. Does the Council deduct trade union subscriptions for any of its employees via payroll (sometimes known as the "check off" system)? If so, does it charge a fee to the trade unions concerned for providing this service?
3. With regard to trade union facility time, please provide the total cost of facility time from the pay bill for the financial year 2023/24 and the budget for the current financial year. Please also advise the current number of employees that the Council funds to be union officials, measured as full time equivalents?
4. Please advise any estimates for other costs met for those staff on trade union facility time apart from salaries - including travel expenses, office supplies, telephone expenses and energy bills
Response provided:
1. There is no dedicated office accommodation space for staff to carry out trade union business
2. There is a check off system for some (not all) union members. There no charge to the trade union for this procedure
3. This information is in the public domain on North Devon Council’s website, and can be accessed by selecting the following link: Trade Union Facility Time - 2023-24
4. Extra expenditure which union executive members may incur is totally met by the trade union
Request reference: EIR 10158
Issue date: 24.10.24
Request received:
With regard to planning application 78199, copies of all correspondence including emails between District Planning, Legal Services, the agent and the applicant that is not already published via the planning tracker
Response provided:
Applicant provided with some of the information held, however some information was withheld as it was considered to cover Legal Professional Privilege (LLP) and therefore withheld under Regulation 12(5)(b) – the course of justice and some information was both fully withheld and redacted under Regulation 13 – personal data/information
Request reference: FOI 10159
Issue date: 08.10.24
Request received:
Waste and Recycling Fleet
1. Fleet list including size
2. The amount the Council spent on the hiring of Waste and Recycling vehicles during 2023
Response provided:
1. Applicant provided with this information in Excel, which is available upon request.
2. 2023/24 = £30,802.00
Request reference: FOI 10160
Issue date: 11.10.24
Request received:
The most recent copy of the FHRS report for Pathfield School, Abbey Road, EX31 1JU
Response provided:
The applicant was provided with a copy of the requested report for this premises, with some personal information redacted in accordance with Section 40 of the Act (personal data)
Request reference: FOI 10162
Issue date: 11.10.24
Request received:
1. How many complaints were made about landlords from April 2019 to April 2024? Please break the results down by year (2019/20, 2020/21 etc)
2. How many prosecutions were pursued against landlords from April 2019 to April 2024? Please again break this down by year.
2a) What was the reason for each prosecution (e g failure to obtain the correct licence, failing to comply with improvement notices, etc)
2b) What was the outcome of each prosecution?
Response provided:
1. 2019/20 = 163
2020/21 = 167
2021/22 = 175
2022/23 = 181
2023/24 = 125
Q1 2024 = 26
2. 2019/20 = 0
2020/21 = 0
2021/22 = 3
2022/23 = 0
2023/24 = 0
Q1 2024 = 0
2.a) 1) Illegal eviction
2) Failure to comply with HMO licence
3) Unlicensed HMO
2.b) 1) Pleaded guilty, no fine but nine month conditional discharge and costs
2) Withdrawn as complied and agreed to pay costs
3) Withdrawn as deceased
Request reference: FOI 10163
Issue date: 31.10.24
Request received:
1. Please provide information on whether an animal activities licence is required when providing animal assisted interventions to promote wellbeing to adults and children using horses/ponies. Please note that there is no riding involved
2. Does North Devon Council hold a register of equine assisted intervention providers who hold an animal activities licence?
3. Does North Devon Council display the register of licenced providers on their website?
Response provided:
1. This could fall under an Animal Welfare Licence for keeping or training animals for exhibition. Applicant referred to the statutory guidance for exhibiting animals
2. North Devon Council has a public register which shows all types of animal welfare licences, however it does not have a search facility to drill down into a list of purely animal exhibitors
3. As above, details of Animal Welfare Licences within North Devon are on the Council’s public register as above
Request reference: FOI 10165
Issue date: 10.10.24
Request received:
A list of any enforcement action relating to two named individuals at Ilfracombe Caravan Club Site, West Down, Ilfracombe, EX34 8NE from 1945 through to the present day
Response provided:
Applicant advised that the Council holds no enforcement action records for named individuals at Ilfracombe Caravan Club Site, West Down, Ilfracombe, EX34 8NE from 1945 through to the present day
Request reference: EIR 10166
Issue date: 22.10.24
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 3SU
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information
Request reference: FOI 10167
Issue date: 11.10.24
Request received:
1. How many penalty charge notices (PCNs) related specifically to parking were issued to drivers in 2022, 2023 and 2024 thus far for each year separately? Please break down the data for each year by month
2. The total income from PCNs issued to drivers specifically related to parking in 2022, 2023 and 2024 thus far for each year separately. Please break down the data for each year by month
3. The number of PCNs issued to drivers specifically from fines related to parking that were contested in 2022, 2023 and 2024 thus far for each year separately
4. The number of PCNs related specifically to parking that were successful in their appeal in 2022, 2023 and 2024 thus far for each year separately
5. The number of PCNs appealed that cited confusing or unclear signage as the reason for appeal
Response provided:
1. Applicant referred to the Council’s website for this information covering 2022 and 2023: Parking enforcement and penalty charge notices
2024 to date. As follows:
| Months 2024 | Number of PCNs |
| January | 484 |
| February | 524 |
| March | 493 |
| April | 474 |
| May | 662 |
| June | 717 |
| July | 818 |
| August | 778 |
| September | 553 |
| October (to 11.10.24) | 188 |
2. Applicant referred to two datasets on the Council’s website: Income from Pay and Display Machines and through RingGo by Town and Revenue received by the Council in parking charges and fines and the following:
|
2022 |
2023 |
2024 to date |
|
| January |
9534 |
12027.59 |
10838.75 |
| February |
8608.39 |
13308.51 |
11548.03 |
| March |
10757.03 |
10246.64 |
13729.61 |
| April |
10671.08 |
12608.83 |
11126.03 |
| May |
12398.59 |
12032.64 |
14277.95 |
| June |
12389.57 |
15527.9 |
14262 |
| July |
13491.64 |
10814.9 |
18622.78 |
| August |
13106.26 |
14535.41 |
18425.22 |
| September |
12871.3 |
10533.4 |
15187.41 |
| October |
15149.69 |
11845.43 |
6585.54 |
| November |
13889.84 |
12719.87 |
|
| December |
8241.64 |
8646.78 |
3 and 4.
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 to date | |
| Appeal Received | 1179 | 1199 | 1158 |
| Appeals Accepted | 905 | 751 | 692 |
Please note if a user appeals at each stage, these are counted separately
5. Unfortunately it is not possible to answer this part of the request due to the way in which the information is recorded. The only way the Parking team would be able to do this would require a manual search into each PCN issued in each of the requested years in order to determine whether signage was a reason for appeal
Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the appropriate limit, which for Local Authorities is set at £450 by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours at £25 per hour in determining whether the Council holds the information, locating, retrieving and collating the information
The time that it would take the Parking Office to carry out this search would far exceed the 18 hour cost limit and would cause serious disruption to the day to day working of the Parking Office; therefore the Council is unable to process your this part of the request any further. As set out in the previous paragraph, the Council has the right to refuse to provide the information in accordance with Section 12 of the Act
Request reference: FOI 10168
Issue date: 11.10.24
Request received:
1. Any policies or papers published since 1 November 2023 which state the percentage of biodiversity net gain your council will require as a condition for planning permission (under the Environment Act 2021) (a) as part of an agreed Local Plan; or (b) as part of a draft Local Plan.
2. How many hectares of land has been improved for biodiversity on-site as part of a development for the purposes of biodiversity net gain since 12 February 2024?
3. How many hectares of land has been improved for biodiversity off-site for the purposes of biodiversity net gain related to developments in your authority area since 12 February 2024?
Response provided:
1. No policies have been developed as part of emerging Local Plan
2. None as the Council is yet receive any applications to discharge the Biodiversity Net Gain condition
3. No Habitat Banks have been finalised
Request reference: FOI 10169
Issue date: 22.10.24
Request received:
A list of Private Hire Operators licensed by the authority
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the request list (which is not already publically available) with all personal information redacted where it cannot already be found via an Internet search in accordance with Section 40 of the Act. This disclosed list is available upon request
Request reference: FOI 10171
Issue date: 29.10.24
Request received:
- Whether the Council’s leisure centres are held by a charitable trust?
- Whether the Council receives charitable or other business rate reliefs on its leisure assets?
Response provided:
- The Council’s leisure facilities are leased out to Parkwood Leisure, who sub-let them to LEX Leisure which is a Community Interest Company (CIC)
- Please refer to the Council’s published Dataset ‘All NDR Properties as at 02.10.2024
By filtering the property description (column J) for Leisure Centre and Premises and refer to row 1242 and specifically columns S through Z, this will provide details of any rate reliefs received by the ratepayer
By filtering the property description (column J) for Swimming Pool and Premises and refer to 3661 and specifically columns S through Z, this will provide details of any rate reliefs received by the ratepayer
Request reference: FOI 10173
Issue date: 16.10.24
Request received:
1. The number of households on the local authority's housing waiting list as of September 2024
2. The number of households on the local authority's housing waiting list as of September 2023
Please note that I have asked for households on the waiting list. If your response is the number of people, then please specify
Response provided:
Applicant advised that it is not possible for the Council to provide retrospective statistics. On this occasion however, in response to the request, The Housing team supplied the following figures were collected for other purposes
There were 2127 ‘household’ applications on the register as at 30.09.24
There were 2157 ‘household’ applications on the register as at 30.09.23
Please note that the local authority’s housing register holds ‘household applications’ with each applicant/joint applicant applying for housing for their whole household. The household can have multiple members/persons e g a couple and two children equals ‘one household’
Request reference: FOI 10174
Issue date: 16.10.24
Request received:
Data archiving solutions used for Housing Management Data that the authority may use
1. Haas the Council created a data archive for some or all of tis housing management data (properties, tenancies, tenants, rent transactions, court actions, repairs, servicing data, asset data)?
2. Was this a bespoke solution or an “off-the-shelf” solution??
3. If off the shelf, what is the product and vendor?
4. How much did the solution cost to implement?
5. What is the annual license fee for the solution?
6. How long did it take to implement the solution?
7. Please describe the technology used and the architecture of the solution
Response provided:
It is the Council’s understanding that the information sought is in relation to a housing stock held by the authority, however the Council no long holds its own social housing stock. This was transferred to North Devon Homes Ltd in February 2000
Request reference: FOI 10175
Issue date: 16.10.24
Request received:
1. A copy of North Devon Council’s response to the Government consultation on the “proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system” which closed on September 24 2024 and include copies of all consultation response documents submitted by the authority
2. Any statistical analysis carried out that informed this response
Response provided:
Details of a joint response from this council and Torridge District Council are in the public domain via the Council website
In accordance with Section 21(1) of the Act, the Council is not obliged to provide information that is already in the public domain. However, it does have a duty under Section 16(1) to provide all applicants advice and assistance in order to assist with locating the information, which it has done so in providing the with the link above
Request reference: FOI 10177
Issue date: 17.10.24
Request received:
The applicant requested in Excel:
A list of hereditaments where there is a credit of over £2,000 on the account
A list of hereditaments where there has been a right on over £2000
Including for each:
• Property Reference Number (also known as Billing Authority Reference Number) of the property on which the charge is made. This is not the Rate Demand or Account Number
• Current Rateable Value
• Account holder name
• Property address
• The billing address (where different to the property address)
Response provided:
It is noted that the applicant made this same request in April 2024, therefore it was confirmed that the Council's position remains the same
Section 1(1)(a) of the Act requires the Council to inform the applicant whether it holds information of the description specified in the request. It confirmed that the Council does hold this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) it is however unable to provide the information
A list of hereditaments where there is a credit of over £2,000 on the account
The Council has made the decision to no longer publish or provide the details of individual business rates credits. Following careful consideration of the ICO decision for Wandsworth Council (FS50619844) and discussions with the Council’s Revenues team which holds this data, the Council considers that the continued publication of this data would be likely to prejudice the prevention and detection of crime and therefore the Council considers that this data is now exempt from disclosure under Section 31(1)(a)
When applying this exemption, the Council is required to carry out a Public Interest Test which considers the factors that favour disclosure and the withholding of the data:
Factors in favour of disclosure
• Withholding the information could be perceived as the council attempting to retain monies that belong to the public
• It is in the public interest to be open and transparent about its use of public funds
• It is also in the public interest to be transparent regarding the records held in respect of the administration of business rates. This could be of interest to the minority of people who are due a refund, but have somehow failed to receive the notifications that money is owed to them
Factors in favour of withholding
• There is a public interest in ensuring that monies from the public purse, such as rebates on business accounts, are not fraudulently claimed and also a public interest in not making it easier for fraud to be committed
• The Council’s current verification procedure for refund claims is simple and cost effective however the Council cannot be certain as to whether some claimants are who they really say they are for every refund processed. If the Council were to continue to publish this data then this would ultimately result in additional verification processes needing to be implemented by the Revenues team at additional cost to the public, which would be disproportionate to the benefits that would accrue from disclosure. The additional verification procedures would also be likely to slow the verification process, resulting in detriment to the genuine ratepayer in that it would take longer for their credit to be refunded to them
• In relation to any new verification processes that might be needed, these would be likely to require the production of additional documents by those claiming a rebate which would place a new administrative burden on the majority of those legitimate claimants that did not currently exist. This would be compounded by the fact that the level of scrutiny of those documents would be higher than at present, given the increased suspicion that some of the claims (and associated documents) might well be fraudulent. The result would be that a new verification process would be likely to slow the rate at which credit balance claims could be considered and refunded, causing delay in all refunds and the likelihood of complaints, which would further burden the Council’s limited resources
• Disclosure of the requested information would result in the need to implement disproportionate steps and additional expense to the Council to counter an increased fraud risk
The cost consequences of a successful fraudulent claim would:
• have incurred the cost of paying out to the fraudster
• remain liable to the legitimate rate payer for an equivalent amount, raising the prospect of paying out twice; and
• be faced with the cost (legal and incurrence of internal management time) of seeking to recover the funds wrongly paid to the fraudster
It would not be in the public interest to expose it to such potential costs and expenses, given that they would be funded from the public purse
It is considered that the greater public interest, therefore, lies in no longer publishing the data. In coming to that conclusion, the public interest in providing the information has been carefully weighed against any prejudice to the public interest that might arise from withholding the information; in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information
The Council has published a dataset that provides:
• the total amount of credit refunded
• the number of refunds
• the total amount of outstanding credit
• the number of outstanding refunds
This dataset is currently published as at 2 October 2024 and will be due for updating in the New Year
A list of hereditaments where there has been a right on over £2000
The Council confirmed to the applicant that it does hold this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council confirmed that it is unable to provide this information as it would require the manual checking of all accounts that had a 'write on' to ensure it had not been reversed
The Revenues department would need to do this to validate the accuracy of the accounts identified in the 'write on' report. To identify the cases they would need to run a transaction report for each individual year (going back to 1 April 1993 which is as far back as the information is held) and the accounts on each report would have to be checked manually
The transaction report only gives details of the account number and the amount of the write on/off so once the relevant accounts had been identified the company name, address and amount of credit would have to be entered manually into a spreadsheet which again would require looking at each account individually
Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the appropriate limit, which for Local Authorities is set at £450 by the Freedom of Information and Data protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours at £25 per hour in determining whether the Council holds the information, locating, retrieving and extracting the information
It has been estimated by the Revenues department that it would take in excess of 1,500 hours to go through each transaction report going back to 1993 and identify, locate, retrieve and collate the information. The procedure would seriously disrupt the day to day working and operation of the Revenues department and therefore it has been decided that the request should not be processed further, as set out in the previous paragraph, the Council has the right to refuse to take the matter further by virtue of Section 12 of the Act
Request reference: FOI 10178
Issue date: 17.10.24
Request received:
Details of all Completion Notices issued by your council for business rates for the period 1st October 2024 to the date of response and the certificate information should contain the following information:
• Completion Notice service date
• Completion date
• Hereditament Address
Response provided:
The Council’s Revenues team confirms that no Completion Notices have been issued since 01.10.24 to date
Request reference: FOI 10181
Issue date: 22.10.24
Request received:
The following from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023:
1. How many complaints has the council received relating to the behaviour or conduct of the enforcement agencies/bailiffs/debt collectors who have been working on behalf of the council?
2. How many of the complaints has the council upheld?
3. If known, how many complaints were passed to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman?
Response provided:
The Council provided the following response in relation to Stage 1 complaints for the calendar year 2023:
- Parking enforcement (Off-street) = Zero
Council Tax = Four
Business Rates = Two
- Parking enforcement (Off-street) = N/A
Council Tax = Two of Four upheld
Business Rates = None upheld
- Parking enforcement (Off-street) = N/A
Council Tax = None
Business Rates = None
None of the above stage one complaints were escalated to stage two by their respective complainants
Request reference: FOI 10183
Issue date: 25.10.24
Request received:
A copy of the entire tenancy agreement between the Council and Barnstaple Town Football Club for Mill Road, Barnstaple stadium
Response provided:
A copy was provided to the applicant with all signatures redacted in accordance with Section 40 of the Act – personal data). Applicant also advised that as the lease is registered a copy can also be obtain from the Land Registry
Request reference: FOI 10184
Issue date: 30.10.24
Request received:
1. Details of any schemes or programs operated directly by the local authority under the UKSPF People and Skills priority area, including the budget and the number of staff allocated to the program or scheme and where appropriate the length of the program or scheme
2. Details of any organisation which has been awarded contracts by the local authority to deliver services covered by the remit of the UKSPF People and Skills priority area, such as upskilling, employment support, and skills provision. Include the names of the organisations, the amounts awarded, and the length of the contract
Response provided:
- Heritage Construction Skills Project - one year project (Apr 2024 - Mar 2025) with a budget of £100,000 (under UKSPF E37), two Officers from North Devon Council running the project (not funded by the UKSPF budget), giving approximately 1 and 0.5 days per week respectively. The project developed an online heritage skills hub, with training courses, information and signposting to heritage construction companies and advice bodies. Alongside this, a fully funded programme of new heritage construction courses opened up to existing trades and ‘hobbyists’/homeowners
- Future Skills and Employment Hub - one year project (Apr 2024 - Mar 2025) with a budget of £250,000 (under UKSPF E33 and E35), delivered through a contract by Devon County Council. Project saw the creation of a work hub in Barnstaple with outreach to Ilfracombe and South Molton. A small team of hub staff were employed and they directly delivering advice and signposting to get people into work and retraining
Request reference: FOI 10185
Issue date: 23.10.24
Request received:
- Which finance system/ERP system, and which version of it, do you currently use?
- What is the expiry date of the current agreement for your finance/ERP system?
- Who is the primary contact for your finance/ ERP system?
- Which HR and Payroll system, and which version of it, do you currently use?
- What is the expiry date of the current agreement for your HR and Payroll system?
- Are you planning on running, or are currently running, a soft market test or procurement/tender process around your finance/ERP system? If so what and when?
Response provided:
- Details of the Council’s current Finance system is published via the Council’s Contract Register. The Council does not have an ERP system in place
- As per the link provided in 1 above
- As per the link provided in 1 above
- Details of the Council’s current HR and Payroll system is published via the Council’s contract Register
- As per the link provided in 4 above
- No as these contracts will not be due for review until September 2028
Request reference: FOI 10187
Issue date: 30.10.24
Request received:
With regard to the purchase of a Flat on Church Street Ilfracombe, EX34 8HA, further information held by the Council regarding contaminated land
Response provided:
Applicant provided with a map and spreadsheet (QGIS contaminated land report) provided by the Council’s Environmental Protection team for the address, confirming that they do not hold any other records regarding potentially contaminated land in this area. As such, it was recommend that the applicant also contacts the Environment Agency and Devon County Council regarding any information they may hold in relation to the site or the land in the vicinity
North Devon Council has not yet fully inspected its area to identify sites of contaminated land as required by Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. As such, it is not possible to say whether or not this site will be classified under this legislation. At this time, it is considered unlikely that this site would be the subject of inspection under this legislation to the future
Request reference: FOI 10189
Issue date: 24.10.24
Request received:
1. Product or Supplier for Wellbeing and Mental Health Applications
Do you have a product or supplier for a digital wellbeing and mental health applications (mobile app or online programme)?
2. Contractual Arrangements
If so, please supply details of the contractual arrangements in place, including:
- Date of Award
- Award End Date
- Details of any Framework used or a link to the advertisement
- Contract value
- Current Supplier
3. Plans for Future Procurement
If there is an existing product or supplier, please indicate the plans for future procurement of this product
4. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
EAP provider’s details
5. Responsible Individual
Please confirm the individual responsible for managing your wellness and mental health application contract or wider wellbeing and mental health contracts, including their:
- Contact details
- Role title
Response provided:
- No
- N/A
- N/A
- The Council does not have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- N/A
The Council provides a Health and Wellbeing hub via its Intranet to employees which is managed internally by the Human Resources team. The Council’s Head of Organisational Development is ultimately responsible for this
Request reference: FOI 10192
Issue date: 29.10.24
Request received:
Weekly Housing Benefit eligible rent levels paid for all supported accommodation in the Borough (clarifying if these are supported but not exempt and supported exempt). The applicant also requested the total/gross weekly rent split between the core rent, eligible and ineligible service charges, if possible
Response provided:
The Council’s Benefits team were able to provide most of the requested information within two separate Excel spreadsheets (Supported Not Exempt and Supported Exempt) which are available upon request; however they were unable to split the core rent as this information is not held within their system
Request reference: FOI 10194
Issue date: 28.10.24
Request received:
The applicant requested any information the Council holds on derelict properties within North Devon, even if there are no details for the owners
Response provided:
The applicant was advised that the Council's does hold information that would identify empty/abandoned/derelict properties within North Devon. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council was unable to supply this information
The Council considers that this information is exempt from disclosure in accordance with Section 31(1)(a) of the Act, as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. The Council accepts that the perceived prejudice must be "real, actual or of substance" and not trivial or insignificant and that there must be some causal relationship between the potential disclosure and the stated prejudice. In this case, the decision is that such prejudice does exist. A decision of the Information Tribunal Mr Yiannis Voyias v IC 22 January 2013 is relevant to this
If the Council were to release the requested information, it consider that those empty/abandoned/derelict properties would likely become more vulnerable to crime. The crimes associated with empty properties include squatting, criminal damage, theft including organised 'fixture stripping' of premises (particularly to remove metal), arson, drug dealing, prostitution and fraud
In addition, section 43(2) of FOIA states: “Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person.” Disclosing information which revealed which dwellings were vacant/abandoned/derelict would, by increasing the risk of crime connected with those dwellings, risk damage to the commercial interests of the property owner, and also of the tenants and owners of neighbouring properties
Any incidence of crime will have potentially serious cost implications for the empty/abandoned/derelict property owners and also those who live in the vicinity, including increased insurance premiums. Furthermore, crime can cause an emotional impact both on those who are direct victims, and on those who feel less secure due to an increase in the crime rate near where they live or work or go to school
The Council’s Revenues team responsible for the administration of Council Tax and Business Rates confirm that the details they hold regarding empty/abandoned/derelict properties are held for the purposes of the collection tax and its associated administration. They may only lawfully disclose information to other public sector agencies to:
- prevent or detect benefit fraud and other crime
- to support national fraud initiatives
- to protect public funds
They may only use basic information about ratepayers of empty/abandoned/derelict properties in other areas of service provision if it:
- helps those ratepayers to access Council services more easily
- promotes the more efficient and cost-effective delivery of services
- helps the Council to recover monies that ratepayers owe to it
The Council does not consider that the release of the requested information would fall into any of the above categories and those ratepayers would have no reasonable expectation for their information to be made publicly available, as a release of the information to a requester would be considered as a release to the world at large. Not every person has a genuine reasons for requesting such information and it would not take long before the information fell into the hands of persons who intend to find those empty properties to squat, cause criminal damage, steal fixtures and fittings, damage, deal drugs etc. furthermore, the Council does not have any provision under the Act to verify the identity of applicants to ensure they are genuine and not submitting a request under an alias
For these reasons, the Council considers that there is an inherent public interest in crime prevention and therefore the possibility of crime resulting from disclosure is sufficient for the Council to favour the withholding of the requested information
The applicant was referred to the Council’s website for details about its Empty Homes Project and in particular, the free matchmaker scheme which connects owners of empty properties with potential buyers, investors or developers. No owner details (where held) are disclosed without their consent
Request reference: FOI 10195
Issue date: 31.10.24
Request received:
How many tonnes of food waste the council collected by month in 2024 (up until 31st September), 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019
Response provided:
2019 Tonnes
Jan - 307.48
Feb - 234.78
Mar - 244.60
Apr - 257.58
May - 239.92
Jun - 234.98
Jul - 261.66
Aug - 260.48
Sep - 245.88
Oct - 255.72
Nov - 251.98
Dec - 223.22
2020 Tonnes
Jan - 322.86
Feb - 233.98
Mar - 262.76
Apr - 280.48
May - 276.88
Jun - 273.90
Jul - 287.64
Aug - 257.92
Sep - 291.24
Oct - 274.28
Nov - 264.06
Dec - 251.70
2021 Tonnes
Jan - 323.56
Feb - 258.82
Mar - 299.28
Apr - 266.16
May - 236.52
Jun - 215.08
Jul - 270.92
Aug - 267.22
Sep - 217.56
Oct - 255.86
Nov - 273.46
Dec - 242.28
2022 Tonnes
Jan - 262.54
Feb - 231.04
Mar - 254.06
Apr - 224.00
May- 246.32
Jun - 228.86
Jul - 225.32
Aug - 215.50
Sep - 245.08
Oct - 220.63
Nov - 241.52
Dec - 202.90
2023 Tonnes
Jan - 284.62
Feb - 203.24
Mar - 229.90
Apr - 207.18
May - 222.94
Jun - 222.65
Jul - 212.76
Aug - 239.93
Sep - 218.34
Oct - 230.92
Nov - 222.96
Dec - 185.12
2024 Tonnes
Jan - 281.19
Feb - 220.42
Mar - 196.66
Apr - 230.66
May - 211.64
Jun - 204.74
Jul - 223.02
Aug - 233.20
Sep - 197.74
Request reference: FOI 10199
Issue date: 30.10.24
Request received:
1. What public (and private) funding is available for small businesses in Barnstaple town centre?
2. What criteria needs to be fulfilled, what forms need to be completed by any potential applicant and how much funding is available?
3. Also, what are the time scales for successful applicants and how does one apply?
Response provided:
1. The following business grants are currently open to businesses in Barnstaple town centre (and across the district):
Town Centre Enhancement Grants
2. Town Centre Enhancement Grants: Full details can be found on the website as linked above, but in overview; you need to be in a town centre/high footfall location, have a commercial premise (not for residential), require funds for small repairs, restoration or enhancement of the outside of the premise. There is a simple online application form, you need to provide quotes and ideally a picture of the premise with the form. Grants of up to £2,000 or 50% of the total project cost, whichever is the lower amount
Business Boost: Full details can be found on the website, but in overview; you need to be a small or micro businesses (up to 50 employees with a turnover less than £10m). Free business support is available, alongside this a micro grant of up to £1,500 to help the business improve its operating model, update marketing materials etc
3. Town Centre Enhancement Grants: You apply online via the link in the above website. The deadline for applications is December 2024, or earlier if the scheme fully commits the funding. Applications are generally processed within 10 working days with a decision granted to the applicant
Business Boost: You can make contact with the scheme via the email on the above website (enquiries to: boost@northdevonplus.co.uk . The deadline for the scheme is March 2025, or earlier if the scheme fully commits the funding. A team member will respond to an email enquiry within five working days
Request reference: FOI 10200
Issue date: 29.10.24
Request received:
1. On-Street Parking Transactions and Revenue
a) Total Number of On-Street Parking Transactions: Please provide a breakdown of the total number of transactions and ticket sales for on-street parking, including both Pay by Phone and Pay and Display Machine transactions
b) On-Street Pay by phone Transactions: Please specify the number of on-street parking transactions processed specifically via your Pay by Phone supplier(s)
c) Total On-Street Parking Income (Excluding Permits and PCNs): Provide the total on-street parking income for the specified period, excluding income from parking permits and Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs)
d) On-Street Pay by phone Income: Specify the total income from on-street parking transactions processed via your Pay by Phone supplier(s)
2. Off-Street Parking Transactions and Revenue
a) Total Number of Off-Street Parking Transactions: Please provide the total number of transactions and ticket sales for off-street parking, including both Pay by Phone and Pay and Display Machine transactions
b) Off-Street Pay by phone Transactions: Specify the number of off-street parking transactions processed via your Pay by Phone supplier(s)
c) Total Off-Street Parking Income (Including VAT, Excluding Permits and PCNs): Provide the total income for off-street parking, including VAT but excluding income from permits and PCNs
d) Off-Street Pay by phone Income: Specify the total income from off-street parking transactions processed via your Pay by Phone supplier(s)
3. Payment Methods for Parking Transactions
a) List of Payment Methods: Please provide a complete list of all payment methods currently offered for parking transactions across both on-street and off-street parking, including but not limited to cash, card, contactless, and mobile app options
Please indicate the name of the supplier for each payment method e g Metric, Flow bird, IPS etc
b) Pay by phone Parking: Please provide the name of the ‘pay by phone’ supplier used by the Council today e g Ringo, Pay by phone, Just park
Please confirm the current contract expiry for the Council’s ‘pay by phone’ service, including any extension options that are available / unused
4. Pay on Foot / Pay on Exit Car Parks
a) Number of Pay on Foot Car Parks
i) Total number of spaces
b) Pay on Foot/Pay on Exit Car Park Transactions
i) Total Transactions
ii) Income from Pay on Foot Car Parks
iii) Equipment Manufacturer
5. Provide a narrative response outlining any significant changes or procurement exercises that are being considered in the 2025/2026 financial year to the Contracts / suppliers mentioned in this request, for example:
Pay by phone supplier
Pay and Display Machine provision
Pay on Foot / Pay on Exit equipment
Confirm if the Council has any plans to join the Governments National Parking Platform in the future
Response provided:
1. Applicant advised that the Council does not manage any On-street Parking and was directed to contact Devon County Council for this information
2. a) 1,278,221
b) 876,701
c) £4,182,063.35
d) £2,088,166.20
3. Payment methods = Pay By Mobile – RingGo, Card/contactless – Flowbird, Cash – The Parking team carries out an in-house collection/count system and has a contract in place for cash collection/banking
Pay by phone parking = RingGo, Contract expires August 2026, no options to extend
4. The Council does not manage any pay on foot/exit car parks
5. The Council is not currently seeking to source a new supplier for equipment, services or contracts, nor is it considering joining the governments National Parking Platform in the future
Request reference: FOI 10201
Issue date: 29.10.24
Request received:
For each of the years 2023 and 2024 (estimated/predicted):
1. The annual spend on Christmas lights
2. The annual spend on Christmas decorations (e g trees)
3. Have you re-used Christmas Decorations Lights from a previous year?
4. The amount spent by the council on celebrities to turn on Christmas Lights
5. Name of celebrity who turned on Christmas lights for the Council
For the purpose of this FOI, a celebrity is not the local mayor or MP. Anyone who has appeared on television, reality television, it is people in the media such as athletes, authors, etc
Response provided:
1. The Council makes an annual £5,000 contribution to Barnstaple Town Centre Management (BTCM) towards Christmas lights and this also includes 2024
2. The Council does not hold this information as it has no further involvement after making this contribution as it managed by BTCM
3. As 2 above
4. As 2 above
5. as 2 above
Request reference: FOI 10203
Issue date: 31.10.24
Request received:
Severe Weather Emergency Protocol activations since 01.1.2021, detailing the dates and duration of each activation, the total number of emergency spaces made available
Response provided:
This information was provided in Excel, which is available upon request
Request reference: FOI 10204
Issue date: 30.10.24
Request received:
The most recent shape files related to Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) in a recognized vector format. If shape files are not available, we would be happy to accept a CSV or XLS file listing all protected trees along with their coordinates
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the requested information within the requested format which is available upon request
Request reference: FOI 10205
Issue date: 31.10.24
Request received:
Basic, non-identifiable data on the properties managed by your organisation (council housing/social housing). This request is designed to avoid any disclosure that could contravene Section 40(2) of the FOIA, which safeguards personal data
Please provide the following information for each property your organization manages:
1. First line of address
2. Postcode
3. Year of construction (if available)
4. Type of property (e g house, flat, maisonette)
5. Number of bedrooms
For clarity, this request does not seek any information related to freehold/leasehold status, as this could potentially reveal private information regarding an individual’s legal rights over a property
Response provided:
Applicant advised that the requested information is not held by this authority
North Devon Council no longer holds a council/social housing stock as this was transferred to North Devon Homes Ltd in February 2000; therefore it no longer holds this information