Philip A. Jones 
Head of Information Governance 
 
Information Governance Unit 
Law and Governance Directorate 
1A Bailey Street 
Our Ref: FOI/1695/2009/LS 
Stafford 
 
ST17 4BG 
28 October 2009 
Telephone: (01785) 278326 
 
Facsimile: (01785) 278362 
Matt Hupfield 
www.whatdotheyknow.com
 
Dear Mr Hupfield 
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000 
 
Your Request
On 29th June 2009 you requested the following information via the website 
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/home_education_quarterly_confere
 
In relation to my request about the budget for the home education 
conference/forum could you know please provide the following 
information: 
 
- A list of the attendees of the last 4 conferences (Jun 08, Nov 08, Mar 09, 
Jun 09). 
 
- Confirm whether the forum is open to anyone to attend or as I suspect by 
invitation only. If it is an invitation only event details of the criteria used to 
decide who should be invited to each event. 
 
- For each of the last 4 conferences; details of the themes/topics for each 
conference, copies of any notes made before, during or after the 
conference and copies of any minutes from each conference. 
 
All information held was provided on 23 July 2009 except for “copies of any 
minutes from each conference”.  You were informed that this information may be 
subject to an exemption to disclosure and therefore consideration of the public 
interest was required. This process is now complete and the outcome of your 
request is as below. 
  
Applicable Exemption
The exemption considered in this case was section 36 of the Freedom of 
Information Act 2000;Prejudice to the Conduct of Public Affairs. Specifically 
section 36(2)(b) in which information is exempt information if disclosure of the 
information under the Act:  
would, or would be likely to, inhibit—  
 

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(i) 
the free and frank provision of advice, or  
(ii) 
the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of 
deliberation 
 
The application of exemption to disclosure under section 36 is also subject to a 
decision in the reasonable opinion of a qualified person.  In Staffordshire County 
Council the qualified person is the Director of Law and Governance.
 
Decision
It has been concluded that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest 
in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the 
information. This has also been agreed by the qualified person. In particular it is 
considered that disclosure of the minutes would be detrimental to the quality and 
robustness of decision making within the wider public arena by limiting the 
opportunities for reasonable discussion. 
 
Your Right of Appeal 
Should you wish to appeal this decision, Staffordshire County Council do not 
provide such a procedure for the application of section 36 due to the seniority of 
the qualified person.  However this does not affect your right of appeal under the 
Act to the Information Commissioner. Please write to The Case Reception Unit, 
Customer Service Team, Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, 
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.  Further details can be found on their 
website here: http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom_of_information.aspx
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
 
 
Catherine Lantsbery
Access to Information Manager 
Tel: 01785 278387 
E-Mail: [email address]
Web: www.staffordshire.gov.uk  
 
 

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