Freedom of Information, Information Compliance Unit, Kent Police Headquarters, Sutton Road,
Maidstone, Kent ME15 9BZ Phone: 01622 654413
Fax: 01622 654437 - e-mail: [Kent Police request email]
Mr. Paul Styles
Date:
5th November 2009
[email address]
Tel No.: (DDI)
01622 654413
FOI Ref.:
4560/2009
Dear Mr. Styles,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST 4560/2009
I write in connection with your request for information dated 12th June 2009, and your more
recent communication in which you asked for a review into the handling of your request.
In the earlier part of this year this unit was experiencing staffing difficulties and this, coupled
with a substantial increase in the workload associated with requests, resulted in a number of
requests being processed some time after the statutory time limit permitted to a public
authority to respond to such requests had passed. We have recently been in communication
with the Information Commissioner’s Office to discuss these issues, and have increased our
staff within the unit. The new team are working hard to reduce the process backlog.
This has been the case with your own request as the section of the team dealing with the
backlog are currently working on requests received during the month of June.
On behalf of Kent Police I apologise for the lateness of this response and assure you that steps
have now been taken to address these matters and provide the service that we both would
prefer.
In your request you asked for the following information:
I am seeking a copy of certain information held within the on line Police Pension Administrators
Forum. The Forum is hosted by the Home Office and is open to selected employees of police
forces who work within the area of human resources/personnel. I know that Kent; Police have
access to the Forum and thus will be able to obtain the information I am requesting.
From a list of topics discussed on the Forum that I have to hand, I note the following: Review
of Injury Awards on reaching state pension age Review of IODs. I would like a copy of all
information contained within these topics. I would also like an up-to-date list of the topics
within the Forum, together with the number of replies and views. This would be most easily
accomplished by providing a copy of the page/s from the Forum that contains the information.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides the general right of access to recorded
information that is held by public authorities. Although, as you rightly say, Kent Police have
access to this forum, we are not required to obtain information in response to a request if we
do not already hold the information for our own purposes. Following receipt of your request
searches were conducted within Kent Police and we can confirm that no information relevant to
your request is held by Kent Police.
Kent Police : Central Operations FOI
Policy No. D18
Form No.3540_11 rev Feb 2005 [erev 02/5] v1.5
In accordance with our duty to assist under section 16 of the Act, we have confirmed that the
Home Office, as the administrators of the forum, hold the information pertinent to your request
and we have therefore transferred your request and details to the forum moderator, Mr Ian
Moir, on your behalf.
Mr Moir can be contacted via the Home Office switchboard on 0207 0354848.
Thank you for your interest in Kent Police. If you have any further queries concerning your
request, or the application of the Freedom of Information Act in general, please contact this
office quoting the reference number shown above.
Yours sincerely,
Laura Birchley
Freedom of Information Administrator
Your right to complain
We take our responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act seriously but, if you feel your
request has not been properly handled or you are otherwise dissatisfied with the outcome of
your request, you have the right to complain. We will conduct an internal review to investigate
the matter and endeavor to reply within 20 working days. If your appeal concerns the decision
to apply an exemption, it would assist the review if you would outline why you believe the
exemption does not apply.
You may lodge your complaint by writing to:
Supt. Paul Gladstone
Head of the Information Compliance Unit
Professional Standards Department
Kent Police Headquarters
Sutton Road,
Maidstone Kent
ME15 9BZ
Or by e-mailing
[Kent Police request email]
If you are still dissatisfied following our internal review, you have the right under section 50 of
the Act to complain directly to the Information Commissioner. Before considering your
complaint, the Information Commissioner would normally expect you to have exhausted the
complaints procedures provided by Kent Police.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
FOI Compliance Team (complaints)
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Kent Police : Central Operations FOI
Form No.3540_11 rev Jan 2005 [erev 1/05] v1.1
Policy No. D18
