Date: 16/10/2009

Dear Mrs Docherty

Re: Freedom of Information request number 1445

Thank you for your request dated 13/10/2009 for the following information:

In the wake of the people speaking out against the abuses of the

secret family courts and forced adoption of children to strangers,

instead of being retained within their real natural families. I

would like to know how your authority compares to others in

fulfilling your responsibilities to families & their children.

(a) How many individuals have been taken to court by your authority

in-order to gag them. To stop them from speaking out about the

injustices they have suffered at the hands of the council

children's social services and secret family courts. Provide all

records to-date that are held.

(b) How much did these gagging order injunctions cost the rate

payer.

(c) Who is responsible for actioning these enforcement orders by

the council, i.e. who signs the applications for court.

(d) How many parents /relatives/individuals have received further

sanctions for breaking these gagging orders.

(e) Are any of these decisions to gag/sanction taken by unelected

local authority officers responsible for children's social care,

finance, legal or any other relevant department.

(f) If councillors make these decisions at which meeting(s) are

these discussed.

Section 10(1) of the Freedom of Information Act requires that we process your application within 20 working days of the date we received your request, therefore we will respond to you by 10/11/2009. If we are unable to meet this deadline we will inform you of this and the reasons why.

If the information is already available to you through the Council's publication scheme we will advise you of this. We will advise you whether we hold the information you have requested and if you are able to access it. In some cases where exclusions apply we will not be able to provide you with the information you have requested. If we are unable to provide the information you request we will contact you and inform you of the reasons why.

In some cases there may be a charge for the information you have requested. We will keep charges to a minimum and will inform you as soon as possible of any charges that apply.

If you are unhappy with the Council's response you can make a complaint via the Council's complaints procedures and this will be looked into. If you are not happy with this decision you may then appeal to the Information Commissioner.

Yours faithfully

LHenley

Lee Henley

Freedom of Information Coordinator

Telephone (01375) 652500

Macro FOI.acknowledgement.letter

Macro FOI.acknowledgement.letter