Economic Development

	Customer and Support Services Directorate
	Business Support and Information Management Team Team
	ICT Services
	Salford Civic Centre
	Chorley Rd
	Swinton Salford M27 5DA

Mr A J Boyd [FOI #30463 email]	Phone Fax Email Web My Ref Your Ref	0161 793 2878 0161 793 2477 [email address] www.salford.gov.uk FOI/LBF/Boyd/10310
Date 20 April 2010

Subject: Freedom of Information Request

Dear Mr Boyd

Thank you for your request for information, which was received on 10 March 2010. Your request has been processed under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Our response is as follows: - You requested: A list of long term empty properties within the council's area. Clarified as a list of all empty properties that we know of. They don't need to be broken down by Council or private or whether they are residential or commercial properties. Our response: Please visit http://www.salfordhomesearch.co.uk/ for an up to date list of properties available to let. The figures below are accurate at the time of compilation, but will be subject to change. In addition to the details above our records show the following: In the Council's area there are an additional 5111 empty properties which comprise: 278 Local Authority empty residential and commercial properties, lists enclosed. This figure includes all properties that are currently not available to let. These may be empty for a variety of reasons i.e. refurbishment, demolition, or the property may be too small for normal letting purposes but may be used in an emergency. We are working towards reducing the number of empty properties. In addition there are 4775 empty properties which are privately owned and empty. We are not releasing details of these properties as we consider that information relating to property owned by individuals constitutes personal data as defined by the Data Protection Act 1998; therefore these addresses are deemed exempt in line with section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). Personal data is exempt from disclosure if it would contravene any of the data protection principles. The first data protection principle requires the Council to process personal data fairly and we maintain that disclosing these addresses would be unfair to the individuals concerned therefore it would contravene the first principle. On this basis, the information is exempt. This information is not being disclosed in line with the Information Tribunal's ruling in the case of the London Borough of Bexley.

Should you disagree with the above, or if you wish to make a formal appeal against this decision, please contact David Sackfield Head of Business Support and Information Management in the Customer Services Directorate at the above address or email [email address]. Guidance on how to make a formal appeal against a decision under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is also available on our web site at www.salford.gov.uk. Should you further disagree with the decision following the appeal, you may wish to contact the Office of the Information Commissioner. Office of the Information Commissioner Wycliffe House Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk Tel: 01625 545700 Fax: 01625 524510
Yours sincerely

Lynn Faulkner Principal Information Governance Officer