Dear Ms Worsley

Re: FOI Case 38936

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 received on 3 October 2008. Please accept my apologies for the response in responding to you.

Your request is as follows:

“I should like to know if the council uses Potential Violent Warning markers (or similar description) against its citizens in any of its databases. In particular if these markers are used: 1 how many databases are they used in? 2 who is the senior nominated person in the council who makes the decision that a person should have such a marker added to his/her records? 3 what is the mean time to review the presence of these markers, also what are the shortest and longest times between reviews? 4 how many such markers are current at the present time (or if a date is required, 1/10/08)? 5 how many of the persons with such markers have you written to, to inform them that a marker exists against their personal record? 6 if/when you have written to them, on how many occasions have you explained the reason(s) why they have a marker against their record?

In response to your request I am able to inform you that Liverpool City Council does not, at present, use Potential Violent Warning markers. We are presently in discussions and are drafting a protocol for such warnings which I would hope would be in place by the end of this financial year (31/03/09). As this protocol will be published in the future we are applying a Section 22 exemption under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which relates to information intended for future publication.

When we are unable to provide you with any aspect of information, I am required to serve you with a Section 17 Notice. Please treat this letter as such a notice.

Section 17 Notice

The City Council will consider complaints about the way it has handled your request under its Have Your Say scheme.  You can complete a form online on our website at http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Feedback/Feedback_form/index.asp or you can write to us at Liverpool Direct, FREEPOST, NWW 3400A, Liverpool, L1 3ZZ.  We will then deal with your complaint within two weeks, carry out a full and fair investigation within a further month if things are not resolved, and arrange for a different senior officer to review your case within a further month if you remain unhappy. 

You may also apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision about whether the request for information has been dealt with in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  The Information Commissioner's website is http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/eventual.aspx and the address and telephone numbers are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, Fax 01625 524 510, DX 20819, Telephone 01625 545 745, email: [email address] (they advise that their e-mail is not secure).

Yours sincerely

Pp D Tipping

Miss W Twigge

Information Manager

Liverpool City Council

Michael Kenworthy Acting City Solicitor Resources Directorate, Legal Services

Municipal Buildings, Dale Street, Liverpool, L69 2DH

tel: 0151 225 3132 fax: 0151 225 2392 email: [email address]