Norfolk Constabulary
M
r J Walker
Freedom of Information Department
Jubilee House
request-403-
Falconers Chase
Wymondham
[email address]
Norfolk NR18 0WW
Tel: 01953 42 4487
Fax: 01953 42 4080
Email: [Norfolk Constabulary request email]
1
8th September 2008
www.norfolk.police.uk
Non-Emergency Tel: 0845 456 4567
Dear Mr Walker
I write to inform you of the outcome of the internal review conducted following your lack of
satisfaction with our response to your original request. Your reasons for requesting a review are as
follows:
1. Devon and Cornwall Police have released this information
2. The public has a right know how their taxes are spent and on whom they are spent
3. The individual employees will benefit directly from attending the courses
I can advise you that a review has been conducted by a senior officer in Norfolk Constabulary who
is independent of the original decision-making process. The outcome of the review is to uphold in
part the original decision not to release the information requested; although it has been
recommended that further information about the ranks of the employees who have attended
training offered by Common Purpose be released.
In respect of point 1 above, the decision of another public authority is a matter for them. It is for
each public authority to reach its own decision on whether the release of information is required
under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act.
In respect of point 2 above, Norfolk Constabulary has provided information showing how much
money it has spent on training offered by Common Purpose shared over the number of employees
who have attended the courses, thus providing information to the public about expenditure in this
particular regard. When addressing the disclosure of staff names, it is a requirement that
consideration is given to their rights under the Data Protection Act, rights that are not automatically
given up when working in the public sector. The internal review does consider it would be unfair to
release the names of individuals in respect of personal development support. There are other
management staff who have chosen not to undertake Common Purpose training and who are also
pursuing successful careers in the Constabulary. It would be unfair to single out one particular
group of staff based on their voluntary choice of personal development support, particularly when
they had no expectation that this information could be made public at the time they chose to attend
the training.
In respect of point 3, please see the response to point 2.
The following table shows the ranks of staff at the time they attended Common Purpose training
courses whilst employed by Norfolk Constabulary.
ACPO
Chief
Superintendent Chief
Inspector
Rank/Grade*
Superintendent
1 3 1
4
*Ranks of Assistant Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable, Chief Constable and Assistant Chief
Officer. These ranks have been grouped as most are single posts.
The above staff attended courses over the period 1996 to 2007.
If you are not satisfied with our response please refer to our review procedure (copy enclosed) for
further information on what to do next.
In your email requesting the internal review you also included a request for copies of invoices
detailing expenditure on Common Purpose training. I refer you to our previous response dated 8
July 2008 Our Ref: 260/08 in which we have responded already to this request.
Yours sincerely,
Dawn Clarke
Data Protection and Freedom of Information Manager
Professional Standards Department
A full copy of the Freedom of Information Act (2000) can be viewed on the ‘Office of Public Sector Information’ web-site;
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/
The Norfolk Constabulary is not responsible for the content, or the reliability, of the website referenced. The
Constabulary cannot guarantee that this link will work all of the time, and we have no control over the availability of the
linked pages.
Your Right to Request a Review of Decisions Made Under the Terms of the Freedom of
Information Act (2000).
If you are unhappy with how your request has been handled, or if you think the decision is
incorrect,
you have the right to ask the Norfolk Constabulary to review their decision.
Prior to lodging a formal request for a review, you are welcome, and encouraged, to discuss the
decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.
Ask the Norfolk Constabulary to look at the decision again.
If you are dissatisfied with the decision made by the Norfolk Constabulary under the Freedom of
Information Act (2000), regarding access to information, you must notify the Norfolk Constabulary
that you are requesting a review within
2 months of the date of its response to your Freedom of
Information request.
Requests for a review should be made in writing and addressed to:
Freedom of Information Decision Maker
Professional Standards Department
Norfolk Constabulary
Operations and Communications Centre
Jubilee House
Falconers Chase
Wymondham
Norfolk NR18 0WW
In all possible circumstances the Norfolk Constabulary will aim to respond to your complaint within
2 months.
The Information Commissioner.
After lodging a request for a review with the Norfolk Constabulary, if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision, you can apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision on whether the request
for information has been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner please visit their
website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk or contact them at the address shown below:
The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545 700
