Dear Sir or Madam,

Please could you supply me with information about how the Council
has spent the budget set aside for the upgrading of disability
access facilities?

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Grace Filby FRSA, Churchill Fellow, Reigate

on behalf of the Reigate and Banstead Access Forum
www.fabrab.org.uk

19/09/08

Dear Ms Filby

RE: YOUR REQUEST REF NO. 2686 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Thank you for your request for information received on the 19 September
2008. Your request reference is as above.

We will respond to your request promptly and in any event within 20
working days of the date of receipt of your request. If you wish to
contact me to discuss the progress of your request, please use the contact
details given below and quote the reference number given above.

Yours sincerely

Clare Mackay
____________________

Group Managers Assistant
Legal and Insurance Services
Surrey County Council
Rm 127, County Hall
Penrhyn Road
Kingston
KT1 2DN

Tel: 020 8541 9568
Fax: 020 8541 9115
Email: [email address]

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Dear Ms Filby,

Re: Request to Surrey County Council under the Freedom of Information Act
(2000)

Thank you for your email of September 19th which has been passed to me.
The request was for information relating to how Surrey County Council is
proposing to spend the budget set aside for the upgrading of disability
access facilities during the current financial year.

For a number of years the County Council has allocated a capital sum for
works to overcome physical barriers to access to its portfolio of
operational establishments (i.e Non school portfolio). Prior to 2004 the
figure was typically £150,000/annum but in October 2004 a sum of £1.68m
was set aside to carry our works identified in access audits carried out
by consultants. That programme of work is nearing completion but a further
£300,000 has been allocated this year. This year's programme of schemes
against the £300,000 was approved by the Executive at its meeting on 22
April 2008. A copy is set out in the attached WORD document below but it
provides a good guide to the type of scheme that is being carried out.

In the ideal world the council wishes to see all areas of our premises
made fully acessible. However at some buildings it is recognised that
their physical characteristics or legal constraints preclude realisation
of that objective. In such circumstances the council looks to ensure that
at least the ground floor area of each establishment is accessible by both
the public and our staff.

Surrey County Council welcomes feedback from either individuals or local
access groups on their findings on visiting establishments.

This information is supplied based on your original request. Please do not
hesitate to contact me at the above address if you have any queries
regarding the information enclosed. Remember to quote the reference
number above in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the handling of your request for information and
wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, in the first
instance you should contact the County Council, quoting your request
number given above, at:

Freedom of Information Officer
Surrey County Council
Room 134
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
Kingston Upon Thames
Surrey
KT1 2DN
[Surrey County Council request email]

If you are not satisfied by the County Council?s response to your
complaint, you have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner for
a decision. The Information Commissioner will normally expect you to have
exhausted our complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at:

Information Commissioner?s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Peter Ward
Information Access Officer
Estates Planning & Management
Room 407, County Hall
Penrhyn Road
Kingston-on-Thames
KT1 2DW
E-mail: [email address]
Telephone: 020 8541 9959

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Dear Peter,

Thank you for your reply, attached data and good intentions but I
think there has been a misunderstanding. The question was about how
the money set aside has already been spent, not about what the
Council are proposing to spend.

The question wasn't specific to the current financial year - it was
retrospective so that we can look at the facts.

Please could you refer back to the wording of the original question
on behalf of the Reigate and Banstead Access Forum
(www.fabrab.org.uk). The officers and members would like to know
the recent history and current situation, rather than the proposals
for 2009.

Many thanks,

Yours sincerely,

Grace Filby

Dear Ms Filby,

Thank you for your response. I apologise for the misunderstanding in the
handling of your request. I'm afraid a number of Officers, including
myself, misinterpreted your requirement. Most Freedom of Information
requests are interested in what the County Council is intending to do but
clearly I was in error on this occasion.

In the interests of clarification, therefore, could you be more specific
as to the time period for which you seek information ? The original
response did provide some background as to the history and previous
disposition of the capital budget for disavility improvement works. Would
I also be correct in assuming your main area of interest would be those
works carried out in Reigate & Banstead ?

If you can speicfy your requirement, I will endeavour to provide the
information you require as quickly as possible.

Yours Sincerely

Peter Ward
Information Access Officer
Estates Planning & Management
Room 407, County Hall
Penrhyn Road
Kingston-on-Thames
KT1 2DW
E-mail: [email address]
Telephone: 020 8541 9959

Grace Filby <[FOI #3106 email]>
17/10/2008 17:31

To
Peter Ward <[email address]>
cc

Subject
Re: Freedom of Information request - accessibility budget

Dear Peter,

Thank you for your reply, attached data and good intentions but I
think there has been a misunderstanding. The question was about how
the money set aside has already been spent, not about what the
Council are proposing to spend.

The question wasn't specific to the current financial year - it was
retrospective so that we can look at the facts.

Please could you refer back to the wording of the original question
on behalf of the Reigate and Banstead Access Forum
(www.fabrab.org.uk). The officers and members would like to know
the recent history and current situation, rather than the proposals
for 2009.

Many thanks,

Yours sincerely,

Grace Filby

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Dear Peter,

Please could you focus the information on 2004-2008 for the
Reigate, Banstead, Redhill, Horley and Merstham area?

We appreciate your help.

Many thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Grace Filby

Dear Ms Filby

You requested further information about DDA works carried out in the
Reigate, Banstead, Redhill, Horley and Merstham areas. I am able to
confirm Surrey CC has carried out DDA related works at Park Hall
Residential Home, Reigate Library, Highfield Community Home, Arundel
Hostel and Banstead Youth Centre,

If you require any further information please do contact me.

Nick Layton
Professional Services Consultant
Buildings Group
020 8541 9899

An outstanding council making Surrey a better place
Forward thinking -responsive and reliable - working with others - value
for money

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