Benefit Fraud Investigators

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Customer First
Medway Council
Gun Wharf
Dock Road
Chatham
Kent ME4 4TR
tel: 01634 333333
email: [Medway Council request email]

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Dear Mary-Ann P,

 

                                                                                                           
Refusal Notice

 

Request for Information Reference Number:   RFI/4966

 

Thank you for your request for information which we received on 28
November 2011.

 

The information you requested is as follows:

 

1)Please confirm or deny that the benefit Fraud Investigators working for
and on behalf of Medway Council are subject PACE The police and criminal
evidence act and there for must act in accordance with this Act at all
times.

2)Please confirm or deny that Medway council issues letters to those
suspected of benefit fraud that do not indicate directly that the person
in receipt of the said letter is NOT clearly informed that they are NOT
lawfully/legally obliged to attend ANY interview

 

I regret to advise that your request is not valid under section 8(1)(b) of
the Freedom of Information Act  2000 ( the "FOIA" ) , which  requires the
name of the applicant to be stated  when they are making a request.     In
the absence of a full name, the Council will follow guidance from the
Information Commissioner's Office , which  states that the use of only one
name or initials  renders  a  request invalid.
  

In order to meet the Council's duty to provide advice and assistance,
please  resubmit the request , providing your full name .  Please
also clarify  part  2  of your request, as the words ‘do not indicate
directly that the person in receipt of the said letter is NOT clearly
informed’  has the same meaning as "that  the person in receipt of the
letter is clearly informed’.   At present, part 2 of your request is
unclear, and so the Council would not be able to respond accurately on
this query. 

 

If you are unhappy with the decision we have made or wish to complain
about any other issue regarding the Freedom of Information Act 2000 please
see the attached handout ‘Request for Information Complaints Procedures’.

 

For further information on the Freedom of Information 2000, the exemptions
and how requests are dealt, with you can log onto the Medway Council
website at www.medway.gov.uk/freedomofinformation.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Jon Poulson

Revenues & Benefits Manager

 

 

 

 

 

Jon Poulson IRRV (Hons)

Revenues and Benefits Contract Manager

Business Support Department

Medway Council

Gun Wharf

Chatham

Kent

ME4 4TR

Tel No 01634 333700

E-mail [email address]

 

 

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