Changes to day services for adults with a learning disability

Dear Jo Davies

Thank you for your request for information, below which was received by the Council (24/01/12) and I will deal with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly, and in any case no later than 20 working days (by 21/02/12) unless it is necessary to consider the public interest, in which case a full response must be provided within such a time as is reasonable in the circumstances and I will write to you again if this occurs.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will let you know. A fee notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future correspondence.

Yours sincerely

Information Compliance Team
Legal Services
Corporate Services Department
Bracknell Forest Council
Tel: 01344 353071
Email: [Bracknell Forest Borough Council request email]
Web: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk

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Dear Jo Davies

 

Jo Davies <[FOI #101536 email]>

 

Freedom of Information Act

Further Information is Required

 

I am writing regarding your request for information, which I received on
24th January 2012.. In that request, you asked about day services for
adults with a

learning disability

 

 

The Council reasonably requires further information in order to identify
and locate the information you have asked for. I will not be able to take
this matter further without this extra information from you.  In
particular, it would be useful to know :

 

1.  Please clarify what you mean by day services and known to Social
Services.

2.  Attended day activities - please clarify, do you mean how many people
attended a day centre service?

3. I am advised the number of people across a year will fluctuate…it would
be useful if you could provide  a specific point in the year?

4. Other activities - please clarify what this means.

 

The Constitution Unit, a research body at University College London, is
carrying out a study of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and its effect
on local government. An important part of the evaluation process is
gathering the experiences and opinions of FOI requesters like you. Any
information you provide will be handled in accordance with the privacy
policy explained in the survey. If you would like to take part in this
study, please the survey at
http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/yc-fo... . Please
contact Ben Worthy at [email address] or on 020 7679 4974 to find out
more about the study or to speak to him further about your experiences.

 

If you wish to discuss any of the above, please contact me.  Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

 

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should use the Comments, Compliments and Complaints procedure which
can be found at

http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/your-...

 

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally the ICO
cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure
provided by Bracknell Forest Council. The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at: The Information Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water
Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Information Compliance Team

Legal Services

Corporate Services Department

Bracknell Forest Council

Tel: 01344 353071

Email: [Bracknell Forest Borough Council request email]

Web: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk

 

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Dear Jo Davies,

Please see our e mail below which was sent to you on 27th January requesting clarification of your request and advising that we would not be able to continue with the request until you provided the information.

Information Compliance Team
Legal Services
Corporate Services Department
Bracknell Forest Council
Tel: 01344 353071
Email: [Bracknell Forest Borough Council request email]
Web: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk

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Dear Jo Davies

Thank you for clarifying your request for information, below which was received by the Council (22/03/12) and I will deal with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The FOI Act obliges us to respond to requests promptly, and in any case no later than 20 working days (by 23/04/12) unless it is necessary to consider the public interest, in which case a full response must be provided within such a time as is reasonable in the circumstances and I will write to you again if this occurs.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will let you know. A fee notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future correspondence.

Yours sincerely

Information Compliance Team
Legal Services
Corporate Services Department
Bracknell Forest Council
Tel: 01344 353071
Email: [Bracknell Forest Borough Council request email]
Web: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk

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Email Only

 

Jo Davies <[FOI #101536 email]>

 

Dear Jo Davies

 

I am writing to confirm that the council has completed the processing of
your request for information which was received on 24th January and
clarified on 22nd March 2012.

 

Please find below a copy of your request, followed by the Council’s
response.

 

Request: Under the Freedom of Information Act, I kindly request the

     following information in relation to day services for adults with a

     learning disability in your local authority:

Clarification: By day services I mean services provided to adults with a

     learning disability in the day. These services could vary from day

     centres to voluntary work placements or activities in the

     community.

Clarification: Please provide figures for each financial year.

 

    

    Question 1) How many adults aged 18-65 with a learning disability were
known

     to social services in a) 2009/10, b) 2010/11 and c) 2011/12?

Clarification: By known to Social Services I mean people who either
receive social

     services or have been assessed for social services but did not meet

     eligibility criteria (if you have this information recorded).

 

Answer 1) Bracknell are able to provide the number people with a learning
disability aged 18-64 who are known to the council as follows:

 

2009/10:  256 people

2010/11:  296 people

2011/12:  This information is not held as it is not yet known.

    

Question  2) How many adults aged 18-65 with a learning disability
attended day activities in a) 2009/10, b) 2010/11 and c) 2011/12:      i.
5 days a week or more.  ii. 4 days a week.     iii. 3 days a week.     iv.
2 days a week.     v. 1 day a week.     vi. 0 days a week?

Clarification: By attended day activities I mean day centre services and
other day services, such as those outlined in question 3.

 

Answer 2) I can confirm that the Council may hold the information falling
within the description specified in your request. However, it is estimated
that the cost of complying with your request would exceed the appropriate
limit of £450. This is because the information is not held centrally and
would mean officer is likely to spend over 18 hours locating, retrieving
and extracting the information. The appropriate limit has been specified
in regulations and for local government it is £450. Under section 12 of
the Freedom of Information Act the Council  is not obliged to comply with
your request and will not be processing your request further.

 

 

  Question 3) How many adults aged 18-65 with a learning disability
attended the following type of day activities in a) 2009/10, b) 2010/11
and c) 2011/12:

     i. day centres

     ii. employment

     iii. education

     iv. voluntary work

     v. other activities?

Clarification: By attended day activities I mean day centre services and
other day services, such as those outlined above. By other activities I
mean those outlined above: voluntary work placements, community
activities, etc.

 

Answer 3) i. Day centres:

 

2009/10:  22 people in-house day service, 6 people external day service

2010/11:  19 people in-house day service, 6 people external day service

2011-12: 18 people in-house day service, 6 people external day service

 

ii.  Employment:

 

2009/10:  44 people aged 18-64 with Learning Disabilities were helped into
Employment

2010/11:  46 people aged 18-64 with Learning Disabilities were helped into
Employment

2011-12:  The Council is of the view that the information requested is
currently exempt from disclosure under section 22 of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 which states that the information is exempt if it is
intended for future publication. In this case the Council is required to
submit the information you requested via statutory return to the
Department of Health by 6 July 2012.  After which time the Council will
provide you with the information you request in the format desired.  The
Council is satisfied that it is reasonable in all the circumstances that
the information should be withheld from disclosure until the date referred
to.

 

iii.  Education

 

The council do not hold this information.

 

iv. Voluntary work:

 

2009/10:  8 people with Learning Disabilities undertook unpaid voluntary
work

2010/11:  8 people with Learning Disabilities undertook unpaid voluntary
work

2011-12:  The Council is of the view that the information requested is
currently exempt from disclosure under section 22 of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 which states that the information is exempt if it is
intended for future publication. In this case the Council is required to
submit the information you requested via statutory return to the
Department of Health by 6 July 2012.  After which time the Council will
provide you with the information you request in the format desired.  The
Council is satisfied that it is reasonable in all the circumstances that
the information should be withheld from disclosure until the date referred
to.

 

v. Other activities

 

This information is not held.

 

     Question  4) How many a) day centre places and b) equivalent day
service places for adults aged 18-65 with a learning disability were
funded by the local authority in the following financial years:

    

     i. 2009/10

     ii. 2010/11

     iii. 2011/12;

 

Answer 4) As at 31 March

 

a) Day centre places were:

 

i.  2009/10:  22 people in-house day service, 6 people external day
service

ii.  2010/11:  19 people in-house day service, 6 people external day
service

iii.  2011-12: 18 people in-house day service, 6 people external day
service

    

b) Supported living day activities

 

i.  2009-10: 14 people

ii. 2010-11: 23 people

iii. 2011-12: 33 people

 

   Question 4b)  and how many do you expect will be funded in iv. 2012/13?

 

Information not held.

    

     Question 5) How many adults aged 18-65 with a learning disability who

     attended day activities in a) 2009/10, b) 2010/11 and c) 2011/12

     lived:

    

     i. in the family home

     ii. in their own home

     iii. in supported accommodation

     iv. in residential accommodation?

 

Answer 5) I can confirm that the Council may hold the information falling
within the description specified in your request. However, it is estimated
that the cost of complying with your request would exceed the appropriate
limit of £450. This is because the information is held within different
files and would require cross referencing to collate, this means an
officer is likely to spend over 18 hours locating, retrieving and
extracting the information. The appropriate limit has been specified in
regulations and for local government it is £450. Under section 12 of the
Freedom of Information Act the Council  is not obliged to comply with your
request and will not be processing your request further.

 

    

    Question 6) If there have been day service closures within the local

     authority, have any alternative services been put in place for

     those who attended the day centre; i.e. new learning

     disability-specific community activities or transport to/from

     suitable existing day activities?

 

Answer 6) No day service closures have taken place

    

     Question 7) If there have been day service closures within the local

     authority, were consultations held, and if so, what were the

     consultation periods? Please provide full details (excluding

     personal/confidential data) of all consultation responses and the

     resulting statement from the council.

 

Answer 7) No day service closures have taken place

 

     Question 8) Have charges for any of the following services increased
since

     1st April 2009:

    

     i. day centre attendance

     ii. transport to and from day activities

     iii. any related activities;

    

Answer 8) i.  Day centre services have been chargeable since August 2010
and people who attend pay based on the outcome of an individual financial
assessment.  Prior to 2010, day centre services were not chargeable.

 

ii.  This charge is incorporated into the day centre service charge.

 

iii.  Other related activities are paid for by people based on the
approach outlined in i. above.

 

 

 

 

If you have any queries about this matter please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

 

The Constitution Unit, a research body at University College London, is
carrying out a study of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and its effect
on local government. An important part of the evaluation process is
gathering the experiences and opinions of FOI requesters like you. Any
information you provide will be handled in accordance with the privacy
policy explained in the survey. If you would like to take part in this
study, please the survey at
http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/yc-fo... . Please
contact Ben Worthy at [email address] or on 020 7679 4974 to find out
more about the study or to speak to him further about your experiences.

 

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should use the Comments, Compliments and Complaints procedure which
can be found at

http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/your-...

 

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints
procedure provided by the Council. The Information Commission can be
contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water
Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Sent on behalf of;

Nicola Thurloway

Solicitor

Information Compliance Team

Legal Services

Easthampstead House

Town Square

Bracknell

Berks

RG12 1AQ

 

Tel: 01344 352000

DD Tel: 01344 353071

 

Email: [Bracknell Forest Borough Council request email]

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk

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