Treatment of Freedom of Information Requests - Subjects - Outcomes - Time to Respond

Marlon Campbell made this Freedom of Information request to Barnet Borough Council

The request was successful.

From: Marlon Campbell

19 January 2010

Dear Barnet Borough Council,

For the 100 most recent FOI requests which the council considers
closed, be that because the request was rejected, met, or declared
"not held", please provide the following information:

(1) The date the request was received by the council.

(2) The summary subject of the request - in less than 20 words

(3) The date the request was acknowledged.

(4) The date the initial final response was given

(5) The status of this response, ie met, not held, rejected

(6) Whether an Internal Review was requested, and if so the date on
which this was completed and the outcome status

(7) Whether the FOI Request to the council's knowledge was referred
to the ICO.

(8) Whether the ICO issued any guidance or instruction to the
council following this referral.

(9) The final outcome after the ICO referral.

It is understood that a case may be referred to the ICO after the
council regards it a closed, and so this list request may not be
final and definitive, but at any given time, a FOI Request must be
either open or closed as far as the council, is considered.

This FOI Request is asking about the situation when it is
processed, and a snapshot should be taken, with the date of this
recorded in the reply.

As most of this information must already be held electronically for
administrative reasons by the council, it should not be onerous to
provide it.

Please provide this electronically, preferably in an XLS
spreadsheet.

Yours faithfully,

Marlon Campbell

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From: Barbour, Helen
Barnet Borough Council

25 January 2010

Dear Ms Campbell

Thank you for your request for information, which was received on 20
January 2010. Your request is being considered and you will receive the
information requested within the statutory timescale of 20 working days
as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject to the
information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

As your request was received by e-mail it will most likely be responded
to via e-mail unless you indicate this is unsatisfactory. If
appropriate, the information may be provided in paper copy, normal font
size. If you require alternative formats, such as in a different
language, audio or large print, then please let us know.

For your information, the Act defines a number of exemptions which may
prevent release of the information you have requested. There will be an
assessment and if any of the exemption categories apply then the
information will not be released. You will be informed if this is the
case, including your rights of appeal.

There may be a fee payable for this information. This will be
considered and you will be informed if a fee is payable.

Please note that information concerning the Council's housing stock may
be held by Barnet Homes and FOI requests should be made to them directly
in regard to information held by them. Barnet Homes' contact details
are available at: http://barnethomes.org/contactus/Pages/C....

Freedom of Information is a statutory responsibility that is discharged
corporately by Barnet Council. It is likely that many council officers
may have contributed to most responses. The officer named below will
have been involved in your response, most likely in a co-ordinating
role, and the name is provided for your information and reference.
However, please direct any further related correspondence through the
[email address] address from where it will be quickly directed to the
most appropriate Officer.

Helen Barbour
Executive Assistant to the Director of Corporate Governance
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road
South, London N11 1NP
Tel: 020 8359 2516
Barnet Online: www.barnet.gov.uk
P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this
email?

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From: Marlon Campbell

17 February 2010

Dear Barbour, Helen,

I note that the 20 working day deadline has passed without any
response being provided to my FOI Request.

This is very disappointing.

The Request was a straight forward one, and I see no reason why the
council could not provider its response within the statutory limit
of 20wd.

Please give an indication of a date by when the council expects to
provide its reply - as otherwise a reference to the ICO will become
necessary.

Yours sincerely,

Marlon Campbell

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From: Barbour, Helen
Barnet Borough Council

18 February 2010

Dear Ms Campbell

Thank you for your email and please accept our apologies for the delay
in providing the information that you have requested.

Unfortunately, I am afraid that our existing FOI request management
system does not allow for the recording of much of the information that
you are seeking. We have, therefore, had to ask the relevant FOI Link
Officers to manually investigate their own records (eg emails and other
correspondence) and collate the information for the requests they have
dealt with for their service area. This exercise is, as a result,
proving somewhat more time-consuming than might be expected.

Please note that we are currently reviewing our request logging system
in light of the Guidance for Local Authorities on Publishing Freedom of
Information Data, published by the Ministry of Justice. Our intention
is to significantly improve our FOI reporting, meaning that the Council
shouild be in a better position to respond to requests such as this in
future.

In the meantime, I anticipate that we should be able to complete this
work and respond to your request by the end of next week (Friday 26
February).

Once again, please accept our apologies for the delay in responding to
your request.

Kind regards

Helen Barbour
Executive Assistant to the Director of Corporate Governance
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road
South, London N11 1NP
Tel: 020 8359 2516
Barnet Online: www.barnet.gov.uk
P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this
email?

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From: Barbour, Helen
Barnet Borough Council

18 February 2010

Dear Mr Campbell

Please accept my apologies - I have just noticeed that I have been
misreading your first name as 'Marion' and, therefore, addressed you
incorrectly as 'Ms'. I will correct my records accordingly.

Thank you.

Kind regards

Helen Barbour
Executive Assistant to the Director of Corporate Governance
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road
South, London N11 1NP
Tel: 020 8359 2516
Barnet Online: www.barnet.gov.uk
P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this
email?

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From: Barbour, Helen
Barnet Borough Council

26 February 2010

Attachment Closed cases to 5 February 2010 FINAL.xls
28K Download View as HTML

Dear Mr Campbell

I am writing in respect of your recent enquiry for information held by
the authority under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

Please find the information you requested attached, with apologies once
again for the delay in forwarding this to you.

Please note that the attached spreadsheet addresses Questions 1-5 of
your request and also includes the date of closure of each request and
the service area that provided the informatiion. This data has been
supplied for closed cases as at 5 February 2010. The 'Subject' is that
shown on our FOI database management system, with personal data redacted
for reasons of Data Protection. Please note that there has been no
internal review requested, or any referral to the ICO, on any of these
cases (your Questions 6-9 below).

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request a review by writing to the FOI Officer at: The
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road
South, London, N11 1NP (email [Barnet Borough Council request email]).

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or
complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner
at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF (telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57
45; website: www.ico.gov.uk). There is no charge for making an appeal.

Freedom of Information is a statutory responsibility that is discharged
corporately by Barnet Council. It is likely that many council officers
may have contributed to most responses. The officer named below will
have been involved in your response, most likely in a co-ordinating
role, and the name is provided for your information and reference.
However, please direct any further related correspondence through the
[email address] address from where it will be quickly directed to the
most appropriate Officer.

Kind regards

Helen Barbour
Executive Assistant to the Director of Corporate Governance
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road
South, London N11 1NP
Tel: 020 8359 2516
Barnet Online: www.barnet.gov.uk
Please consider the environment - do you really need to print this
email?

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
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