Education & Skills Funding Agency
2 Rivergate
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6EH
Tel: 0370 000 2288
http://www.gov.uk/esfa
Emma Burgess
Sent via email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
24 May 2019
Ref: ENQ-314259-M5R3X3
Dear Emma Burgess
Thank you for your request for information, which was received on 29 April
2019. You requested “a copy of any emails/meeting notes and reports relating
to the whistle blowing complaint issued to ESFA in October 2018 ENQ-
289433- F6C7K324/10/2018 - Cotham School – Academies”. I am dealing
with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”).
The Department holds the information you have requested. However, I
consider that the following exemption apply to your request:
Section 42 of the Act - Legal and professional Privilege. This covers
confidential communications between lawyers and clients and certain other
information that is created for the purposes of litigation.
The Act obliges the Department to respond to requests promptly, and in any
case no later than 20 working days after receiving your request. However,
where one of the exemptions listed above is applicable, the Department must
consider whether the public interest lies in disclosing or withholding the
information. In these circumstances the Act allows the time for response to
be longer than 20 working days.
In your case the Department estimates that it will take an additional 15
days to
take a decision on where the balance of the public interest lies. It is
anticipated that you will receive a full response by 20 June 2019. If it appears
that it will take longer than this to reach a conclusion, we will keep you
informed.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled, you should
make a complaint to the Department by writing to me within two calendar
months of the date of this letter. Your complaint will be considered by an
independent review panel, which were not involved in the original
consideration of your request.
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint to the Department,
you may then contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Yours sincerely
Grant Edgeworth