Addendum to Swallow Hotel/Hilton request
Dear Stockton on Tees Council,
Also in addendum to previous request, can you tell me why there are currently no business rates payable on the Swallow Hotel / it is not included in your PDF response to Gareth Elton on 28th February 2017, and how long this exemption is for?
Yours faithfully,
G Stephens
This email was classified as : OFFICIAL
Dear G Stephens
Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental Information Regulations 2004 – Ref: 2597/1617
Thank you for your correspondence received on 18 March 2017. Please note that your two emails are being treated as one request under the reference number above.
Your request is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (whichever is most appropriate). You will receive the information requested within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.
However, please note the Acts define a number of exemptions that may prevent release of the requested information. There will therefore be an assessment of your request to determine if any exemptions apply to the information requested. If the information cannot be released, or only released in part you will be informed of the reasons why, together with any rights of appeal.
If the information requested refers to a third party, they may be consulted before deciding whether it can be released.
Yours sincerely,
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD
(01642) 527455
[Stockton on Tees Council request email]
www.stockton.gov.uk
This email was classified as : OFFICIAL
Dear G Stephens
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Ref: 2597/1617
Thank you for your correspondence received on 18 March 2017. Please accept
our apologies for the short delay in sending the response. I can now
provide the following information.
Q1. Also in addendum to previous request, can you tell me why there are
currently no business rates payable on the Swallow Hotel
A1. The former Swallow Hotel remains liable for business rates.
Q2. How long this exemption is for?
A2. N/A
If you have any queries or concerns please contact me in the first
instance.
However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has
been handled, you can submit a complaint to [1][Stockton on Tees Council request email]
If, after your complaint has been determined, 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 (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Telephone: 0303 123 1113 Website:
[2]www.ico.gov.uk.
The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Alison Croymans
Customer Relations and Information Governance Assistant
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD
(01642) 527455
[3][Stockton on Tees Council request email]
[4]www.stockton.gov.uk
[5]Description: Description: Description: CSE LOGO NEW
Dear FOI Requests,
If rates are payable why are they not included/shown in the pdf response to Gareth Elton dated 28th February 2017? You seem very evasive on these requests. This was asked and quoted originally
Yours sincerely,
G Stephens
This email was classified as : OFFICIAL
Dear G Stephens
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Ref: 2597/1617 and 0333/1718
Thank you for your correspondence received on 21 April 2017. In response
to your request I can now provide the following information.
Q1) The council keeps quoting starting dates for the swallow hotel,
published frequently in the press and Stockton News, so must be gaining
this knowledge/information from somewhere yet has no contact with the
private developers? Upon what did you base the need for a new hotel? One
being that there are no other possible buildings.
A1) The information requested can be found on our website [1]here.
Q2) If rates are payable why are they not included/shown in the pdf
response to Gareth Elton dated 28th February 2017? You seem very evasive
on these requests. This was asked and quoted originally
A2) The Swallow Hotel was not included in the list of Business Rate
properties dated the 28 February 2017 due to an error with the specialist
computer software that is used to extract this type of information. This
is under investigation and will be rectified. However, I can confirm that
the Swallow Hotel does pay Business rates.
If you have any queries or concerns please contact me in the first
instance.
However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has
been handled, you can submit a complaint to [2][Stockton on Tees Council request email]
If, after your complaint has been determined, 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 (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Telephone: 0303 123 1113 Website:
[3]www.ico.org.uk.
The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Horsman
Customer Relations and Information Governance Assistant
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD
(01642) 527455
[4][Stockton on Tees Council request email]
[5]www.stockton.gov.uk
[6]Description: Description: Description: CSE LOGO NEW
This email was classified as : OFFICIAL
Dear G Stephens
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Ref: 2597/1617
Thank you for your correspondence received on 6 July 2017. In response to
your request I can now provide the following information.
Q1) Can you be sure that your revenue from business rates is complete?
A1) The Business Rates list is reconciled to that held by the Valuation
Office Agency on a weekly basis. In addition, financial accounts are
reconciled monthly and annually.
Q2)How long has this error existed?
A2) Please see answer one.
Q3)How many other properties were not included and can you list them. Also
can you provide a FULL list of properties.
A3) There were no other errors. 2,269 properties were not included on the
original list because these were properties where liability was either, a
sole trader, a private individual or a partnership and were therefore
exempt from disclosure under section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act
2000.
Q4)How much does the Swallow Hotel pay and are they in arrears?
A4) Please see our response to your request under reference: 0333/1718
If you have any queries or concerns please contact me in the first
instance.
However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has
been handled, you can submit a complaint to [1][Stockton on Tees Council request email]
If, after your complaint has been determined, 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 (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Telephone: 0303 123 1113 Website:
[2]www.ico.org.uk.
The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Horsman
Customer Relations and Information Governance Assistant
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD
(01642) 527455
[3][Stockton on Tees Council request email]
[4]www.stockton.gov.uk
[5]Description: Description: CSE LOGO NEW
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