Information request
Our reference: 7162004

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Dear Laerke Christensen
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Thank you for your request for information that was received on 8
September 2021. We are dealing with your request under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000
 
Under our normal statutory requirements we are required to provide you
with a response within 20 working days of the receipt of your request.
Therefore we would aim to send a response by 6 October 2021. However,
please see ** below.
 

In some case, a fee may be payable. If we decide a fee is payable, we will
send you a fee notice and we will require you to pay the fee before
proceeding with your request.

 
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 may restrict the release of some or
all of the information you have requested. We will carry out an assessment
and if any exemptions apply to some or all of the information then we
might not provide that information to you. We will inform you if this is
the case and advise you of your right to request an internal review and to
complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
 
We will also advise you if we cannot provide you with the information
requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details
of how you may appeal (if appropriate).
 
 
** Please note:
 

In line with many organisations, nationally and globally, Warwickshire
County Council is experiencing unprecedented challenges during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst we will endeavour to adhere to our Information
Rights timescales during this period, there may be times when we need
to redirect our resources to assist the council and partner agencies to
respond to the outbreak.  Therefore, you may experience delays in
receiving a response from us in relation to information rights requests
during this time.   

Further guidance can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office
website
at  [1]https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/you...
appreciate your cooperation and understanding during this time.  

 Kind regards

Bruce Green
Information Rights Officer

Information Management Team
Shire Hall
Warwick
CV34 4RL
Tel: 01926 412211

NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

References

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Information request
Our reference: 7162004

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Dear ‎Laerke Christensen‏
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000  
 
Your request for information has been considered by Warwickshire County
Council under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
 
Please be advised that we are unable to provide the information that you
have requested.

You asked us:
 
Children and adults removed by social services due to poor housing
conditions.

This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act
2000.

I would like to request the following information:

1) How many cases have been referred to or dealt with by the council's
social services regarding concerns about a child or children living in
poor / unsuitable housing conditions?

2) How many of these cases have resulted in the temporary or permanent
removal of a child or children from those housing conditions?

3) How many cases have been referred to or dealt with by the council's
social services regarding concerns about an elderly or vulnerable adult
living in poor / unsuitable housing conditions?

4) How many of these cases have resulted in the temporary or permanent
removal of an elderly or vulnerable adult from those housing conditions?

Can you please provide the data for Qs 1 - 4 from January 1st, 2016 up to
and including the most recent data you hold for 2021. Please provide the
data broken down year-by-year.

Please provide the information in an electronic format via email showing
the number of cases, the date they were first raised with social services
and the primary cause for the housing being deemed unsuitable for the
child / children removed.

If it is not possible to provide the information requested due to the
information exceeding the cost of compliance limits, please provide advice
and assistance as to how I can refine my request.

I look forward to receiving your response within 20 working days. If you
need any further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Many thanks. 
 
Warwickshire County Council do not hold information regarding poor /
unsuitable housing conditions in a reportable format on our data recording
systems.  This is because there is currently no statutory requirement for
the Council to collate this information for any returns we make back to
central government. 
 
This information may be recorded somewhere within an individuals' record,
in a free text field or on a case file, but there is no reportable field
on our electronic systems that allows us to extract this data to answer
your request.  In order for us to provide the information to answer your
request we would need to undertake a search and review of a significant
number of individual records and files.    
 
Please note that Warwickshire County Council receive over 5,000 referrals
a year, and it has been estimated that for each year of data requested the
search and review would take in excess of 200 hours, greatly exceeding the
18 hours set as an appropriate limit under Section 12 of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.  As each part of your request requires the review of
a large number of files I'm unable to offer any advice as to how you could
refine your request on this occasion. 
 
Finding, retrieving and preparing information takes employees' time and
consequently we are allowed to consider costs, and if the cost exceeds the
'appropriate limit', based upon an hourly rate of £25, then the Local
Authority can refuse to fulfil the request.  For Local Authorities the
'appropriate limit' is set at £450 (which equates to 18 hours).
 
Therefore, we are not obliged to answer your request.  In not providing
this information the Council is relying upon Section 12(1) of the Freedom
of Information Act 2000, whereby the Council is not obliged to comply with
a request for information if the Council estimates that the cost of
complying would exceed the appropriate limit.   
 
Please accept this letter as a refusal notice in accordance with Section
17 of the Freedom of Information Act. 
 
 
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review.  Internal review requests should be
submitted within 40 days of the date of receipt of the response to your
original letter and should be addressed to: 
 
Information Management
Shire Hall
Warwick
CV34 4RL
[1][Warwickshire County Council request email]
 
 
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: 
 
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113
Website: [2]www.ico.gov.uk
 
 
I will now close your request as of this date.
 
 
Kind regards  
 
 
Bruce Green
Information Rights Officer
Information Management Team
Shire Hall
Warwick
CV34 4RL
Tel: 01926 412211
 
 
 
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Warwickshire County Council request email]
2. http://www.ico.gov.uk/