Children's Commissioner Advisory Board

The request was partially successful.

Dear Children’s Commissioner for England,

Please send copies of all agendas and all minutes of all meetings of the Children's Commissioner Advisory Board held since 1st December 2015.

Yours faithfully,

Martin Hicks

REQUEST, Info, Children's Commissioner for England

6 Attachments

 

Dear Martin,

 

I refer to your Freedom of Information request, received on Sunday 9
December 2018, in which you requested copies of the agendas and minutes of
all meetings of the Children's Commissioner’s advisory board since 1st
December 2015.

 

We do not publish the agendas and minutes of the advisory board as the
members are individuals giving private advice and acting as a critical
friend and sounding board for the Children’s Commissioner.  

 

In view of this, your request remains under consideration. I will respond
to you as soon as possible.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Lyn 

 

Lyn Foster
Business Support Adviser
Children's Commissioner's Office
[1]Childrens Commissioner
Telephone: 0207 783 8330

Email: [2][email address]
Post: Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT
Online: [3]www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk
[4]facebook [5]twitter [6]youtube
[7]Promoting & protecting
[8]http://www.design-m.co.uk/lsdesign/child...

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Dear REQUEST, Info,

This is a non response. You do not have legal grounds to withhold this information and don't allude to any. Please confirm when it will be provided and the request respond to in full, otherwise I will have no option but to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Hicks

Dear REQUEST, Info,

Please can you have the courtesy to reply?

Yours sincerely,

Martin Hicks

REQUEST, Info, Children's Commissioner for England

7 Attachments

Dear Mr Hicks,

 

I refer to your Freedom of Information request in which you requested
copies of the agendas and minutes of meetings of the Children's
Commissioner’s advisory board since 1st December 2015.

 

Firstly, may I take this opportunity of apologising for the delay in
responding to your request.

 

I have dealt with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(“the Act”).

 

The Children’s Commissioner’s Office holds the information that you
requested but some of which is being withheld under Sections 36. 2(bi)

 

Under Section 36. 2(bi) the Office of the Children’s Commissioner Office
(OCC) is not required to provide information, if in the reasonable opinion
of a qualified person (the Children’s Commissioner in the case of OCC)
disclosure of the information under the Act would otherwise prejudice, or
would be likely otherwise to prejudice, the effective conduct of public
affairs. 

 

In relation to your request the Children’s Commissioner has decided that,
in her reasonable opinion, disclosure of the minutes of the advisory board
is likely to have this prejudicial effect and therefore the exemption in
Section 36 applies.

 

Section 36 is a qualified exemption and therefore a public interest test
has been carried out. In doing so the following factors have been taken
into consideration:

 

•           There is a public interest in the release of this information
because of the importance of openness and transparency regarding the work
of the OCC.

 

•           However, if the information was disclosed it would be likely
to inhibit the free and frank provision of advice to the Children’s
Commissioner provided by the members of her advisory board and the loss of
frankness and candour would damage the quality of the advice and
deliberation provided by members. 

 

Please be advised that the Children’s Commissioner (CC)  is a Corporation
Sole and does not have a Board. The members of her advisory board are
experts in their own fields, and provide advice, support, scrutiny and
challenge to the CC to secure the effective delivery of the CC’s statutory
responsibilities. Frank and open discussion is essential and members are
expected to treat all board business, and communications with the CC in
their roles as advisory board members, as confidential. 

 

Furthermore, whilst we are aware that the Information Commissioner’s
Office advice is that minutes and agendas should be published, the
advisory board is not a ‘public meeting’ and there is no legislation
requiring their publication.

 

It has been decided that the agendas for the Advisory board meetings can
be disclosed, copies attached,

 

OCC’s Publication scheme is available to view on our website together with
the annual Business Plan and regular reports on our work. OCC’s Annual
Report is laid before Parliament.

 

I trust you find the above helpful however, if you are unhappy with the
way your request has been handled, you may make a complaint within two
calendar months of the date of this letter by writing to the Head of
Business Services in the first instance at Office of the Children’s
Commissioner, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London. SW1P 3BT.
Email: [1][email address].

 

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may then
contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Children’s Commissioner’s Office

 

Advice Line: 0800 528 0731
Telephone: 0207 783 8330

Post: Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT
Online: [2]www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk
[3]facebook [4]twitter [5]youtube
[6]Promoting & protecting
[7]http://www.design-m.co.uk/lsdesign/child...

Confidentiality
Note
The contents of
this email
message and
attachments may
contain
confidential
and/or
privileged
information and
may be legally
protected from
disclosure.

 

 

show quoted sections