Valuation Tribunal decision for 2 Parkway Gardens, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JW

The request was refused by Valuation Office Agency.

Dear Valuation Office Agency,

According to your website, the council tax band for 2 Parkway Gardens, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JW was reduced from "E" to "D" with court code "V" - ie a decision made at Valuation Tribunal.

I have asked the VTS to provide a copy of the decision but they say they cannot do so as the hearing was scheduled but never happened; can you please advise if this is correct? Please send me the decision if there is one or explain if not.

Can you please also supply the proposal, your comparable sale values and any other correspondence relating to the banding of this property which might be of use to someone living in the same locality interested in ensuring their own banding is correct.

Yours faithfully,

Gavin Johnstone

Freedom Of Information, Valuation Office Agency

Dear Mr Johnstone,

VOA Reference: 11772698.1/CEO

Thank you for your request which is set out below.
 
I confirm your request was received on 4 September 2015 and the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) will be dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
I confirm you should receive a response within 20 working days which will be no later than 2 Oct 2015 date

For the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).
Email: [voa request email]

show quoted sections

Freedom Of Information, Valuation Office Agency

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Johnstone,

 

Please find attached the Valuation Office Agency’s reply to your Freedom
Of Information request

 

The links referred to in your reply are provided below

 

·         Freedom of Information Act, 2000 (request)

[1]http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000...

 

·         Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act, 2005

[2]http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005...

 

For the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).

Email: [3][voa request email]

 

 

 

<gfidisc.voa.gsi.gov.uk/>

This message is confidential and the information must not be used, disclosed, or
copied to any other person who is not entitled to receive it. If you have
received this message in error please notify the sender and then delete it.

<gfidisc.voa.gsi.gov.uk/>

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
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References

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1. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000...
2. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005...
3. mailto:[voa request email]

Dear Valuation Office Agency,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Valuation Office Agency's handling of my FOI request 'Valuation Tribunal decision for 2 Parkway Gardens, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JW'.

I am asking for details relating to the banding of this address, as many as you can reasonably release. This is not a request for any personal details about the current or any previous occupant.

Bandings are public for this reason, also Valuation Tribunal decisions are public for the same reason.

If I were to ask for information about whether the current occupant of this house is up to date with his/her council tax payments, then this would be the personal element, disclosure of which I would expect to be refused.

I cannot see how it would be reasonable to withhold all information, for example your comparable properties justifying the banding decision?

Ultimately any information can be tied back to a person. For example if I ask Transport for London about the emissions of one of their buses, could they refuse because I could identify the driver through other means and then I would know about the emissions of *his* bus? That seems absurd because the genuine subject of my inquiry is the bus, rather than the driver.

Council tax bandings outlive changes of owner, occupier etc, they are not a piece of personal taxpayer information.

Can you please let me have your final response to this complaint as it will be my intention to proceed to the Information Commissioner next if necessary.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/v...

Yours faithfully,

Gavin Johnstone

Freedom Of Information, Valuation Office Agency

Dear Mr Johnstone,
 
VOA Reference: 11772698.2/CEO
 
Thank you for your request which is set out below.
 
I confirm your request was received on 21 September 2015 and the Valuation
Office Agency (VOA) will be dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
 
 
For the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).
Email: [voa request email]
 
 
 

show quoted sections

Freedom Of Information, Valuation Office Agency

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Johnstone

 

Please find attached the Valuation Office Agency’s reply to your request
for an internal review, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

 

For the Valuation Office Agency (VOA)

Email: [1][voa request email]

 

<gfidisc.voa.gsi.gov.uk/>

This message is confidential and the information must not be used, disclosed, or
copied to any other person who is not entitled to receive it. If you have
received this message in error please notify the sender and then delete it.

<gfidisc.voa.gsi.gov.uk/>

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[voa request email]