Child adoption statistics Camden Borough

The request was successful.

Dear Camden Borough Council,

This is a request under the FOI Act 2000.

I request documents detailing the following for the London borough of Camden:

(1) The total number of children adopted in each of the last 5 years.
(2) The total number of children in foster care in each of the last 5 years.
(3) The total number of children under the age of 10 adopted in each of the last 5 years.
(4) The total number of children under the age of 10 in care in each of the last 5 years.
(5) The average length of time from parents’ application to a completed adoption in each of the last 5 years.
(6) The average length of time from parents’ application to a completed adoption for children under the age of 10 in each of the last 5 years.

Yours faithfully,

Amber Rolt

CSF Freedom of Information, Camden Borough Council

Dear Ms Rolt

 

We are writing to acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information
Request

 

Regards

 

Children Schools and Families Freedom of Information
London Borough of Camden
Telephone:     020 7974 2850
Web:              camden.gov.uk  
Email:            [1][email address]

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Stephen Carter, Camden Borough Council

1 Attachment

Camden Council - Information request (FOI/EIR) - Housing and adult social
care

Our reference: 8972450

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Dear Ms. Rolt

Re: Freedom of Information Act 2000

Further to your email, received on 7 November 2013, we are pleased to
enclose/append/attach the requested information.

You requested the following information:

1)    addresses of all long term empty residential and council owned
properties that are within the Camden Borough council area;
 
2)    The names of the owners of these properties referred to in 1.
 
 
3)    The length of time above properties has been empty.
 
Response:
your request has now been considered and we are unable to provide you with
the information you have requested for question 1.
 
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 this correspondence
acts as a Refusal Notice.
 
We can confirm that information you have requested is held by the Council.
We are, however, advising you that such information is exempt under the
terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please find enclosed the
statutory exemptions applicable to your request and, where applicable, a
summary of the reason(s) why they have been applied.
 
The information requested is exempt from disclosure under:
 
Section 31 (1) (a): Prejudicial to law enforcement, which states:
 
“(1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under the Act
would, or world be likely to prejudice –
(a) the prevention or detection of crime.”
 
In determining whether this exemption is engaged we have taken into
account the findings of London Borough of Bexley v Colin England
(EA/2006/0060 and 0066) and the Decision Notice involving the London
Borough of Tower Hamlets (FS5025991).In particular the First Tier Tribunal
decision in London Borough of Bexley v Colin England (EA/2006/0060 and
0066) found that:
 
1.   There is evidence that empty properties are associated with criminal
activity from organised local gangs (paragraph 41 - identified occasions
of organised ‘stripping’ of empty properties).
 
2.  There is evidence that while squatting is not a crime, it is
associated with criminal activity (paragraphs 48 and 57 identified a
number of instances).
 
3.  The disclosure of the list of properties would be of use to squatters
and would on the balance of probabilities lead to significant harm in the
form of criminal activity (paragraph 63).
 
We note that the exemption was also found to be engaged in the recent
decision of the First Tier Tribunal involving Voyias and Camden where they
found a direct link between squatting and crime (EA/2011/0007). It is
therefore considered that the disclosure of the addresses would be likely
to prejudice the prevention of crime as it is believed that if a list of
the addresses were to be disclosed then these properties would become more
vulnerable to squatting, associated crime and other forms of criminal
activity including but not limited to criminal damage, extraction of
electricity and the stripping of empty properties and would increase the
social and economic costs in these areas as a result.
 
In debating if the use of this exemption is applicable we have considered
the public interest test.
 
The arguments for releasing this information are as follows:   
 
To release the information would assist the general public interest in
openness. Important aspects of which would include the increase in
public debate concerning empty properties and how they are secured
within the London Borough of Camden.
 
While the arguments for not releasing this information are as follows:
 
There is a strong public interest in avoiding the likely prejudice to
the prevention of crime. Tackling these types of crimes would involve
a significant strain on public expense and it is in the public
interest to ensure that public resources are used cost-effectively.  
-  the public interest in avoiding damage to property;
-  the efficient use of public and police resources;
-  the potential for indirect consequences of crime, for example the
impact on neighbouring properties of crimes perpetrated on the empty
properties
 
It is felt that the public interest in preventing crime from being
committed outweighs the public interest releasing the information.
 
The First Tier Tribunal in Voyias v Information Commissioner and the
London Borough of Camden (EA/2001/007) held on public interest grounds
that disclosure of a list of empty residential properties would be in the
public interest that decision is subject to appeal.
 
Section 21 – Information accessible to the applicant by other means.
 
This exemption applies to information that is accessible to the applicant
by other means. Camden Council owned properties which are vacant and
are available to re-housing applicants to place bids are already
accessible to you as they are published on the internet and can be
accessed through the Council’s Home Connections website. Please enter this
link into your web browser:
 
[1][1]http://www.homeconnections.org.uk/Camden...
 
The details of Camden’s non-residential properties which are vacant and
are available to buy or re-let are available on the Camden website at:
 
[2][2]http://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/...
 
This exemption is absolute.
 
In reference to your second question:
Section 40(2): Personal information:
 
This exemption applies because the information requested contains personal
information as defined by the Data Protection Act 1998 as some of the
properties will be owned by individuals and the release of this
information would breach the first principle, which states firstly that
data should be processed fairly and lawfully. Secondly, certain conditions
for processing must be satisfied. The conditions for processing are found
in Schedules 2 and 3 of DPA98. At least one Schedule 2 condition must be
satisfied for processing to be in accordance with the first principle.  
In the Council’s view these conditions have not been satisfied and the
information is therefore exempt from release under the Act. In this case
releasing the information into the public domain would constitute or could
facilitate an unwarranted invasion of privacy. This is supported by the
approach of the Information Tribunal in England and London Borough of
Bexley v information Commissioner, EA/2006/0060 &0066.  
 
This exemption is absolute.
 
We are however in a position to release the names of non-individuals that
own a property that is empty as at November 2013. Please see the list
below:
Bowden House Uk
CHP Management Ltd
Fairfax Mansions LLP
Stanley Sidings Ltd
Sharon Investments Ltd
Mercatino Italiano
T D PROPERTY INVESTMENT LIMITED
Freshwater Ltd
Ten Fitzroy Mews Ltd
Stonebow Limited
Fairfax Mansions LLP
S I O Properties
Barratt Homes
Silverbell Ltd
Hawksford Trustees Jersy Ltd
Triptiko Enterprises Ltd
Shakib Properties Ltd.
Greek Orthodox Church
Crescent74
QA Mansions Ltd
Glyndell Ltd
Welsas Investments Ltd.
Sven & Penelope Topel
Piraza Property Corporation
Vail Williams LLP
Superdrug Stores Plc
Arrow Marketing Solutions
Eaglepeak Services Ltd
Orhan Establishment
22 Loveridge Road Ltd
Glencourt Properties Ltd
Acorn Properties (Mount View Road) Limited
Burlington Homes Ltd
West One Technology
Blue Suede Ltd
Louise Goodwin Ltd
Daejan Properties Ltd
Metropolitan Property Realizations Limited
Savile Estates Limited
R & L Properties No.1 Ltd
The Group
Glendola Leisure Ltd
Avonsand Management ltd
Ghorodemi Ltd
Pinzauer Limited
Kilburn & District Housing
Larchdene Services Ltd
Bromley Park Gardens Estates
Calstine Ltd
In relation to your third question

In relation to information concerning the length of time that these
properties have been empty for, I have been informed that this information
should be not be released as on its own it will have no value.

We hope that the information is useful to you.

Please note the information is still covered by copyright legislation. You
are not authorised to re-use this information for commercial or research
purposes as defined by the Re-Use of Public Sector Regulations 2005. If
you do wish to re-use this information please contact the Information
Access Team, Legal Services/ Second Floor, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street,
London WC1H 9JE, who will assess your request. 

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the way in that your request has
been processed then you have the right to issue a complaint. If you wish
to issue a complaint, please set out in writing your grounds of appeal
(within 2 months of this correspondence) and send it to: Access to
Information Team, Legal Services, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London,
WC1H 9LP and your complaint will be administered through our Internal
Review procedure.
 
If you are still not satisfied following the Internal Review, you have a
right to appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office. They can be
contacted at: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5AF.
Telephone: 01625 545 700
[3]www.ico.gov.uk

 
Yours sincerely

Stephen Carter
Information Access Officer (HASC)

Email: [email address]
Phone: 0207 974 4372
 
 

References

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1. http://www.homeconnections.org.uk/Camden...
2. http://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/...
3. http://www.ico.gov.uk/

CSF Freedom of Information, Camden Borough Council

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Rolt

 

Please see attached the response to your FOI request above.

 

Sincerely
Children Schools and Families Freedom of Information
London Borough of Camden

Telephone: 020 7974 2850
Web: camden.gov.uk 

Email: [1][email address]

Please consider the environment before printing this email.

 

This e-mail may contain information which is confidential, legally
privileged and/or copyright protected. This e- mail is intended for the
addressee only. If you receive this in error, please contact the sender
and delete the material from your computer.

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