Complaints of racism
Dear Oxford City Council,
Please can you provide information on how many complaints of racism have been made to the Council relating to staff, councillors, its contractors and/or any other Oxford City Council partners?
Yours faithfully,
[Name Removed]
Dear [Name Removed]
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10187
Thank you for your email. Your request was received on 9th June 2021 and you will be sent a response within 20 working days (of receipt) in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000/ Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), subject to the information not being exempt or containing reference to a third party.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recognises the unprecedented challenges all are facing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In particular they understand that resources, whether they are finances or people, may be diverted away from usual compliance or information rights work. Whilst the ICO can’t extend statutory timescales, they will not be penalising public authorities for prioritising other areas or adapting their usual approach during this extraordinary period.
Therefore while the Council will make every effort to comply with the Statutory Requirements you may experience understandable delays when making information rights requests during the pandemic.
Yours sincerely
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS | Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance. Get tested if you have symptoms.
Dear [Name Removed]
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10187
Further to the email below, I am writing to let you know that the
Authority requires further information. Section 1. (3) (a) of the FOIA
provides that
“Where a public authority -
(a) reasonably requires further information in order to identify and
locate the information requested, and
(b) has informed the applicant of that requirement,
the authority is not obliged to comply with subsection (1) unless it is
supplied with that further information.”
You have requested information as follows:
Please can you provide information on how many complaints of racism have
been made to the Council relating to staff, councillors, its contractors
and/or any other Oxford City Council partners?
Are you able to clarify what the time frame is that you wish to receive
this information for please?
It would be helpful if you could be more specific in describing the
information you require.
The 20 working days timeframe for responding to your request will be
paused from 14^th June 2021 until the Authority has been supplied with
further information. Should the Council not receive a response to this
email by 1st July 2021, your request will be closed accordingly.
Yours sincerely
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [1][email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
Dear Kathryn,
Thank you for your email. Please can you provide information for each year since 1995?
Yours sincerely,
[Name Removed]
Dear [Name Removed]
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10187
Further to the acknowledgement below, I can respond to your Freedom of
Information Act 2000 request received on 9th June 2021 as follows:
Please can you provide information on how many complaints of racism have
been made to the Council relating to staff, councillors, its contractors
and/or any other Oxford City Council partners? Please can you provide
information for each year since 1995?
Since 2010, there were 15 complaints about racism relating to the Council
or its officers etc..
The one caveat, if a customer made a complaint of racism but did not
actually use the word “racism” or “racist” in their complaint the Lagan
system which goes back to 2010 would not have picked it up.
We have been able to review records of complaints about councillors dating
back to 2011. 12 complaints have been identified as being complaints about
racism within this ten year period:
2014 – 1
2018 – 1
2019 – 1
2021 – 9
If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are
entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s)
made. You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either
email – [email address] – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford City
Council, St Aldate’s Chambers, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1DS. After the
result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask the
Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf. You may do this by
writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
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