Complete Non-Residential / Business Property Rates Data (Q1 2021)
Gavin Chait made this Freedom of Information request to Northumberland County Council as part of a batch sent to 47 authorities
This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear Northumberland County Council,
In terms of the Freedom of Information Act of 2000, and subject to section 40(2) on personal data, could you please provide me with your local authority’s complete and most-recently updated list of all business (non-residential) property rates data, including the following fields:
- Billing Authority Property Reference Code (linking the property to the public VOA database reference)
- Firm's Trading Name (i.e. property occupant or ratepayer)
- Full Property Address (Number, Street, Postal Code, Town)
- Occupation / Vacancy status
- Date of Occupation / Vacancy
- Actual annual rates charged (in Pounds) and/or categories of reliefs/exemptions granted
If you are unable to provide an absolute “Occupation / Vacancy” status, please provide the Exemptions and / or Reliefs that a particular property may be receiving.
NOTE: While FOIs are meant to be requestor blind, these data are actively used by national government and UK universities to inform the economic response to COVID-19. Most recently, these data were used by MHCLG for the assessment of support to local authorities via the LEVELLING UP FUND.
Please publish quickly so that organisations trying to support your local authority can do so, and, if you have any difficulties, please contact me so that I may help.
Please provide these data as machine-readable as either a CSV or Microsoft Excel file, capable of re-use, and under terms of the Open Government Licence (reuse for any and all purposes, including commercial).
I last requested these data three months ago, and this is a request for your latest updated dataset.
Yours sincerely
Gavin Chait
Our Ref: 9139
Dear Enquirer,
INFORMATION REQUEST
Thank you for your request for information which will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know the likely charges before proceeding.
If you have any queries about this matter please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Please note, that due to the recent outbreak of Covid-19, there may be a
delay in responding to your request. We appreciate your patience at this
busy period.
Kind regards
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk
Our Ref: 9139
Date: 15 April 2021
Dear Enquirer,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST
I refer to your Freedom of Information request for details of
Northumberland County Councils complete and most-recently updated list of
all business (non-residential) property rates data.
Right of Access
Section 1(1) of the Act provides any person making a request for
information to a public authority is entitled.
(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request (which Section
1(6) of the Act designates as the "duty to confirm or deny"), and
(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him.
The right is to obtain access to the information itself and not to the
document or record which contains it.
The Act creates a general right of access to information held by public
authorities subject to various exemptions.
Duty to confirm or deny
The public interest test requires Northumberland County Council to confirm
that we hold information in relation to business rate properties.
Exemptions
The Freedom of Information Act sets out various exemptions to the right of
access.
In the present case the County Council takes the view that the information
relating to your request is exempt under the following provisions;
Section 22 of the Act states that a public Authority does not need to
provide information under section 1 of the Act if that information is
intended for future publication.
Information intended for future publication.
22. (1) Information is exempt information if- (a) the information is held
by the public authority with a view to its publication, by the authority
or any other person, at some future date (whether determined or not),
(b) the information was already held with a view to such publication at
the time when the request for information was made, and
(c) it is reasonable in all the circumstances that the information should
be withheld from disclosure until the date referred to in paragraph (a).
(2) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that,
compliance with section 1(1)(a) would involve the disclosure of any
information (whether or not already recorded) which falls within
subsection (1).
The information requested is intended for future publication at
http://opendata.northumberland.gov.uk/da... If the information is not
available at this link by 15 May 2021 please contact
[email address] who will issue the spreadsheets to
you direct.
Public Interest Test Considerations
Section 22(1) is a qualified exemption which means that the information
falling within the exemption still has to be released unless the public
interest in disclosure is outweighed by the public interest in maintaining
the exemption.
Northumberland County Council recognises that there is a general public
interest in information held by public authorities being made available
and that it should take place at the earliest appropriate time. This helps
towards ensuring the public accountability and transparency of public
authorities and promotes public engagement in any debate about the
delivery of public services and the use of public funds.
However, the public interest can sometimes be best served by the planned
publication of information at an appropriate time rather than in response
to an individual request for that information ahead of that time.
On balance, and in all the circumstances of this particular case, we have
concluded that the public interest is best served by the planned future
publication of the information you have requested and by maintaining the
exemption at section 22(1) at this time.
Notice of Refusal
Please treat this letter as a Notice of Refusal as regards the information
covered by the Section 22(1) Exemption.
Advice and Assistance
The County Council recognises its statutory duty to provide advice and
assistance under Section 16 of the Act.
Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the Council
is seeking to be transparent and open in its response.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request an internal review by writing within 2 months
from the date of this response to the Information Governance Office:
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Information Commissioner
If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right by Section 50 of the Act to apply to the Information
Commissioner for a decision as to whether your request has been dealt with
in accordance with the requirements of the Act at:
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: [email address]
There is no charge for making an appeal.
Yours faithfully
FOI Coordinator - Revenues & Benefits
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk
Dear Northumberland County Council,
I am aware that you already publish data which mostly answers this request, however the information is not available in the link you provided. Please could you update this and provide an updated version of your data.
Yours faithfully,
Gavin Chait
Our Ref: 9139
Date: 9 July 2021
Dear Enquirer,
INFORMATION REQUEST
I refer to your request for Information in relation to business rate
properties.
Please accept our apologies but we are now publishing the datasets at
https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Busine....
All new datasets will now be at this address.
Yours faithfully
FOI/EIR Coordinator - Revenues & Benefits
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now