Complete Non-Residential / Business Property Rates Data (Q4 2017)
Gavin Chait made this Freedom of Information request to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council as part of a batch sent to 12 authorities
This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear Blaenau Gwent County Borough 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 a complete and up-to-date list of all business (non-residential) property rates data for your local authority, and including the following fields:
- Billing Authority Reference Code (linking the property to the VOA database reference)
- Firm's Trading Name (i.e. property occupant)
- Full Property Address (Number, Street, Postal Code, Town)
- Occupied / Vacant
- Date of Occupation / Vacancy
- Actual annual rates charged (in Pounds)
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.
Please provide this as machine-readable as either a CSV or Microsoft Excel file, capable of re-use, and under terms of the Open Government Licence.
I last requested this data three months ago, and this is a request for an updated and current dataset.
I'm sure you get many requests for business rates and responding and managing these FOIs must be costly for you. Could I request that - as more than 53% of local authorities already do - you update and release this dataset via a dedicated page on your local authority website or on an open data service. I can recommend approaches for you to consider, and you should find that this reduces the time and cost of this request process.
Yours faithfully,
Gavin Chait
Dear Gavin Chait,
I acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request and will liaise with the relevant Department in order to provide a response.
We will endeavour to provide this information within 20 working days.
Yours faithfully,
FOI Team
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
Legal Section, The General Offices, Steel Works Road, Ebbw Vale NP23 6DN
Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent
Mae'r Adain Gyfreithiol, Y Swyddfeydd Cyffredinol, Heol Gwaith Dur, Glyn Ebwy NP23 6DN
Mae’r Cyngor yn croesawu gohebiarth yn Gymraeg a saesneg a byddwn yn cyfathrebu gyda chi yn eich dewis iaith, dim ond I chi rhoi gwybod I ni pa un sydd well gennych. Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhyw oedi.
The Council welcomes correspondence in Welsh and English and we will communicate with you in the language of your choice, as long as you let us know which you prefer. Corresponding in Welsh will not lead to any delay.
** For future reference please can all future FOI requests be submitted via the link below:
[email address]
If you are not happy with the way in which your request has been dealt with please respond requesting an internal review. You may also contact the Information Commissioner if you are still not happy with the way your request has been dealt with.
The Information Commissioner’s address is:
Information Commissioner’s Office – Wales
2nd Floor, Churchill House
Churchill Way
Cardiff
CF10 2HH
Telephone: 029 2067 8400
Fax: 029 2067 8399
Email: [email address]
Dear Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'Complete Non-Residential / Business Property Rates Data (Q4 2017)'.
Please note that my request for information from October 9, 2017 has not been responded to within the statutory time-frame. Please could you prioritize this as a matter of importance.
To repeat my original request:
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 a complete and up-to-date list of all business (non-residential) property rates data for your local authority, and including the following fields:
- Billing Authority Reference Code (linking the property to the VOA database reference)
- Firm's Trading Name (i.e. property occupant)
- Full Property Address (Number, Street, Postal Code, Town)
- Occupied / Vacant
- Date of Occupation / Vacancy
- Actual annual rates charged (in Pounds)
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.
Please provide this as machine-readable as either a CSV or Microsoft Excel file, capable of re-use, and under terms of the Open Government Licence.
I last requested this data three months ago, and this is a request for an updated and current dataset.
I'm sure you get many requests for business rates and I intend to update this national series every three months. Could I request that - as more than 51% of local authorities already do - you update and release this dataset via a dedicated page on your local authority website or on an open data service. You should find that this reduces the time and cost of this request process.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
Yours faithfully,
Gavin Chait
Dear Mr Chait
I apologise for the delay in replying to your Freedom of Information request.
I acknowledge receipt of your request for an Internal Review and will liaise with the relevant Officer in order to provide a response.
Yours faithfully,
FOI Team
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
Legal Section, The General Offices, Steel Works Road, Ebbw Vale, South Wales NP23 6DN
Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent
Mae'r Adain Gyfreithiol, Y Swyddfeydd Cyffredinol, Heol Gwaith Dur, Glyn Ebwy NP23 6DN
Mae’r Cyngor yn croesawu gohebiarth yn Gymraeg a saesneg a byddwn yn cyfathrebu gyda chi yn eich dewis iaith, dim ond I chi rhoi gwybod I ni pa un sydd well gennych. Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhyw oedi.
The Council welcomes correspondence in Welsh and English and we will communicate with you in the language of your choice, as long as you let us know which you prefer. Corresponding in Welsh will not lead to any delay.
If you are not happy with the way in which your request has been dealt with please respond requesting an internal review.
You may also contact the Information Commissioner (ICO) if you are still not happy with the way your request has been dealt with.
The Information Commissioner’s address is:
Information Commissioner’s Office – Wales
2nd Floor, Churchill House
Churchill Way
Cardiff
CF10 2HH
Telephone: 029 2067 8400
Fax: 029 2067 8399
Email: [email address]
Dear Gavin,
Further to your Freedom of Information request, please find attached the
information you requested in relation to empty properties, I have attached
two spreadsheets showing Ltd and Plc properties receiving an exemption or
empty property relief.
Should you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Kind regards
Karen Williams
Dear Mr Chait,
Further to your request for an internal review, I contacted an Officer within the service area concerned and understand the information has now been provided.
I apologise for the delay in handling your request, please come back to me if you have any further queries relating to this matter.
Yours sincerely
Paul Amos
Data Protection & Governance Officer / Diogelu Data a Swyddog Llywodraethu
Legal & Corporate Compliance / Cydymffurfio Cyfreithiol a Chorfforaethol
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council / Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent
Tel: 01495 35(5080)
Mae’r Cyngor yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg a Saesneg a byddwn yn cyfathrebu gyda chi yn eich dewis iaith, dim ond i chi rhoi gwybod i ni pa un sydd well gennych. Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhyw oedi.
The Council welcomes correspondence in Welsh and English and we will communicate with you in the language of your choice, as long as you let us know which you prefer. Corresponding in Welsh will not lead to any delay.
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