Costs of managing asbestos in schools

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Redbridge Borough Council should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Redbridge Borough Council,
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide me with the following information:
1. the amount of money spent on asbestos management in schools between 2006 and 2016 (to include the costs of surveys, staff training and work to enclose asbestos within schools)
2. the amount of money spent on asbestos removal from schools between 2006 and 2016
3. the amount of money spent on fines for breaches in the safe management of asbestos in schools between 2006 and 2016
4. funding sought from the Department of Education and the Education Funding Authority for the management and removal of asbestos from schools between 2006 and 2016
5. the amount of funding approved by the Department of Education and the Education Funding Authority for the management and removal of asbestos from schools between 2006 and 2016
6. the projected budget for future management of asbestos in schools between 2017 and 2027

I understand that under the Act I am entitled to a response within 20 working days of your receipt of this request. Some parts of the request may be easier to answer than others. Should this be the case, I request that you release information as soon as possible.

If my request is denied in whole or in part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the Act. I will also expect you to release all non-exempt material. I reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to charge excessive
fees.

I would prefer to receive the information electronically.

If you require any clarification, please contact me in accordance with your duty under Section 16 to provide advice and assistance if you find any aspect of this FOI request problematic.

Please acknowledge receipt of this request by email. I look forward to receiving the information in the near future.

Yours faithfully,

Lucie Stephens

London Borough of Redbridge, Redbridge Borough Council

Information request
Our reference: 765834

Becky Smith, Redbridge Borough Council

Dear Ms Stephens

 

Freedom of Information Request – Response

 

Thank you for your request received on 05 September 2017 for the following
information:

 

1. the amount of money spent on asbestos management in schools between
2006 and 2016 (to include the costs of surveys, staff training and work to
enclose asbestos within schools) 
2. the amount of money spent on asbestos removal from schools between 2006
and 2016 
3. the amount of money spent on fines for breaches in the safe management
of asbestos in schools between 2006 and 2016 
4. funding sought from the Department of Education and the Education
Funding Authority for the management and removal of asbestos from schools
between 2006 and 2016 
5. the amount of funding approved by the Department of Education and the
Education Funding Authority for the management and removal of asbestos
from schools between 2006 and 2016 
6. the projected budget for future management of asbestos in schools
between 2017 and 2027 

 

Your above request has been considered and our response is below.

 

I am not obliged to supply the information requested.  This is because
locating and retrieving the information exceeds the “appropriate limit” as
stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit)
Regulations 2004.  There are over 70 school within the London Borough of
Redbridge. Locating and retrieving all the various hard copy and
electronic files from Building Services, Finance and Children’s Services
to obtain the level of detail required would take at least 2 hours per
school based on a sample undertaken.  On this basis it is estimated it
would take at least 140 hours @£25 per hour and cost £3500 to comply with
your request.   

 

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 this letter acts as
a Refusal Notice.

 

You may wish to refine and resubmit your request so that it reduces the
cost to within the “appropriate limit”. Please contact me if you would
like some advice on refining your request.

 

I trust this information is adequate for your purposes.

 

Although the London Borough of Redbridge has considered your request
strictly in accordance with the Act, if any or all of the information
provided is to be published or broadcast, we would like the opportunity to
comment on the information provided, in so far as that publication or
broadcast refers to, or in any way identifies, the London Borough of
Redbridge before the information is published or broadcast.

 The London Borough of Redbridge’s Press Office can be contacted on 020
8708 3766.

 

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your request, you may ask for an
internal review within 20 working days of the date of this response.
Please contact the Information Officer at [1][email address] or Town
Hall, PO Box 2, High Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1DD who will arrange an
internal review of your case.

 

If you have a complaint about the handling of your enquiry then please
contact the Information Officer within 20 working days of the date of this
response at London Borough of Redbridge, Town Hall, PO Box 2, High Road,
Ilford, Essex, telephone 0208 708 2331, e-mail [2][email address].

 

If you consider the outcome of the London Borough of Redbridge’s
complaints procedure is not satisfactory you also have a right of appeal
to the Information Commissioner at:

 Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 Telephone:   0303 123 1113.

[3]www.ico.org.uk

 

Kind regards

 

Becky

 

Becky Smith

Head of Business and Performance

Regeneration, Property and Planning

Place Directorate

London Borough of Redbridge

Town Hall, 128-142 High Road, Ilford, IG1 1DD

 

Tel: 020 8708 2809

Email: [4][email address]

Web: [5]www.redbridge.gov.uk

Twitter: @RedbridgeLive

Facebook: [6]www.facebook.com/redbridgelive

Save time, go online: [7]www.redbridge.gov.uk

 

Dear Becky Smith,

Thank you for your response. I can appreciate that collating answers to question 1 and 2 may take some time but I can't see that this would be the case for the other questions that I sent through. I have included them again for your information. Please provide answers to these questions.
3. the amount of money spent on fines for breaches in the safe management
of asbestos in schools between 2006 and 2016
4. funding sought from the Department of Education and the Education
Funding Authority for the management and removal of asbestos from schools
between 2006 and 2016
5. the amount of funding approved by the Department of Education and the
Education Funding Authority for the management and removal of asbestos
from schools between 2006 and 2016
6. the projected budget for future management of asbestos in schools
between 2017 and 2027

Yours sincerely,

Lucie Stephens

Becky Smith, Redbridge Borough Council

I am away from the office until Wednesday 11 October and will respond to
your message on my return.

 

Kind regards

 

Becky Smith