FOI Internal Reviews

The request was successful.

Dear Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council,

A recent internal review for a FOI request I made upheld the original decision (see https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m...), yet only through ICO intervention the request for the Martin Smith Report which had been for some time in the public domain was granted (see https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/r...).

This particular FOI issue was recently cited in Wirral Leaks (see http://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/).

It strikes me on the basis of this request and general observation, that WBC FOI requesters may lack confidence in WBC's internal review processes which from what I can see in almost all cases appear to routinely uphold original decisions e.g. refusals to provide information.

Therefore please provide the following:

1, on available historical records and the longest period you hold FOI data, the total number of FOI requests where an internal review was requested, and...

2, the number where the internal review resulted in the requisite provision or release of information i.e. in the requesters favour (either partially or in full).

For clarity this should not include any cases where the ICO was involved, only WBC's own internal processes.

3,in order to perceive any possible trends over time please provide the numbers of internal review requests with favourable decisions (either partially or in full), with year and if possible months also.

Yours faithfully,

I. Sevova

InfoMgr, FinDMT, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Good Morning,
Thank you for your enquiry below. Please see my comments below and let
me know if you wish to proceed.
Kind Regards
Jane Corrin
Information Manager

From: I. Sevova [mailto:]
Sent: 27 March 2013 16:41
To: InfoMgr, FinDMT
Subject: Freedom of Information request - FOI Internal Reviews



1, on available historical records and the longest period you hold
FOI data, the total number of FOI requests where an internal review
was requested, and...
The information we hold on our FOI system will only cover the financial
year from 1st April 2012 up to current day.

2, the number where the internal review resulted in the requisite
provision or release of information i.e. in the requesters favour
(either partially or in full).

For clarity this should not include any cases where the ICO was
involved, only WBC's own internal processes.

3,in order to perceive any possible trends over time please provide
the numbers of internal review requests with favourable decisions
(either partially or in full), with year and if possible months
also.
Please see comment at question 1 above.

Yours faithfully,

I. Sevova

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Dear InfoMgr, FinDMT,

Thank you for your swift response.

Yes if your records only go back to April 2012 then please provide the information relating to this current financial year.

Yours sincerely,

I. Sevova

InfoMgr, FinDMT, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Good Morning,
Thank you for your request below, please see figures also below and I
hope the information is useful.
Kind regards
Jane Corrin
Information Manager
Wallasey Town Hall
Brighton Street
Wallasey
Wirral
CH44 8ED

[Wirral Borough Council request email]


This information supplied to you is copyrighted and continues to be
protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. You are free
to use it for your own purposes, including any non commercial research
you are doing and for the purposes of news reporting. Any other reuse,
for example commercial publication, would require our specific
permission, may involve licensing and the application of a charge

I. Sevova [mailto:[FOI #154994 email]]
Sent: 04 April 2013 12:46
To: InfoMgr, FinDMT
Subject: Re: New 642511 Freedom of Information request - FOI Internal
Reviews

Dear InfoMgr, FinDMT,

Thank you for your swift response.

Yes if your records only go back to April 2012 then please provide the
information relating to this current financial year.
Yours sincerely,
I. Sevova
From: I. Sevova [mailto:] Sent: 27 March 2013 16:41
To: InfoMgr, FinDMT Subject: Freedom of Information request - FOI
Internal Reviews

1, on available historical records and the longest period you hold FOI
data, the total number of FOI requests where an internal review was
requested, and...
The information we hold on our FOI system will only cover the financial
year from 1st April 2012 up to current day. Internal reviews requested
in this period were 107.

2, the number where the internal review resulted in the requisite
provision or release of information i.e. in the requesters favour
(either partially or in full).
37 Internal Reviews resulted in the information being fully disclosed.
13 Internal Reviews resulted in the information being partially
disclosed.

For clarity this should not include any cases where the ICO was
involved, only WBC's own internal processes.

3,in order to perceive any possible trends over time please provide the
numbers of internal review requests with favourable decisions (either
partially or in full), with year and if possible months also. Please see
comment at question 1 above.

Partial Disclosures July 2012 = 2; September 2012 = 1; December 2012 =
1; February 2013 = 4; March 2013 = 3; April 2013 = 2.

Full Disclosures April 2012 = 1; May 2012 = 1; June 2012 = 1; July 2012
= 2; August 2012 = 2; October 2012 = 1; November 2012 = 3; December 2012
= 2; January 2013 = 3; February 2013 = 12; March 2013 = 8; April 2013 =
1.
Yours faithfully,

I. Sevova

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Dear InfoMgr, FinDMT,

Thank you for the information however I think your response is misleading (perhaps deliberately, perhaps not)and doesn't answer my question.

You state that 37 internal reviews led to information being released and 13 led to partial disclosures over the past financial year.

Please ONLY state the amount of internal reviews that disclosed information where the request was originally REFUSED. We are well aware that due to WBC in most cases going beyond the legal deadlines, that internal reviews are routinely requested, but this is a different matter altogether. I do not wish to see any internal review results that were made because requests went over time and would have been granted eventually. I hope you will not confound things by adding any.

The purpose of my inquiry which frankly I thought was obvious, is that I only wish to know about internal reviews where information was GRANTED though originally REFUSED (hence the need for an internal review!)

I hope this is now clear and that you can promptly give me the information that I require

Yours sincerely,

I. Sevova

Dear InfoMgr, FinDMT,

in addition to the number of SUCCESSFUL INTERNAL REVIEWS please give the number of REQUESTS FOR INTERNAL REVIEWS. Please give the number for both ONLY where information was originally refused and NOT where an internal review was requested due to the request not being answered.

I trust you will give the number of ALL cases from the WDTK site and otherwise.

Please acknowledge this clarification and give me an approximate timeframe.

Yours sincerely,

I. Sevova

InfoMgr, FinDMT, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Email acknowledgement and response will be within the specified time
frame of 20 working days.

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InfoMgr, FinDMT, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Good Morning

 

Thank you for your further enquiry, with regard the information provided
to you on 11^th April 2013 on our FOI system covering the financial year
from 1st April 2012, internal reviews requested in this period were 107.

  

In response to your further question:

 

in addition to the number of SUCCESSFUL INTERNAL REVIEWS please

     give the number of REQUESTS FOR INTERNAL REVIEWS. Please give the

     number for both ONLY where information was originally refused and

     NOT where an internal review was requested due to the request not

     being answered.

    

     I trust you will give the number of ALL cases from the WDTK site

     and otherwise.

 

 

The council’s Foi system records a freedom of information request as
closed – not disclosed when all information has been refused.

 

As at 11^th April 2013, please see number of internal reviews received in
the following months as freedom of information request closed -  not
disclosed:

 

June 2012= 1; Aug 2012=1; Nov 2012=2; Feb 2013= 1; Mar 2013= 3

 

Thank you for your  enquiry, I trust you find this information of
assistance.

 

Kind Regards

 

Tracy O'Hare

Information Management

Wirral Council

 

This information supplied to you is copyrighted and continues to be
protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.   You are free
to use it for your own purposes, including any non commercial research you
are doing and for the purposes of news reporting. Any other reuse, for
example commercial publication, would require our specific permission, may
involve licensing and the application of a charge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dear InfoMgr, FinDMT,

Thank you for the response only you have not answered my actual request which I thought was clear.

I asked for both the total number (per month) of internal review requests due ONLY to information being refused (for whatever reason) AND those where the information WAS disclosed as an internal review outcome. Do not include any other internal review stats which were made due to WBC's failure to provide info within legal time limits.

This will enable percentages to be calculated and will give an indication of the odds of internal reviews overturning original decisions.

As you have not answered my request that I made in good faith and with clear instruction, I trust you will now speedily provide the correct information.

Yours sincerely,

I. Sevova

InfoMgr, FinDMT, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Good Afternoon,

 

Thank you for your further email, please see response below:

We have previously provided information detailing requests for internal
reviews received per Month as a result of all the information being
refused to the requester in the original foi request.

To clarify for you, the status Wirral Council uses for requests that are
closed because all the information requested has been refused is:  request
closed – not disclosed.

 

Please see information below covering the financial year from 1st April
2012 until the 11^th April 2013:

 

 

    

June 2012= 1 internal review request received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

REQUEST REFFERED TO ICO, INFORMATION PARTLY DISCLOSED.

 

 

Aug 2012= 1 internal review request received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

REQUEST REFERRED TO ICO PRE INTERNAL REVIEW REPLY, INTERNAL REVIEW REFUSED

 

 

Nov 2012=2 internal review requests received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

1. REQUEST REFERRED TO ICO PRE INTERNAL REVIEW REPLY, THIS INTERNAL REVIEW
REFUSED

2. INTERNAL REVIEW REFUSED

 

Feb 2013= 1 internal review requests received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

INTERNAL REVIEW FULLY DISCLOSED

 

Mar 2013= 3 internal review requests received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

All 3 INTERNAL REVIEWS REFUSED

 

Thank you for your enquiry, kind regards

 

Tracy O’Hare

Information Management

Transformation and Resources

Wirral Council

 

This information supplied to you is copyrighted and continues to be
protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.   You are free
to use it for your own purposes, including any non commercial research you
are doing and for the purposes of news reporting. Any other reuse, for
example commercial publication, would require our specific permission, may
involve licensing and the application of a charge.

   

show quoted sections

InfoMgr, FinDMT, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Good Morning,

 

Thank you for your further email, please see response below:

We have previously provided information detailing requests for internal
reviews received per Month as a result of all the information being
refused to the requester in the original foi request.  To clarify for you,
the status Wirral Council uses for requests that are closed because all
the information requested has been refused is:  request closed – not
disclosed.

Please see information below covering the financial year from 1st April
2012 until the 11^th April 2013:

 

    

June 2012= 1 internal review request received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

REQUEST REFFERED TO ICO, INFORMATION PARTLY DISCLOSED.

 

Aug 2012= 1 internal review request received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

REFERRED TO ICO PRE INTERNAL REVIEW REPLY, INTERNAL REVIEW REFUSED AND
REQUEST CLOSED

 

Nov 2012=1 internal review request received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

REFERRED TO ICO PRE INTERNAL REVIEW REPLY, THIS INTERNAL REVIEW REFUSED
AND REQUEST CLOSED

 

Feb 2013= 1 internal review requests received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

INTERNAL REVIEW FULLY DISCLOSED

 

Mar 2013= 3 internal review requests received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

All 3 INTERNAL REVIEWS REFUSED

 

Thank you for your enquiry.

Sent on behalf of

 

Tracy O’Hare

Information Management

Transformation and Resources

Wirral Council

 

This information supplied to you is copyrighted and continues to be
protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.   You are free
to use it for your own purposes, including any non commercial research you
are doing and for the purposes of news reporting. Any other reuse, for
example commercial publication, would require our specific permission, may
involve licensing and the application of a charge.

   

show quoted sections

InfoMgr, FinDMT, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Good Morning

 

Due to an oversight we have inadvertently sent two responses to your
request, figures for Nov 2012 were not completed in one of the responses,
to clarify the response below is the correct response. Thank you for your
query and your patience in this matter.

 

Thank you for your further email, please see response below:

We have previously provided information detailing requests for internal
reviews received per Month as a result of all the information being
refused to the requester in the original foi request.

To clarify for you, the status Wirral Council uses for requests that are
closed because all the information requested has been refused is:  request
closed – not disclosed.

 

Please see information below covering the financial year from 1st April
2012 until the 11^th April 2013:

 

 

    

June 2012= 1 internal review request received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

REQUEST REFFERED TO ICO, INFORMATION PARTLY DISCLOSED.

 

 

Aug 2012= 1 internal review request received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

REQUEST REFERRED TO ICO PRE INTERNAL REVIEW REPLY, INTERNAL REVIEW REFUSED

 

 

Nov 2012=2 internal review requests received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

1. REQUEST REFERRED TO ICO PRE INTERNAL REVIEW REPLY, THIS INTERNAL REVIEW
REFUSED

2. INTERNAL REVIEW REFUSED

 

Feb 2013= 1 internal review requests received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

INTERNAL REVIEW FULLY DISCLOSED

 

Mar 2013= 3 internal review requests received as a result of all the
information being refused to the requester in the original foi request;

All 3 INTERNAL REVIEWS REFUSED

 

Thank you for your enquiry, kind regards

 

Tracy O’Hare

Information Management

Transformation and Resources

Wirral Council

 

This information supplied to you is copyrighted and continues to be
protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.   You are free
to use it for your own purposes, including any non commercial research you
are doing and for the purposes of news reporting. Any other reuse, for
example commercial publication, would require our specific permission, may
involve licensing and the application of a charge.

   

show quoted sections

John Hannigan (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

What a load of twaddle.

Who do they think they are kidding?

I. Sevova left an annotation ()

so the moral of this tale seems to be that WBC internal reviews where info has been refused are a waste of everybody's time as in virtually all cases the original refusal is upheld. Do they really look at the request with a fresh pair of eyes?

I know this happened with one of my requests and the so-called internal review refused me a second time even though it emerged that the info sought had been in the public domain all that time. It was only when I complained to the ICO that WBC kindly let me have the information!

The intervention of the ICO can as it did with me, bear fruit so always worth complaining to them as it normally only takes one email at casework@ico.org.uk with a brief note and a link to the request on this site.