Freedom of Information Request - Christmas temporary accommodation data request
Dear Mole Valley District Council,
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding children in temporary accommodation.
I would like to know the following:
1. How many children (Under 18) were living in temporary accommodation on the 25th December 2023?
- If exact records for this date are not available, please provide the most recent data close to this date.
2. How many of these children were 15 years of age at the time?
3. Since January 2020, what is the longest a child (under 18) has had to live in temporary accommodation before being placed in permanent accommodation?
- Please specify the date range if the exact start and end dates are known.
4. What is the average duration that children (under 18) have been spending in temporary accommodation before securing permanent housing?
Please provide definitions or clarifications for any terms or categories used in your response, especially regarding “temporary accommodation” (e.g., whether it includes B&Bs, hostels, or other placements).
If you are unable to provide some of the requested data, please outline the reasons and an expected timeframe for availability.
Thank you for your attention to this request.
Yours faithfully,
Sophie Lucas
Dear Ms Lucas
Thank you for your information request submitted under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.
Please be advised that the answers to your request are listed below.
With regard to question 2, the information requested is held by Mole
Valley District Council, however Section 12 of the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for
information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the
appropriate limit, which for this authority is set at £450.
In order to provide you with the information that you have requested would
require a manual search of each application in order to calculate the age
of the child at the time.
We estimate that it will take us in excess of the applicable time limit to
determine the appropriate material and locate, retrieve and extract the
information in reference to your request.
You may wish to refine your request by narrowing its scope by being more
specific about what information you particularly wish to obtain, including
any dates or period of time relevant to the information required.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted within 40 working days of the date of receipt of the response to
your original letter and should be addressed to: Louise Bircher, Mole
Valley District Council, Pippbrook, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1SJ.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF Or by calling 0303 123 1113 (local rate) Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.
Kind Regards
Kate Butcher
Customer Care Officer
Freedom of Information and Deputy Data Protection Officer
Mole Valley District Council
01306 885001
[1]www.molevalley.gov.uk
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