How many fires have there been at Charlton Lane?

The request was partially successful.

Malcolm Robertson

Dear Surrey County Council,

May I ask how many fires (waste, chemical, electrical for example), have there been at Charlton Lane Waste Management Facility, Shepperton, since work began to build the incinerator and anaerobic digester there?

Yours faithfully,

Malcolm Robertson

FOI/COR/SCC, Surrey County Council

Dear Mr Robertson

YOUR REQUEST REF NO. FOI001982 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Thank you for your request for information received on the 9 August 2019. Your request reference is as above.

We will respond to your request promptly and in any event within 20 working days from the date of receipt of your request. If you wish to contact me to discuss the progress of your request, please use the contact details given below and quote the reference number given above.
 
Regards

Helen Gilbert
Legal & Democratic Services

Corporate Information Governance Team (Room 138) |  Democratic Services  | Surrey County Council | County Hall | Penrhyn Road | Kingston upon Thames | Surrey | KT1 2DN
Tel: 020 8541 8935 | Email: [Surrey County Council request email] |

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Dear FOI/COR/SCC,

I wrote to you on the 9th August last, however I have not received the courtesy of a substantive reply.

Please be good enough, therefore to commence an internal review, so I may have a full and comprehensive response, without further delay.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

Gregory Finneron, Surrey County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr. Robertson,                                 

RE:  YOUR REQUEST FOI001982 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

 

We have considered your request which was for:

 

May I ask how many fires (waste, chemical, electrical for example), have
there been at Charlton Lane Waste Management Facility, Shepperton, since
work began to build the incinerator and anaerobic digester there?

 

I now enclose the following information:

 

There have been six fires at the Charlton Lane facility since work
commenced on the Eco Park in May 2015. Three of these fires were on the
construction site, one fire was on the community recycling centre and two
fires were in the waste transfer station before it was demolished. All
these fires were considered to be minor and were quickly contained and
dealt with.

 

We supply this information based on your original request. Please do not
hesitate to contact me at the above address if you have any queries
regarding the information enclosed.  Remember to quote the reference
number above in any future communications.

 

If you are unhappy with the handling of your request for information and
wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, in the first
instance you should contact the County Council, quoting your request
number given above, at:

 

Freedom of Information Officer

Surrey County Council

Legal Democratic & Cultural Services

County Hall

Penrhyn Road

Kingston upon Thames

Surrey

KT1 2DN

[Surrey County Council request email]

If you are not satisfied by the County Council’s response to your
complaint, you have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner for
a decision.  The Information Commissioner will normally expect you to have
exhausted our complaints procedure.  The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at:

 

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

Yours sincerely, 

Gregory Finneron

 
*********************************************

Team Manager - Leadership Office
Community Protection, Transport & Environment Directorate
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
KT1 2DN

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Dear Gregory Finneron,

Thank you for your message. Can you please describe the type of fire on the construction sites, and how they arose.

Many thanks,

Malcolm Robertson

Dear Gregory Finneron,

Although I wrote an informal request for the missing information, I received no response from your organisation.

In the circumstances I must ask for an internal review of this case, so that I may be informed of the type of fires which occurred on the construction site.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

Gregory Finneron, Surrey County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Robertson,
I have forwarded your enquiry to the appropriate department and I am
awaiting a response from them which I am expecting shortly.
Many thanks

Kind Regards,
Greg
*********************************************
Greg Finneron

Team Manager - Leadership Office
Community Protection, Transport & Environment Directorate
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
KT1 2DN
email: [email address]
Tel: 020 85418591

[mobile number]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Malcolm Robertson <[FOI #596530 email]>
Sent: 19 September 2019 09:07
To: Gregory Finneron <[email address]>
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - How many
fires have there been at Charlton Lane?
 
Dear Gregory Finneron,

Although I wrote an informal request for the missing information, I
received no response from your organisation.

In the circumstances I must ask for an internal review of this case, so
that I may be informed of the type of fires which occurred on the
construction site.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

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Gregory Finneron, Surrey County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr. Robertson,

Further to your enquiry regarding the type of fires at Charlton Lane Waste
Management Facility, Shepperton. Of the three fires on the construction
site, one was an electrical fire, one involved some waste catching fire
and the cause of the third fire is not listed in the information we have.

Kind Regards,
Greg
*********************************************
Greg Finneron

Team Manager - Leadership Office
Community Protection, Transport & Environment Directorate
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
KT1 2DN

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Malcolm Robertson <[FOI #596530 email]>
Sent: 11 September 2019 15:53
To: Gregory Finneron <[email address]>
Subject: RE: YOUR REQUEST FOI001982 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
2000
 
Dear Gregory Finneron,

Thank you for your message. Can you please describe the type of fire on
the construction sites, and how they arose.

Many thanks,

Malcolm Robertson

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Dear Gregory Finneron,
Thank you for your reply. May I ask you to make further enquiries regarding the third fire on the construction site. I find it impossible to believe that on a project costing well over £100 million the type of fire is unknown.
Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

Gregory Finneron, Surrey County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Robertson,
Since beginning construction in May 2015 there have been three small fires
on the construction site, all of which were contained and quickly
extinguished without the need for the fire service to attend site.

The first incident actually occurred within the transfer station but was
caused by a Hydrainer Pump which was used for the construction site. It
was quickly noticed and extinguished by site staff. The cause was
determined to be a manufacturing defect of the pump. Damage was isolated
to the machine and following this incident all Hydrainer Pumps on site
were isolated and examined by the manufacturer.

The second incident occurred in and was contained within an electrical
control panel and was immediately noticed, so electricity was cut off to
the panel and the fire was quickly extinguished. Damage was isolated to
the control panel.

The third incident involved a very small amount of waste during testing
within the gasifier unit. The fire was contained and extinguished itself
quickly due to the small amount of waste.

I hope you find this additional information useful.

Kind Regards,
Greg
*********************************************
Greg Finneron

Team Manager - Leadership Office
Community Protection, Transport & Environment Directorate
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
KT1 2DN

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Malcolm Robertson <[FOI #596530 email]>
Sent: 25 September 2019 20:47
To: Gregory Finneron <[email address]>
Subject: Re: YOUR REQUEST FOI001982 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
2000
 
Dear Gregory Finneron,
Thank you for your reply. May I ask you to make further enquiries
regarding the third fire on the construction site. I find it impossible to
believe that on a project costing well over £100 million the type of fire
is unknown.
Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

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Dear Gregory Finneron,

May I thank you for your reply, it is much appreciated.

There is one issue which I have not been able to understand. What was the control panel for, and what became of the instruments it was controlling, once the panel had been damaged by fire?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

Malcolm Robertson

Dear Gregory Finneron,

I wrote to you on the 27th September.

Where is the control panel you spoke of, and essentially what does it control?

Ten days have gone by without the courtesy of a reply. Please be good enough to let me hear from you, without further delay.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

Gregory Finneron, Surrey County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr. Robertson,
I have forwarded your enquiry to Richard Parkinson, Environment Delivery
Group Manager who is best placed to correspond with you further on this
matter.
Many thanks

Kind Regards,
Greg
*********************************************
Greg Finneron

Team Manager - Leadership Office
Community Protection, Transport & Environment Directorate
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
KT1 2DN

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Malcolm Robertson <[FOI #596530 email]>
Sent: 07 October 2019 11:53
To: Gregory Finneron <[email address]>
Subject: Re: YOUR REQUEST FOI001982 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
2000
 
Dear Gregory Finneron,

I wrote to you on the 27th September.

Where is the control panel you spoke of, and essentially what does it
control?

Ten days have gone by without the courtesy of a reply. Please be good
enough to let me hear from you, without further delay.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

show quoted sections

Richard Parkinson, Surrey County Council

1 Attachment

Malcolm

 

I spoke to Suez today to find out a bit more about the fire. It was
actually in a power distribution board in the control room rather than in
a control panel itself. The cause was some loose wiring, which had been
worked on but the clamp not sufficiently tightened.

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

From: Gregory Finneron
Sent: 07 October 2019 13:08
To: Malcolm Robertson <[FOI #596530 email]>
Subject: Re: YOUR REQUEST FOI001982 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
2000

 

Dear Mr. Robertson,

 

I have forwarded your enquiry to Richard Parkinson, Environment Delivery
Group Manager who is best placed to correspond with you further on this
matter.

 

Many thanks

 

Kind Regards,

Greg

*********************************************
Greg Finneron

Team Manager - Leadership Office
Community Protection, Transport & Environment Directorate
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
KT1 2DN

 

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Malcolm Robertson <[1][FOI #596530 email]>
Sent: 07 October 2019 11:53
To: Gregory Finneron <[2][email address]>
Subject: Re: YOUR REQUEST FOI001982 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
2000

 

Dear Gregory Finneron,

I wrote to you on the 27th September.

Where is the control panel you spoke of, and essentially what does it
control?

Ten days have gone by without the courtesy of a reply. Please be good
enough to let me hear from you, without further delay.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

show quoted sections

Malcolm Robertson

Dear Richard Parkinson,

Thank you for your response.

This request commenced two months ago. In that time it has been described as one of three fires on the construction site, then it was stated that the cause of the fire is not listed. Later it is said to have occurred in and was contained within an electrical control panel. Now you are saying that it was actually in a power distribution board in the control room, rather than in a control panel itself.

What information have you got to corroborate your statement? And where is a copy of the incident report, and what information has been supplied to the Environment Agency?

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

Malcolm Robertson

Dear Richard Parkinson,

Due to the fact that incorrect or misleading information has been given in this reply, I sought confirmation that the final answer given was correct. No reply has been received.

Kindly undertake an internal review of this matter, so that the information given can be shown to be accurate.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

Richard Parkinson, Surrey County Council

Dear Malcolm

Please let me correct you.

The information that you were originally provided with identified that there had been three fires on the construction site.

'One was an electrical fire, one involved some waste catching fire and the cause of the third fire is not listed in the information we have.'

Subsequently we obtained information from Suez that the cause of the third fire was a problem with the Hydrainer pump and this information was provided to you as soon as we were made aware.

With regard to the electrical fire, the council is in possession of the following recorded information.

'A RIDDOR incident took place on 25th June when an electrical panel in one of the two distribution boards within the gasification building overheated and began to burn. It was identified rapidly and addressed by contractors working. The cause has been traced back to a loose connection. The panel was repaired and a full inspection then took place on all the boards.'

'The damages to the Electrical Board MDB01 following the small fire have been repaired and the board was re-energised on the 12th July'

‘There is 2 weeks slippage from last week on the Gasification programme due to an
incident in MCC room 1 (gasification) on 25/06, with a fire outbreak in a panel of one of
the 2 distribution boards of the gasification (MDB01). Investigation ongoing, RIDDOR
notified.’

Regards

Richard

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Malcolm Robertson

Dear Richard Parkinson,

Thank you for your belated response. It omitted a few words. I believe you meant "Please let me provide the correct information to you".

It seems highly unlikely that a fire which took 18 days to repair was just 'minor' as the distribution board fire has previously been described. Kindly supply the RIDDOR report, so that readers of this FOI can judge for themselves. Many thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

Dear Surrey County Council,

I have written previously about this matter, but have always been given minimal information at best. I have requested a copy of the RIDDOR report which would provide full details of the fire which occurred on the site, but this has not been forthcoming.

In the circumstances I must ask you to undertake an internal review so that the Report can be disclosed.

Yours faithfully,

Malcolm Robertson

FOI/COR/SCC, Surrey County Council

Dear Mr Robertson

Having reviewed the correspondence in connection with this matter, I have logged the request for a copy of the RIDDOR report as a new request, received on 2 November 2019 as I do not believe it was part of the original request.

The response will be due on or before 29 November 2019.

Regards

Mary Elliott

Mrs Mary J Elliott
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal & Democratic Services
(Mondays to Thursdays)

Corporate Information Governance Team (Room 138) |  Democratic Services | Surrey County Council | County Hall | Penrhyn Road | Kingston upon Thames | Surrey | KT1 2DN
Tel: 020 8541 7969 or 020 8541 9130 (if unavailable) | Email: [Surrey County Council request email]

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Dear FOI/COR/SCC,

Thank you, Mrs Elliott, for your reply. I see no reason for the answer to my question to be further delayed.

RIDDOR is about reporting dangerous occurrences, and the reply to my original request stated "all these fires were considered to be minor". It later transpired that in at least one of them a RIDDOR report had been submitted.

Classifying a Dangerous Occurrence as "minor" demonstrates a mendacious approach to FOIs which needs to be remedied immediately. I hope you agree, and that you will take all necessary action to ensure that my reply is expedited.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Robertson

FOI/COR/SCC, Surrey County Council

Dear Mr Robertson

We do not agree with your view regarding this matter.

I understand that certain types of incidents require there to be a RIDDOR report regardless of whether it could otherwise be described as minor.

There may be a slight delay as the report itself is held by Suez not the Council.

Regards

Mary Elliott

Mrs Mary J Elliott
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal & Democratic Services
(Mondays to Thursdays)

Corporate Information Governance Team (Room 138) |  Democratic Services | Surrey County Council | County Hall | Penrhyn Road | Kingston upon Thames | Surrey | KT1 2DN
Tel: 020 8541 7969 or 020 8541 9130 (if unavailable) | Email: [Surrey County Council request email]

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Elvia Sciullo, Surrey County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Malcolm Robertson,

 

RE: A copy of the RIDDOR report relating to the electrical fire at Eco
Park

 

Thank you for contacting us and sorry for delay in  responding to you.

 

We should be able to send you the requested information by next week.

 

Once again, apologies for the delay.

 

Bet wishes,

Elvia

 

Elvia Sciullo

PA/Project Support Officer

Leadership Office

Room 365 | Surrey County Council | County Hall | Penrhyn Road | Kingston
upon Thames | KT1 2DN

Email: [1][email address]

 

[2]cid:image001.jpg@01D4DB4C.8DCBAD00

 

 

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References

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Richard Parkinson, Surrey County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Robertson

 

RE YOUR REQUEST 2518 UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000/
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2004
 
I have considered your request for information in which you asked:
 

A copy of the RIDDOR report relating to the electrical fire at Eco Park

Certain incidences of 'dangerous occurrences' including an electrical
short-circuit or overload (including those resulting from accidental
damage) that causes a fire or explosion and either stops the plant
involved being used for more than 24 hours or could cause death are
reportable under RIDDOR.

This incident didn't involve injury to anybody but a fire did arise as a
result of a loose electrical connection.

As I consider that this request is for environmental information within
the meaning of Section 2(1) of the Environmental Information Regulations
2004 (EIR 2004), your request has been dealt with in accordance with the
Regulations. Requests for environmental information are exempt under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 and we are obliged to deal with such
requests under the Regulations.

We confirm that Surrey County Council does hold the information requested
but that we have decided to withhold some of that information under the
following provisions of the EIR.

 

Regulation 13 - Release of personal data.

 

I now provide the following information:

 

A copy of the RIDDOR report is attached.

 

We supply this information based on your original request. Please do not
hesitate to contact me if you have any queries regarding the information
enclosed.  Remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
 
If you are unhappy with the handling of your request for information and
wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, in the first
instance you should contact the County Council, quoting your request
number given above, at:
 
Freedom of Information Officer
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
Kingston Upon Thames
KT1 2DN
[1][Surrey County Council request email]

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Richard Parkinson

Environment Delivery Manager, Environment Service, Surrey County Council

 

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References

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1. mailto:[Surrey County Council request email]

Malcolm Robertson

Dear Surrey County Council,

Thank you for your belated reply. It does not cover all the issues that I raised, but instead of dragging this out even longer, I will be sending a supplementary question which specifies the issues which have not been adequately dealt with.

Yours faithfully,

Malcolm Robertson