LGA Press Release
Dear Rossendale Borough Council,
Rossendale Council was recently mentioned in a list of strange requests issued by the LGA in an attempt to discredit the FOI process. Two Rossendale requests were mentioned - one about exorcists, and the other about holes in the privacy walls of public toilets. I would like to request the following information about the Council's involvement.
Did officers working for the council search for any information, given the extremely unlikely nature of the propositions in the requests?
What were the answers to the two requests?
Did Rossendale Council approach the LGA about these FOI requests or was the Council approached by the LGA? If the LGA used the Rossendale requests without consulting the council, please confirm this.
I would like to request copies of correspondence between the Council and the LGA about these requests and how it would be used.
I would like to request copies of any correspondence received by Rossendale Council from the LGA on the subject of FOI generally in the last 12 months. Please limit any search to Chief Executive’s team, the Public Relations Team, and those staff dealing with FOI requests.
Yours faithfully,
Tony Parker
Dear Rossendale Borough Council,
I accidentally sent you two versions of the same request. I did not think the first request had worked. Please accept my apologies for this mistake, and please ignore this request. The other one is the same, so please just answer that one.
Yours faithfully,
Tony Parker
RE: Request for Information under the Freedom of Information Act
Logged as our Reference FOI/3054
I acknowledge receipt of your request dated 17th August, 2014. Your
request is being dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 and will be answered within twenty working days.
Please remember to quote the above reference number in any future
communications.
Regards,
Michelle Hargreaves
Committee and Member Services Officer
Rossendale Borough Council
The Business Centre (Room 213)
Futures Park
Bacup
Lancashire
OL13 0BB
Tel: 01706-252423
Web: [1]www.rossendale.gov.uk
Twitter: @RossendaleBC
Facebook: Rossendale Borough Council
Dear Mr Parker
Freedom of Information Request – FOI/3054
With reference to your request dated 18^th August 2014 the Council’s
response is below:-
1. Did officers working for the Council search for any information
given the extremely unlikely nature of the propositions in the requests?
All freedom of information requests are logged and considered under the
Act. Regardless of how unusual the request may seem to officers, it may
be part of legitimate research for the requester. Therefore the relevant
officers were contacted to check whether any information was held.
In terms of the two requests detailed in your email:-
- FOI/2478 (toilets): Property Services and the Communities Team
were asked if they recorded this information or if any information was
held.
- FOI/2880 (exorcisms): We do not hold any recorded information on
this matter however, from recollection, the FOI Administrator spoke to the
Finance Manager to enquire if she could recall any expenditure regarding
this matter.
2. What were the answers to the two requests?
FOI/2478 (toilets): “Rossendale Borough Council does not record this
information and therefore cannot provide statistics for the last ten
years. However, officers have reviewed records for the past 2 years and
cannot find any such reported incidents.”
FOI/2880 (exorcisms): “Rossendale Borough Council has not paid for the
services of an exorcist, psychic or religious healer.”
3. Did Rossendale Council approach the LGA about these FOI requests or
was the Council approached by the LGA? If the LGA used the Rossendale
requests without consulting the Council please confirm this.
The LGA approached the Council as part of a general communications
bulletin.
4. I would like to request copies of correspondence between the Council
and the LGA about these requests and how it would be used.
Email to the LGA entitled ‘RE: Unusual FOIs’ - Attached at Appendix 1.
Email from the LGA entitled ‘LGA CommsNet Bulletin 25/7/14’ – Attached at
Appendix 2.
Please note the names of junior officers whose names would not normally be
put into the public domain have been redacted.
5. I would like to request copies of any correspondence received by
Rossendale Council from the LGA received by Rossendale Council from the
LGA on the subject of FOI generally in the last 12 months. Please limit
search to Chief Executive’s Team, the Public Relations Team and those
staff dealing with FOI requests.
Records have been searched and officers cannot recall receiving or
responding to any correspondence from the LGA on FOI, as detailed below:-
FOI Administrator – no correspondence
Legal Services – no correspondence
Chief Executive’s Team – no correspondence
Corporate Officer (deals with press releases, the Council does not have a
Public Relations Team) – no correspondence, other than that already
attached.
For any press enquiries arising out of this request, please contact the
People and Policy Team on 01706 252454.
Right to Review
If you wish to request a review of your response, please contact Mr Stuart
Sugarman, Director of Business, Rossendale Borough Council, The Business
Centre, Futures Park, Bacup, OL13 0BB or email
[1][email address]
If you remain dissatisfied you have a right to appeal to the Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF. Telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 54 57 45 or visit their website at
[2]www.ico.gov.uk
There is no charge for making an appeal.
Regards
Jenni Cook
Committee Officer
Committee & Member Services
01706 252424
[3][email address]
Freedom of Information Requests can be submitted at
[4][Rossendale Borough Council request email]
Web: [5]www.rossendale.gov.uk
Twitter: [6]@RossendaleBC
Facebook: [7]Rossendale Borough Council
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.ico.gov.uk/
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[Rossendale Borough Council request email]
5. http://www.rossendale.gov.uk/
6. https://twitter.com/RossendaleBC
7. https://www.facebook.com/RossendaleCouncil
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