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Policy in relation to the Public Use of Sports Pitches

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Dear Wyre Forest District Council,

Please provide the following information:

1. A copy of the written policy or other similar document dealing with the hire of sports pitches across the district.

2. The details of all agreements made for the ongoing use of each of the district's outdoor, grass sports pitches over the last 12 months to include hiring body (where this is not an individual whose details would therefore be exempt), pitch, charge levied (if any) and time/day exclusive use is authorised. Please ensure you include all agreements that were in effect in the last 12 months regardless of whether they commenced before this period.

For the avoidance of doubt, I do not seek details in relation to the one-off hire of sports pitches or the hire of other open spaces.

Yours faithfully,

Sandra Brown

Wyre Forest Freedom of Information, Wyre Forest District Council

Hi Sandra

This is the reply to your recent enquiry:

Wyre Forest DC does not operate any sports pitches in the area - These have been transferred to the local Worcestershire Football Association.

If you have a complaint about the handling of this Freedom of Information Act enquiry you can view our complaints procedure at:

Freedom of Information | Wyre Forest District Council (wyreforestdc.gov.uk)

You can also contact the Information Commissioner, using the contact details at: http://ico.org.uk/

Kind regards

Caroline

Wyre Forest Freedom of Information
Freedom of Information Officer
Wyre Forest District Council
01562 732151
Wyre Forest House, Finepoint Way, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 7WF
[Wyre Forest District Council request email]

Have you seen our free online magazine for residents, WyredIn? Sign-up to receive it: http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/wyredin

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you need to.

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Dear Wyre Forest Freedom of Information,

Thank you for your response. If the responsibility for managing council owned sports pitches has been transferred to Worcestershire FA, then there must be a written policy, MoU or agreement in place. Such a document would fall within the scope of my request at point 1.

With regards to point 2, please confirm that you do not hold the information requested. You may wish to direct this request to Karen Haynes at WFDC who certainly seems to have knowledge of who should be on what pitch at any given time. That being the case this information must be held by the Local Authority.

Yours sincerely,

Sandra Brown

Wyre Forest Freedom of Information, Wyre Forest District Council

Hi Sandra

Thank you for your email of yesterday.

In answer to your recent enquiry:

There is no formal agreement in place at present. Please contact the Worcestershire FA who will be able to provide the information that you require.

All actual pitch bookings, and conditions of hire will be available from the Worcestershire FA.

For assistance note the following:

[email address]

https://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/things-t...

If you have a complaint about the handling of this Freedom of Information Act enquiry you can view our complaints procedure at:

Freedom of Information | Wyre Forest District Council (wyreforestdc.gov.uk)

You can also contact the Information Commissioner, using the contact details at: http://ico.org.uk/

Kind regards

Caroline

Wyre Forest Freedom of Information
Freedom of Information Officer
Wyre Forest District Council
01562 732151
Wyre Forest House, Finepoint Way, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 7WF
[Wyre Forest District Council request email]

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Dear Wyre Forest District Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Wyre Forest District Council's handling of my FOI request 'Policy in relation to the Public Use of Sports Pitches'.

I understand that the management of pitches has been outsourced to the Worcestershire FA, however, that does not absolve the authority of its duties under the FOIA.

I know for a fact that at least some of this information is held within the authority as Karen Haynes of WFDC has previously referred to this material. Please take steps to establish what information is held by the authority and respond in line with your statutory duties.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p...

Yours faithfully,

Sandra Brown

Wyre Forest Freedom of Information, Wyre Forest District Council

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Dear Sandra,

 

I refer to your recent complaint dated 15 July 2022 regarding your
dissatisfaction with the councils handling of your Freedom of Information
request (FoI). Your original request and the subsequent replies are
detailed below:

 

An initial FOI received 17 June 2022:

 

1. A copy of the written policy or other similar document dealing with the
hire of sports pitches across the district.

 

2. The details of all agreements made for the ongoing use of each of the
district's outdoor, grass sports pitches over the last 12 months to
include hiring body (where this is not an individual whose details would
therefore be exempt), pitch, charge levied (if any) and time/day exclusive
use is authorised.  Please ensure you include all agreements that were in
effect in the last 12 months regardless of whether they commenced before
this period.

For the avoidance of doubt, I do not seek details in relation to the
one-off hire of sports pitches or the hire of other open spaces.

 

WFDC reply:

 

Wyre Forest DC does not operate any sports pitches in the area - These
have been transferred to the local Worcestershire Football Association.

 

 

A follow up reply to this original FoI was received on the 29 June 2022:

 

Thank you for your response.  If the responsibility for managing council
owned sports pitches has been transferred to Worcestershire FA, then there
must be a written policy, MoU or agreement in place.  Such a document
would fall within the scope of my request at point 1.

 

With regards to point 2, please confirm that you do not hold the
information requested.  You may wish to direct this request to Karen
Haynes at WFDC who certainly seems to have knowledge of who should be on
what pitch at any given time.  That being the case this information must
be held by the Local Authority.

 

WFDC reply:

 

There is no formal agreement in place at present. Please contact the
Worcestershire FA who will be able to provide the information that you
require.

 

All actual pitch bookings, and conditions of hire will be available from
the Worcestershire FA.

 

For assistance note the following:

 

[email address]

 

https://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/things-t...

 

 

The third follow up to this FoI outlining a dissatisfaction with all WFDC
replies to date was received on 15 July 2022.

 

I am writing to request an internal review of Wyre Forest District
Council's handling of my FOI request 'Policy in relation to the Public Use
of Sports Pitches'.

 

I understand that the management of pitches has been outsourced to the
Worcestershire FA, however, that does not absolve the authority of its
duties under the FOIA.

 

I know for a fact that at least some of this information is held within
the authority as Karen Haynes of WFDC has previously referred to this
material.  Please take steps to establish what information is held by the
authority and respond in line with your statutory duties.

 

WFDC Reply:

 

Having re-viewed the outline FoI, the responses given and the actual data
that is held by WFDC the following points are established:

 

It is a matter of fact that the football pitches that were once in the
ownership of Wyre Forest DC have been transferred to the Worcestershire
Football Association.

 

This transfer is principally one of a landlord and tenant agreement. The
Worcestershire FA or anyone they authorise, is responsible for all hire
arrangements. The periodic tenancy agreement in place is on the basis of
the attached document.

 

The Worcestershire FA are therefore free to hire out their playing pitches
as they see fit. No record of any hirer, fees paid, pitch location, date,
or time of hire, is retained by WFDC. All this detail is held individually
by the Worcestershire FA.

 

In terms of this FoI there is nothing more that can be provided by this
Council. A formal approach to the Worcestershire FA is recommended.

 

Kind regards,

 

Steve Brant

Head of Community & Environment Services

Wyre Forest District Council

 

 

 

 

Wyre Forest Freedom of Information
Freedom of Information Officer
Wyre Forest District Council
01562 732151
Wyre Forest House, Finepoint Way, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 7WF
[1][Wyre Forest District Council request email]

Have you seen our free online magazine for residents, WyredIn? [2]Sign-up
to receive it.

Keep up to date with the latest news, jobs and events
 Visit the Wyre Forest District Council [3]website
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We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Sandra Brown please sign in and let everyone know.