Policy on Service User Recording of Meetings with the LA

Tamworth Borough Council did not have the information requested.

Dear Tamworth Borough Council,

What is the Local Authorities Policy & Practice on recording of
meetings with the LA by service users especially in social services
matters under the children act 1989 (IE Recordings by parents or
children or those that might act for or assist them) ie in any form
of recording including where there are legal proceedings as
follows:

A. What is the official policy and actual practice regarding
parents who wish to or who do audio or video or photographic record
meetings either with or without (ie covertly) the LA's knowledge:

1. In Parents/Children's Homes
2. In socials services premises
3. In LA Third Party contractors premises such as contact centers.
4. Does the LA have any contracts that allow or forbid such
recordings with or without (ie covertly) the knowledge:.
5. Does the LA engage with third parties that provide service that
allow or forbid with or without (ie covertly) the knowledge:

And

B. What is the LA's policy and practice regarding such recordings
by service users.

1. Does it forbid or discourage such and how
2. Allow and encourage such and how
3. How does it inform on such policies as in 1 or 2 above prior to
or during a meeting and how
4. If it is realised that such recording is or has taken place what
is the LA's policy and practice regarding its response.
5. Does the LA have any sanctions policy or framework either under
contract as in A 4. above or otherwise where such recordings have
taken place by service users:
5. Does the LA LA engage with third parties that provide services
especially such as contact centers for children as in A. 5. above
have any sanctions policy or framework where such recordings have
taken place by service users:

Notes:

i) For the purpose of this FOI Request: Recording means any Audio,
Video or Photographic Recording on any device, the LA may of course
specify regarding reference to specific types where there are
differences in policy and practice to these types.

ii) The thrust of this FOI request is aimed at matters involving
Children's Services and Parents/Children under the children act
1989. However the LA response can include covering all policies &
practices of the LA if those also include matters involving
Children's Services and Parents/Children.

iii) This FOI request regarding third parties such as contact
centers are regarding those service providers who provide services
to the above service providers are a contracted service to Service
Users under arrangements involving the LA directly such as
supervised contacts under the children act 1989.

Yours faithfully,

Advocacy Fund

Bolton, Derek, Tamworth Borough Council

16th September 2011

Dear Sir

Freedom of Information - Invalid Request

At this moment in time your request for information received on 16th
September 2011 is considered invalid for the following reason:

No applicant name

Section 8(1) of the FOIA sets out the requirements of a valid request
for information and says that a request must, amongst other things,
"state the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence".

The definition of "applicant" in section 84 of the FOIA adds weight to
this as the phrase in section 8(1)(b) should be read as " the name of
the person making the request". This also suggests that the use of a
false or fictitious name is not acceptable.

Therefore, where Tamworth Borough Council receives a request from a
person using an obvious pseudonym, or a name which is considered
incomplete there is no obligation to comply with the request.

Section 16 places a duty on Tamworth Borough Council to advise you that
we require a complete name or one it considers not to be a pseudonym to
be provided.

Although one of the underlying principles of the FOIA is that the
identity of the applicant is not taken into account, it can be relevant
in certain circumstances. For example, when:

* a request is being made by the applicant for his/her own
personal data and so would be exempt under section 40(1) of the FOIA
(and would comprise a subject access request under the Data Protection
Act 1998);

* a public authority has good reason to believe a requester is
using a pseudonym to shield his/her identity in order to avoid the
possibility of the request being considered as vexatious or repeated; or

* determining whether to aggregate costs for two or more requests
in accordance with the Fees Regulations.

Therefore please resubmit your request with the additional information
for us to consider.

Yours Sincerely

Derek Bolton
Corporate Information Security Manager
And Officer for Emergency Planning

Tel: 01827 709 587
Fax: 01827 709 590
Email: [email address]
Visit us at: www.tamworth.gov.uk

ICT Service Desk is open:-
Mon to Fri 8am - 6.15pm Sat 8.30am - 12.30pm

"ICT Services - Accredited to ISO20000 and ISO27001 Standards"

Marmion House
Lichfield Street
Tamworth
B79 7BZ
One Tamworth, perfectly placed.

show quoted sections

Dear Bolton, Derek,

The name provide is trading name and therefore compliant with the
act

The Advocacy Fund
http://advocacy-fund.org

"In the case of a company, it is not necessary to provide the full registered name. It will be acceptable to provide another name which exists as a real entity, such as a trading name. Similarly, a sole trader could provide his or her real name or trading name."

A trading name is quite sufficient to satisfy the requirements of Section 8 of the Act.

Yours sincerely,

Advocacy Fund

Bolton, Derek, Tamworth Borough Council

Our Ref: FOI1068/DB/02
Please ask for: Derek Bolton
Direct dial: 01827 709 587
E-mail: [email address]

The Advocacy Fund
Whatdotheyknow.com

16th September 2011

Dear Advocacy Fund

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Request for Information

Thank you for your request for information we received on 16th September
2011 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Tamworth Borough Council
has no responsibility for Social Services and specifically Children
Services.

This responsibility is carried out by Staffordshire County Council, if
you have not done so already please direct your request by email to the
following address:

[email address]

Or alternatively by post to:

Staffordshire County Council
Information Governance Unit
Friars Terrace,
Stafford,
ST17 4AY

However there is information on our website that may contain material
that will assist you further
http://www.tamworth.gov.uk/housing/suppo...
en_and_vulnerable_adults.aspx

Yours sincerely

Derek Bolton
Corporate Information Security Manager
And Officer for Emergency Planning

Tel: 01827 709 587
Fax: 01827 709 590
Email: [email address]
Visit us at: www.tamworth.gov.uk

ICT Service Desk is open:-
Mon to Fri 8am - 6.15pm Sat 8.30am - 12.30pm

"ICT Services - Accredited to ISO20000 and ISO27001 Standards"

Marmion House
Lichfield Street
Tamworth
B79 7BZ
One Tamworth, perfectly placed.

show quoted sections

Dear Bolton, Derek,

Many Thanks

Yours sincerely,

Advocacy Fund

Dear Bolton, Derek,

Many Thanks

Yours sincerely,

Advocacy Fund