SEND Tribunal - use of Barristers

The request was partially successful.

Bren Prendergast

Dear Norfolk County Council,

I would like to know how many times the LA has employed Barristers (directly or through a solicitor acting on the LAs behalf) to defend SEND Tribunal appeals, and at what cost, for each of the following years:

2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
2015-2016
2016-2017
2017-2018
2018-2019
01/01/2019-01/05/2019

Yours faithfully,

Bren Prendergast

Information Management, Norfolk County Council

Good Morning,

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Information Request ENQ-329251-N9L2C1

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 received on 26 April 2019.

We have up to 20 working days in which to deal with your request. If we require clarification regarding your request, we will contact you to explain this. The 20 working day period will then start from the day that we receive your clarification.

You will also be informed in advance if there is a charge for supplying copies of the information.

Please also be aware that, if the requested information contains references to any third parties, we may need to consult these individuals about the release of their personal data before making a decision whether or not to release the information to you.

We will also provide an explanation if any information is not released to you.

Should you have any queries regarding your request, please contact the team by email [email address] or by telephone 01603 222661.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Cooper, Business Support Assistant
Information Compliance Team
Dept: 01603 222661
Room 043, County Hall, Norwich

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Bren Prendergast

Dear Information Management,

Could you please give lawful reason as to why you have not responded to my request promptly? If a response is not received by 5pm on 31st May, I will be making a complaint to the ICO.

Yours sincerely,

Bren Prendergast

Information Management, Norfolk County Council

Dear Mr Prendergast,
Apologies for the delay in providing a response to your enquiries. We are having some difficulties accessing the information but are working with colleagues to resolve this as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely

Andy Swan, Senior Information Compliance Officer
Information Management Service
Tel: 01603 222661
County Hall

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Information Management, Norfolk County Council

Dear Mr Prendergast,

 

Further to my previous email this morning, please now find below responses
to your enquiries. I apologise again for not providing response within the
statutory timeframe.

 

Your request:

 

I would like to know how many times the LA has employed Barristers
(directly or through a solicitor acting on the LAs behalf) to defend SEND
Tribunal appeals, and at what cost, for each of the following years:

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

2016-2017

2017-2018

2018-2019

01/01/2019-01/05/2019

 

Our response:

The council holds the information requested from 2016 onwards. Prior to
this our legal work was carried out by an externally commissioned
solicitor, Baker Small. This information was therefore kept by Baker Small
and not something that was maintained by the local authority.

 

Please note that the following information relates to academic year
September to August.

2015-2016 – Nil

2016-2017 – 3 - £7,018.30

2017-2018 – 9 - £11,354.58

2018-2019 – 11 - £16,527.66

 

If you are dissatisfied with our handling of your request you have the
right of appeal through the Council’s internal review procedure by setting
out the grounds of your appeal in writing to:

 

[1][email address]

or Information Compliance Team

Room 043

County Hall

Martineau Lane

Norwich

NR1 2DH

 

An appeal should be submitted within 40 working days of the date of this
notice and should be identified as "FOI Appeal".

 

If you are dissatisfied after pursuing the complaints procedure, you may
apply to the Information Commissioner under Section 50 of the Act for a
decision whether your request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of Part I of the Act.  Refer to the ICO
Website at: [2]https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ for advice on how to report a
concern.  Or you can write to them at:

 

First Contact Team

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane, Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Andy Swan, Senior Information Compliance Officer

Information Management Service

Tel: 01603 222661

County Hall

[3]Norfolk County Council   [4]Twitter[5]Facebook[6]Web

 

 

 

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