Wandsworth Council Benefit Claimant Death
Wandsworth Borough Council
Corporate Information Management Team
Room 162
The Town Hall
Wandsworth High Street
London
Dear Wandsworth Borough Council FOI Unit,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
In terms of the above act, please can you forward me a copy of the Wandsworth Council Internal Inquiry into the tragic death of Mr Richard Sanderson....
http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk/?news_id=26...
I fully understand that Housing Benefit, whilst administered by Wandsworth Borough Council, is a function of central goverment funding, and that Wansworth Council are tied by strict rules on the granting and continuation of Housing benefit.
The purpose of this enquiry, is to analyse the lessons learnt at council level, as myself and collleagues are in the process of establishing a registered charity and telephone helpline aimed specifically at stopping similar tragedies that struck the Sanderson family from happening again.
I look forward to your repy.
Thank you.
Calum McLean
9th January 2011
Freedom of Information Act request - 2012/5619 - Housing benefits internal inquiry
Thank you for your request for information received on 09/01/2012.
This will be processed in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Regards
Corporate Information Management Team
[E-bost cais Wandsworth Council]
020 8871 8119
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Please visit the Council's website at: www.wandsworth.gov.uk
Freedom of Information Act request - 2012/5619 - Housing benefits internal
inquiry
I refer to your request for information received on 09/01/2012. Please
see the information below in response to your request: -
Please can you forward me a copy of the Wandsworth Council Internal
Inquiry into the tragic death of Mr. Richard Sanderson
Wandsworth Council does not hold the requested information.
Wandsworth Council has to adhere to Central Government guidelines in
respect of changes to Local Housing Allowance. Any changes are thoroughly
analysed to gauge the impact these will have on our customers/claimants.
In the case of changes to Local Housing Allowance(LHA), correspondence was
sent in advance to all affected customers informing them of how the
changes affected their claim or entitlement. These letter also informs
them of the availability of Discretionary Housing Payment, and the
possibility of re-negotiating rents with their landlords or helping to
find alternative less-expensive accommodation.
Monthly LHA rates are located on our website. They are also placed in
reception 8 to 10 days before the start of the new month. Where there are
expansive changes, advisors are on hand at our Landlord Forums to answer
any questions and to help. In addition, newsletters are sent to landlords
every three months with any impending changes. We also have visiting
benefits officers, for those customers who are unable to visit the Town
Hall. These officers, in addition to the Customer Services team, are able
to address some of the issues that people feel uncertain about with any
new changes.
Staff at Wandsworth Council are trained to deal with vulnerable persons -
the majority of staff have attended Safeguarding courses to raise
awareness and understanding of vulnerable people in society, and what
action to be taken if there is doubt for their well-being. We also have a
dedicated Access team as part of our Social Services team who would deal
with any instance of someone threatening self-harm.
I hope this information meets your needs. If you do not understand the
information provided or wish to discuss anything further, please feel free
to contact me and I, or another member of the team will be able to assist
you.
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your request for information is for your personal, non-commercial use.
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for re-use of information to the FOI team at the email address below.
If you are dissatisfied with the information provided in relation to your
request you may make representations to the Chief Executive for an
internal review. Correspondence should be addressed to:
Room 162, Wandsworth Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 2PU
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Kind regards,
Andrew Powell
Temporary Information Management Officer
Corporate Information Management Team
[1][Wandsworth Council request email]
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Dear Wandsworth Borough Council,
REQUEST - INTERNAL REVIEW
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an Internal Review of Wandsworth Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'Wandsworth Council Benefit Claimant Death'.
I am appalled that Wandsworth Borough Council have clear culpabilitiy in some measured degree, as EVIDENCED by facts in the suicide notes left by the late Mr Richard Sanderson and presented to HM Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox.
Furthermore, your local authority, by admission above, appear content to allow someone to kill themselves and leave a widow, and fatherless child, WITHOUT anyone within Wandsworth Borough Council seeing the clear need to have some form of INTERNAL INQUIRY into your alleged role in Mr Sanderson's death?
http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk/?news_id=26...
Please arrange for both:-
1] An Internal Review of my original Freedom of Information Request?
2] If the unthinkable is true, as per FOI documentation above, and Wandsworth Borough Council have compounded their alleged inhumanity in this gentleman's death by NOT conducting a full and proper investigation into the circumstances, then either you start one now, or my next action will be a formal letter of complaint, alleging criminality to the Metropolitan Police Service, 146 Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 4JJ.
That allegation shall primarily be, but not exclusively limited to the charge of ....
Misconduct In Public Office
.... against the relevant officials, and entity that is Wandsworth Borough Council.
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/l_to_o/misco...
I draw your attention to the Crown Prosecution Service guidelines as I believe the gravity of this matter, and the apparent continuation of Wandsworth Borough Council to compound the original tragedy by further negligence and/or misconduct in failing to learn lessons from this tragedy, require a full and proper application of the laws available in this dreadful matter.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/wa...
Yours faithfully,
Calum McLean
6th February 2012
Freedom of Information Act request - 2012/5619 - Housing benefits internal
inquiry
Dear Mr. McLean,
I acknowledge receipt of your email below received on 06/02/2012 and write
to confirm that your request will be subject to an internal review.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Powell
Temporary Information Management Officer
Corporate Information Management Team
[1][Wandsworth Council request email]
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Freedom of Information Act request - 2012/5619 - Housing benefits internal
inquiry
Dear Mr. McLean,
I refer to your request regarding the above and originally received on
09/01/2012. Please find the outcome of our internal review of the handling
of your request attached.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Powell
Temporary Information Management Officer
Corporate Information Management Team
[1][Wandsworth Council request email]
IMPORTANT:
Confidentiality: This email and its attachments are intended for the above
named only and may be confidential. If they have come to you in error you
must take no action based on them, nor must you copy or show them to
anyone. Please reply to this email and highlight the error.
Please visit the Council's website at: [2]www.wandsworth.gov.uk
References
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2. http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/
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Calum McLean left an annotation ()
Annotation by Calum McLean into the alleged failure of Wandsworth Borough Council to 'learn lessons' and prevent a recurrence arising from the tragic death of Mr Richard Sanderson ...
http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk/newsgallery...
The coldness and officiousness of the response by staff and senior personnel at Wandsworth Borough Council as displayed in the above Freedom of Information reply is open for any right minded individual to examine.
Wandsworth Borough Council appear to think they have no responsibility nor culpability in the tragic death of Mr Sanderson. Morally they do, but are slithering out on apparent technical grounds.
Unfortunately, for Wandsworth Borough Council senior staff, they DO have a legal responsibility. This WILL become apparent in due course, but this awful tragedy no longer falls under the Freedom of Information legislation. It is now up to more formal channels to resolve the issues brought to light by Wandsworth Borough Council's cold reply as narrated above.
As matters progress in other legal arenas, the update on this shall be posted on this excellent WhatDoTheyKnow website and on this page.
Regards,
Calum McLean
Former Police Officer.
2nd March 2012.