Bedford Borough Council Requests and Responses Received September 2011

Request ID / Date of response / Request and Response
2458 / 21/9/2011 / Request:
Further to my recent Freedom of Information request concerning Section 106 payments I have one further request:-
For each of the years 2001 - 2011 please could you tell me how much Section 106 money has been returned to developers by your authority.
Our response:
I refer to your recent enquiry for information held by the Council.
Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the authority must state whether or not the information exists and I confirm that we do hold the information you requested.
Your request asked how much S106 money has been returned to developers between 2001 and 2011. There were monies returned only in 3 years of those quoted, please see as follows:
2009 - £ 2,297.79
2010 - £ 3,970.57
2011 - £141,031.19
The Borough has in place procedures to monitor collection and use of S106 expenditure to ensure each of the Contributions received are collected and used within the required timescales, and in line with the terms of the S106 agreement to which the Obligation relates, which are usually specific.
All the S106 funds returned relate to obligations for Highway Works or Traffic Regulation Orders where the criteria for using the finance were not met, it was agreed the works were not needed or the works carried out cost less than obtained from the developer and the surplus was returned.
We are still dealing with your first FOI request (FOI 2449) and will endeavour to provide a response by the deadline of 27 September 2011.
2459 / 5/9/2011 / Request and Response:
Request pursuant to Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request No 2459.
I refer to your recent enquiry for information held by the Council.
Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the authority must state whether or not the information exists and I confirm that we do hold the information you requested.
Please find the information you requested enclosed. You requested:
1. Does your authority recognise the diagnosis of APD
The diagnosis of APD remains controversial, largely because of the purported co-morbidity with associated conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, and speech-language impairment, as well as the diversity of signs and symptoms associated with this disorder. This condition is not in the most respected classification of disorders such as DSM IV or ICD. Bedford Borough would therefore not recognise this as a formal diagnosis
3. Who/ which department would have specialist knowledge if APD and be responsible for providing specialists knowledge to parents and schools
As this is not a recognised condition there are no specific departments that would offer specific advice. However, our speech and language service would be the suggested service to contact if we had a request for advice
4. Do you hold and data on APD
No we do not have any data
2460 / 29/9/2011 / Request:
I would like to know how much money Bedford Borough Council has paid out to staff not talk to about their work once their employment has ended. I would also like to know how many people have been told not to talk about their work upon leaving their employment.
Also is possible to find out (The Mayor’s former PA) is subject to an order not talk about her work upon her employment ending and also what her redundancy payment was upon her leaving her position
Our response:
Request pursuant to Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request No. 2460
I refer to your recent enquiry for information held by the Council.
Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the authority must state whether or not the information exists and I confirm that we do hold the information you requested.
Your request was:
1. I would like to know how much money Bedford Borough Council has paid out to staff not talk to about their work once their employment has ended. I would also like to know how many people have been told not to talk about their work upon leaving their employment.
2. Also is possible to find out if (The Mayor’s former PA) is subject to an order not talk about her work upon her employment ending and also what her redundancy payment was upon her leaving her position.
QUESTION 1:
General matters in relation to confidentiality are contained within the contract of employment. There are occasions where the Council will enter into a compromise agreement when an employee leaves the Council, however the specific terms of the Agreement are strictly confidential between the parties.
The number of compromise agreements that the Council has entered into in this calendar year, ie: from 1st January 2011 and the total payment made is:
Mainstream: 6 Payment total £84,859.15
Schools (where the Council is the employer): 1 Payment total £1,505.00
QUESTION 2:
We can confirm that the information you requested is held under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, the Council, for the reasons that follow, declines to disclose the information requested.
Pursuant to Section 17 (1) of the Act the Council
1.States that the details requested in your second question as stated above is exemptinformation.
2. Specifies, that the exemption in question is contained within Section 40(2) by virtue of 40(3)(a)(i) of the FOI Act (FOIA) as it comprises personal data and disclosure would be unfair.
The details requested amounts to ‘personal data’ under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).
Section 40(2) of the FOIA provides for an absolute exemption in respect of personal data where the disclosure of that data under FOIA would contravene one of the data protection principles contained in Schedule 1 to the DPA.
The Council specifically addressed the question as to whether disclosure of the personal data you have requested would contravene in particular the first Data Protection principle. That principle requires that any processing of personal data must be fair and lawful and must otherwise meet one of the conditions provided for in Schedule 2 to the DPA. The schedule 2 condition which is most likely to be relevant in this context is that provided for in paragraph 6(1) of schedule 2. That condition will be met, in essence, if the public interests in disclosure of the data positively outweigh the data subjects’ private interests in keeping their data confidential.
In assessing fairness the Council has considered whether there is a legitimate interest in the public accessing the withheld information. These interests would be served by the disclosure of the withheld information. However, the Council does not believe that any legitimate interest in the public accessing the withheld information would outweigh the data subject’s private interests and reasonable expectations in keeping their data confidential.
For these reasons the Council is satisfied that the withheld information is personal data and that disclosure would not comply with the first DPA principle.
2461 / 26/9/2011 / Request and Response::
Request pursuant to Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request No 2461.
I refer to your recent enquiry for information held by the Council.
Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the authority must state whether or not the information exists and I confirm that we do hold the information you requested.
Please find the information you requested enclosed. You requested:
1. In the past 5 years, for each year how many reception year primary school applications has Bedfordshire received where parents have requested placement at primary schools in Bedfordshire (Great Barford, Willington ) yet are resident in Cambridgeshire?
Reply to Question 1, 2 & 4
Figures about the number of applications received and the number of places offered is published for each school in our Starting Booklet, we do say in the booklet that its value can be somewhat limited. This is what will be published in this year’s booklet in this respect, “We have included this information as you may find it helpful when considering whether or not places are likely to be available at your preferred school. You should be aware, however, that numbers vary from year to year and the availability of places in September 2011 will not mean that places will be available in September 2012. Likewise, over-subscription in September 2011 will not mean over-subscription in September 2012.”
Great Barford Lower / 2011 / 2010 / 2009 / 2008 / 2007
Published Admission Number / 30 / 30 / 30 / 30 / 28
Applications / 28 / 30 / 25 / 34 / 11
Offers / 28 / 30 / 25 / 30 / 11
Declines / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4 / 0
Cambridgeshire Applicants / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Cambridgeshire Offers / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Cambridgeshire Declines / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Willington Lower / 2011 / 2010 / 2009 / 2008 / 2007
Published Admission Number / 15 / 15 / 15 / 15 / 15
Applications / 14 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 12
Offers / 14 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 12
Declines / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Cambridgeshire Applicants / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0
Cambridgeshire Offers / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0
Cambridgeshire Declines / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
We do not have the information to be able to say how many, if any, of the 4 applications turned down for Great Barford Lower in 2008 were subsequently successful in obtaining a place.
2.With regards to (1) how many of the application requests were successful outcomes (i.e. child placed in school of preferred choice) and how many were unsuccessful in outcome (i.e. child not placed in school of preferred choice)
Please see reply to Question 1 above
3.With regards to (1,2) where an application to a school in Bedfordshire was not successful what were the dominant reasons for lack of success.
Any application turned down would have been because there were more applications than places available (the Published Admissions Number) and the applicant would have been too far down the priority list. The Starting School booklet which is due to be published in mid October will detail the admissions criteria for our schools.
4.Over the past 5 years, for each year how many reception year primary school places exist and how many applications were received for each of Great Barford Primary School and Willington primary School. Also for each school how many prospective pupils were placed on an admissions waiting list and of these how many were ultimately successful in gain a place at the school.
Please see reply to Question 1 above
5.How many applications does Bedfordshire expect to receive for Great Barford and Willington from within the respective catchment areas.
We do not have information available to be able to say how many applications will be received for 2012.
6.What influence does the distance between the school and the applicants property have on the outcome of the decision.
Distance is used to prioritise applications if there are more applications within one category that there are places available. Again this information is available each year in our Starting School booklet, however, here is the appropriate extract from that booklet. “If applying these criteria results in there being more children with an equal right to admission to the school than the number of available places, the tie break will be the distance the pupil lives from the school, measured in a straight line, using the Local Authority’s computerised measuring system, with those living closer to the school receiving the higher priority. The Local Authority will measure the distance from the address point of the pupil’s home to a point on the school site agreed with the governing body of the school (the designated measuring point). The Local Authority will not give priority within each criterion to children who meet other criteria.”
2462 / 12/9/2011 / Request:
1.In 2010/2011 how much money did the local authority receive/is due to receive from businesses with which it has a registered Primary Authority Partnership?
2. For 2010/2011 please list each individual Primary Authority Partnership, the amount of money received/due to be received and state what the money was paid to the local authority for.
Response:
Request pursuant to Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request No. 2462
I refer to your recent enquiry for information held by the Council.
Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the authority must state whether or not the information exists and I confirm that we do hold the information you requested.
Please find the information you requested as follows:
1. In 2010/2011 how much money did the local authority receive/is due to receive from businesses with which it has a registered Primary Authority Partnership? Nil
2. For 2010/2011 please list each individual Primary Authority Partnership, the amount of money received/due to be received and state what the money was paid to the local authority for. Sports Traider – Nil
2463 / 5/9/2011 / Request and response:
Request pursuant to Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request No. 2463
Further to your request for information dated 31 August 2011, I can confirm that the information you requested is held under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, the Council, for the reasons that follow, declines to disclose the information requested.
You requested:
Can you please send me the maintenance contract for this system?
Pursuant to Section 17 (1) of the Act the Council
1. States that this is exempt information.
2. Specifies, that the exemption in question is contained within Section 41 Information Provided in Confidence and Section 43 Commercial Interests.