Request reference: EIR 9695

Issue date: 05.04.24

Request received: 

Copies of pre-application enquiry documents and relating internal and external correspondence for ENQ/0525/2022 and ENQ/0959/2020

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the requested information subject to some personal data being redacted throughout in accordance with Regulation 13. Some of the information was fully withheld from disclosure in accordance with Regulation 12(5)(e) - commercially confidentiality 

Request reference: FOI 9731

Issue date: 02.04.24

Request received: 

In relation to 91-95 High Street, Ilfracombe, EX34 9NH, confirm the following:

• Any information regarding past industrial land use(s) at the site  
• Any Information on pollution incidents/records of contamination at the site.
• Whether the site is considered suitable for use, if it has been risk ranked in accordance with its Contaminated Land Strategy required under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and if so, what priority it has been assigned and why

Response provided:

Applicant provided with a map and contaminated land report in Excel format which are available upon further request. Applicant advised that the Council does not hold any other records regarding potentially contaminated land in this area. It was recommended that they also contact the Environment Agency and Devon County Council regarding any information they may hold in relation to the site or the land in the vicinity

North Devon Council has not yet fully inspected its area to identify sites of contaminated land as required by Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. As such, it is not possible to say whether or not this site will be classified under this legislation. At this time, it is considered unlikely that this site would be the subject of inspection under this legislation to the future

Request reference: FOI 9744

Issue date: 02.04.24

Request received: 

1. The number of times your local authority has received a government alert of a serious safeguarding issue regarding a Homes for Ukraine sponsor/ host since March 2022 to present

2. Detail whether the Home Office shared the details of the reason for their alert in each case, and if so, what they were

3. Detail what action was taken following each alert, for example, Ukrainian moved out of sponsor home. Ukrainian stayed at sponsor home

Response provided:

1.         Zero

2.         N/A

3.         N/A

Request reference: FOI 9752

Issue date: 03.04.24

Request received: 

1. How much has your council received in funding for Levelling Up to date in total?

Can you show the figures for 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 separately?

1. How much of this funding has your council spent? Again, for 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 separately

If full data for 2023/24 is unavailable, please share as much information as possible up to the latest reporting period for this financial year

1. How much do you expect to receive and spend in 2024/25?

Response provided:

From: Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, HM Treasury, and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The UK Community Renewal Fund

The Levelling Up Fund

The Levelling Up Fund Round 2

The Levelling Up Fund Round 3

The Community Ownership Fund

The Community Ownership Fund: Round 4

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Of all of the above sources, North Devon Council has only received funding under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) – and this includes the rural ‘top-up’ fund called Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF)

The total funding allocated under UKSPF: £1,214,999 (for financial year 22/23, 23/24/24/25)

The total funding allocated under REPF: £1,091,259 (for financial year 23/24/24/25)

Funding received/spent in 22/23:

UKSPF: £142,451 of which £39,000 was spent and the rest rolled into 23/24 year due to the funding MOU from Government being signed in January 2023, leaving very little time for spend in this financial year

Funding received/spent in 23/24:

UKSPF: £284,903 plus £103,451 (rolled over from 22/23) = £388,354 of which £262,260 has been spent and the rest rolled into 24/25

REPF: £692,259 of which £54,223 was spent and the rest rolled into 

Funding expected to be received in 24/25:

UKSPF: £787,645 plus £126,094 (rolled over from 23/24) = £913,739

REPF: £399,000 plus £638,036 (rolled over from 23/24) = £1,037,036

With our live projects and contracts in place we expect to fully spend the allocation/roll-over during 24/25 with the end date of March 2025 for final spend 

Request reference: EIR 9757

Issue date: 02.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 0EY

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9760

Issue date: 02.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX32 7PL

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9761

Issue date: 09.04.24

Request received: 

For each of the previous five years (2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24):

The total number of attacks (physical and verbal) on traffic wardens recorded by the Council

Response provided:

Applicant advised that the Council holds no recorded of any physical attacks on Civil Enforcement Officers in each of the requested years, however with regard to verbal attacks the Council’s response is as follows:

2020 = One (no risk of escalation, CEO walked away)

2021 = Two (no risk of escalation, CEO walked away on both occasions)

2022 = Four (no risk of escalation, CEO walked away on all occasions)

2023 = One (possible risk of escalation, CEO walked away)

2024 = Zero to date of response (09.04.24)

Request reference: FOI 9762

Issue date: 19.04.24

Request received: 

1. Do you have a dedicated procurement team? 

2. How many FTE’s are dedicated to procurement? 

3. Details of procurement projects undertaken in the last 12 months, including the type of procedure (over-threshold projects, dynamic purchasing system) and the value of contract per year

4. Details of the five highest value procurement projects undertaken in the last 12 months

5. The spend in the last 12 months for e-tendering/procurement platform software?

6. Please complete the following for the Dynamic Purchasing Systems that the Council uses (Description, managed in-house or contracted, spend in the last 12 months (for 12 month projected spend if less than 12 months old)

7. Do you use procurement cards? If so, what was the spend in the last 12 months and what was the cost of this service net of any rebates?

Response provided:

1. No

2. Zero

3.  In accordance with Sections 21 (Information already publically available) and 16 (Advice and Assistance) of the Act, this information is searchable via the Advance search function on the Council’s Contract Register. From this page, you will be able to filter all contracts within 12 months any by Framework

4. As 3 above, this will also be searchable via the advance search function via the Council’s Contract Register, as linked above. The Contract Register in its entirety can be exported in Excel format

5. In accordance with Sections 21 (Information already publically available) and 16 (Advice and Assistance) of the Act, this information is published on the Contract Register: Provision of E-procurement system

6. The Council does not manage any Dynamic Purchasing Systems, however the Council is aware that it has used one which would be identifiable by searching the Contract Register and by ticking the DPS box under the Framework heading

7. Yes, the Council does. It publishes quarterly datasets of Procurement card spend on its website: Government Procurement Card Expenditure

The cost of this service is £45 per card holder, per annum. The Council has 26 active cards

Request reference: EIR 9763

Issue date: 02.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 4NQ

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9764

Issue date: 03.04.24

Request received: 

1. Details of all A2 installations and Part B permits in your area, including the following information if available: your reference for the permit, the name and address of the permit holder, the address for which the permit is granted, the grid reference, the date of issue, the process undertaken, and the current status of the permit. An Excel or .csv file would be preferable but we would be grateful for this information in whichever format is easiest for you to provide
2. Details of any enforcement notices issued relating to breaches of the terms of the above permits since 1st January 2016. Where none have been issued we would be grateful if you could confirm as such
3. Details of any sites designated as contaminated land under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. We require the address, grid reference, and site boundaries for all sites within your area that have been designated under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. If there are no such sites please could you confirm as such

Response provided:

1. A dataset containing A2 installations and Part B permits is published on the Council’s website, is updated annually with the next update due from 8 August 2024
2. The Council’s Environmental Protection team confirms that there have been no breaches of permits from 1 January 2016 to date, therefore no enforcement notices have been issued
3. Applicant directed to the Council’s website regarding contaminated land which confirms that the Council’s register holds no applicable sites

Request reference: EIR 9765

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX36 4JT

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9766

Issue date: 09.04.24

Request received: 

A list of "Community Venues" defined as facilities the Council owns that can be hired for community use. This may include Community Centres, Community Halls, Libraries, Town Halls, Pavilions and any other facilities that can be booked for community use

Please provide a table with the following columns:

• Name of venue
• Number of bookable spaces
• Total venue income from bookings last financial year (£)
• Does the venue have an online booking system that is defined as the ability for a customer to book and pay online

Response provided:

Name of Venue	Number of bookable spaces	Total venue income from last financial year 2023/24 (£)	Online Booking System (yes/no)
Learning Room, Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon (only available when not in use by the Museum)	One room	£1,105	No
Pannier Market, Barnstaple	N/A	£0 as it was closed during the last financial year due to refurbishment	No

Request reference: FOI 9767

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

1. Number of Licensed Breeders: The total number of licensed breeders within your authority as of the end of 2023

2. Licence Applications and Approvals for 2023

- The number of new licence applications received in 2023

- The number of new licences approved in 2023

- The number of licence renewal applications received in 2023

- The number of licence renewals approved in 2023

3. Inspections

- The total number of inspections undertaken in 2023

4. Licence Revocations

- Details of any licences that were revoked during 2023, including the reasons for revocation

5. Complaints

- The number of complaints received in 2023 related to licensed breeders

- The nature of these complaints and any subsequent actions taken

6. Litters Recorded

- The total number of litters and puppies in each litter recorded by each licence holder in 2023

Response provided:

1. 15

2. Licence Applications and Approvals for 2023: 

- The number of new licence applications received in 2023 = Eight

- The number of new licences approved in 2023 = Seven 

- The number of licence renewal applications received in 2023 = Two

- The number of licence renewals approved in 2023 = Two

3. Nine

4. Zero

5. - The number of complaints received in 2023 related to licensed breeders = Six

   - The nature of these complaints and any subsequent actions taken. All allegations of unlicensed dog breeding which were investigated, resulting in one prosecution

6. Information not recorded by the Council

Request reference: EIR 9769

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 3EU

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9770

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 8ED

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9771

Issue date: 10.04.24

Request received: 

Information about the costs incurred by unoccupied non-residential properties owned by the council. Please provide an itemised list of non-residential properties owned by the council that were unoccupied for one month or longer between 1 Jan 2022 and 31 December 2023:

Please include the following information: 

• The address of the property

• The dates during which the property was unoccupied

• The cost of insuring the property during the period it was unoccupied

o If this is not possible, please provide an annual amount

• The cost of providing security for the property during the period it was unoccupied

o If this is not possible, please provide an annual amount

• Any other maintenance costs for the property during the period it was unoccupied

If this is not possible, please provide an annual amount

• The cost of any renovation works undertaken during the period it was unoccupied

• The dates any such renovation work was undertaken

• The size of the property

Response provided:

Information (where held/recorded) was provided to the applicant within table format (in Word) and a separate Excel spreadsheet, which are available upon further request   

Request reference: EIR 9772

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 9LQ

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9773

Issue date: 17.04.24

Request received: 

The following for the period 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023 and pertains to the council’s website, app and/or online services that are designed for citizen use: 

1. How many citizens used the council’s website, app or online services that are designed for citizen use in the year between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023?

2. What was the total number of unresolved queries or tickets related to the council’s website, app and online services in this period? 

3. What is the average waiting time for phone calls made to the council’s customer service in this period?

4. What was the average resolution time for queries received through the council’s website, app and online services during this time period?

5. What was the total cost of specifically maintaining the council’s website, app and online services in this time period? 

6. How many downtime incidents to the council’s website, app or online services were recorded in the given timeframe, and what was the average downtime duration?

7. What is the average score for the council’s website, app and online services user satisfaction survey in this time period?

Response provided:

1. The Council does not hold this information, however it can provide UA 4 Unique Page Views = 1,066,935 (1 Jan 23 – 5 Jul 23)

GA 4 Page Views: 1,235,200

2. N/A

3. The Council can provide the average wait time, but only for the period from 28.09.23 – 31.12.23 as it no longer has access to its previous telephony system reports. Therefore, the average wait time was 2 minutes and 43 seconds

4. The Council does not record this information

5. The cost of the Council’s former website to September 2023 and the new website from October - December 2023 was £7,350

6. There were 13 incidents logged from 26 Jul 2023. The average downtime is approximately 20.23 minutes

 7. The Council does not send satisfaction surveys relating to its website

Request reference: FOI 9774

Issue date: 11.04.24

Request received: 

1. The name of each Monitoring Officer for the Authority since 1.1.2019. Kindly also provide the dates they were in post and any other roles they held within the Authority (before, during and after)

2. The name of each Deputy Monitoring Officer for the Authority since 1.1.2019. Kindly also provide the dates they were in post and any other roles they held within the Authority (before, during and after)

3. Please provide the date of every report made by the Monitoring Officer under Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

4. Please provide a copy of each report made by the Monitoring Officer under Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

Response provided:

1. Ken Miles – From before requested time period until 01.07.19 – Head of Corporate and Community Services (role included being Monitoring Officer)

Trevor Blatchford – 24.07.19 – 30.09.21 – Senior Solicitor and Monitoring Officer

Simon Fuller – 21.10.21 to date – Senior Solicitor and Monitoring Officer

1. Trevor Blatchford – From before time period in request until 23.07.19 – Head of Contentious Law

No Deputy Monitoring Officer was appointed between 24.07.19 to 30.06.21

Simon Fuller – 01.07.21 – 20.10.21 – Solicitor and Data Protection Officer 

Carol Norman and Tanya McGovern – 08.04.22 to date – Solicitor and Data Protection Officer and Solicitor respectively

3 and 4. Any reports made under Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 triggers Full Council to be called for an extraordinary meeting which would be published via the Council’s website: Full Council Meetings. From here the applicant was advised that they would be able to search on each year to identify any such reports, where they have been made

In accordance with Section 21(1) of the Act, the Council is not obliged to provide information that is already in the public domain. However, it does have a duty under Section 16(1) to provide all applicants advice and assistance in order to assist with locating the information, which the Council considers has been met as it has provided the applicant with the link to the Council website above

However, in order to assist the applicant further, the current Monitoring Officer confirms that they do not recall any such reports being made for the requested period of the request

Request reference: FOI 9775

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

Regarding cyber-attacks affecting North Devon District Council. Where possible please provide data broken down by calendar year or failing that, by relevant 12-month period (e g 2021/22 2022/23 etc.) for which data is available: 

1. How many times has your organisation experienced an attempted cyber-attack in the last two financial years? 

2. Have you ever reported any cyber-related incidents to the NCSC and if so, how many in the last two financial years?

3. Thinking about cyber-attacks where the criminal was able to obtain data or disable systems, how much have these cost the organisation?

4. How much of the organisation’s total annual budget is spent on cyber support, protection and computer systems?

5. How many people are employed by the organisation to oversee cyber support and programmes?

Response provided:

Request fully refused under Section 31 – prevention and detection of crime

Request reference: FOI 9776

Issue date: 10.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many bags of litter, refuse and detritus was removed from the areas for which you are responsible in 2021, 2022 and 2023?
2. How much money (or other resources) has been spent/used on litter picking in the area for which you are responsible in 2021, 2022 and 2023?
3. How many Fixed Penalty Notices’s have been issued by your authority for littering in the areas for which you are responsible and how much money have they generated in 2021, 2022 and 2023?
4. If the local authority that I am writing to uses littercam cameras or similar to catch motorists throwing litter from their cars, how many fines have been issued as a result of this and how much money has it generated in 2021, 2022 and 2023?

Response provided:

1 and 2. This information is not recorded by the Council

3. This information is published within the Council’s yearly Environmental Fixed Penalty Notice datasets: Environmental fixed penalty notices issued by the Council

4. The Council does not use littercam cameras

Request reference: FOI 9777

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

1. The number of data breach incidents the council has had between 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023- date (March 2024)

1a) of these, how many were cyber-incidents?

2. How much has the council paid out in compensation for Data Breach claims between 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023-date (March 2024)?

Response provided:

1. 2021/22 = 33

    2022/23 = 28

    2023/24 = 16

   Please note that the above exclude near misses

1a. Fully refused under Section 31 – prevention and detection of crime

2. Zero/£0 in each of the requested years

Request reference: FOI 9779

Issue date: 17.04.24

Request received: 

1. What software do you use for your payroll, hr and finance solutions, how much annually do you spend on each, when does each contract expire?

2. Do you manage your payroll in-house or do you outsource it if so, who do you outsource it to?

3. How many people do you pay each month using your payroll solution?

4. How many pensioners do you pay using your payroll solution?

5. Do you use Microsoft power platform technologies such as Power Automate, Power Virtual Agents?

6. What is the employee count in your organisation?

7. Do you collaborate with other organisations in the delivery of HR and Payroll shared services? If so which organisation?

8. Do you work with any industry experts such as ATOS, KPMG, EY, Accenture etc?

9. Who in your organisation is the head of service for HR and Payroll software or services and what is their role?

Response provided:

1. Personnel and Payroll Services – Please see link for supplier, annual spend and expiry date of contract and Core Financial system – Please see link for supplier, annual spend and expiry date of contract
2. Managed in-house
3.  558
4. None, these are paid by Peninsula Pensions
5. No
6. FTE as at 31/03/2024 was 425.37
7. The Council runs the Payroll for North Devon Plus and some Town and Parish Council’s
8. No
9. This information is published on the Council’s website: Chief Executive and Senior Management (Head of Organisational Development for HR and Head of Governance for Finance

In accordance with Section 21(1) of the Act, the Council is not obliged to provide information that is already in the public domain. However, it does have a duty under Section 16(1) to provide all applicants advice and assistance in order to assist with locating the information, which the Council has done so in providing the links above which provide the publicly available information on the Council’s Contract Register and website

Request reference: FOI 9782

Issue date: 11.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many households living in temporary accommodation in December 2023 were ineligible/disqualified to bid for permanent housing because of rent arrears?

2. How many households identified in question 1 include at least one child under the age of 18 years old?

3. How many households identified in question 1 include at least one child who is two years-old or under? 

4. How many households living in temporary accommodation in December 2023 were re-banded/deprioritised for permanent housing because of rent arrears?

5. How many households identified in question 4 include at least one child under the age of 18 years old? 

6. How many households identified in question 4 include at least one child who is two years-old or under?

Response provided:

1. Zero

2. N/A

3. N/A

4. One

5. One

6. One

Request reference: EIR 9783

Issue date: 16.04.24

Request received: 

A copy of those conditions regarding LN/202300061 (site ref 78117) – Downend Point Camping Site

Response provided:

Applicant provided with a copy of the conditions and site plan for the site, with a signature redacted in accordance with Section 40 (personal data) of the Act, which is available upon request

Request reference: EIR 9784

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 7BZ

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9785

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX36 4JE

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9786

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 3LD

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9787

Issue date: 10.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many units of social housing that your Council own/manage are currently void/vacant?

A. What percentage of your social housing portfolio does this equate to?

B. Over what period are these voids (i e when did the first property become void and when was the most recent);

C. What are the reasons for these voids; and

D. When do you expect these properties to be brought back into use?

2. How many units of private housing that your Council own/manage are currently void/vacant?

A. What percentage of your private housing portfolio does this equate to?

B. Over what period are these voids (i e when did the first property become void and when was the most recent);

C. What are the reasons for these voids; and

D. When do you expect these properties to be brought back into use?

Response provided:

1. North Devon Council no longer holds a social housing (council housing) stock; this was transferred to North Devon homes Ltd, 21.02.2000

2. a) 22% (10) 

b) This varies, all short–term as used for Temporary Accommodation by Housing team

c) Outstanding works (building works, cleaning services or awaiting Landlord)/vacant as    tenancy has been ended and being handed back to the Freeholder/to meet funding requirements (LAHF)

d) Four are being handed back to the Freeholder, remaining as soon as works complete (all expected in the next two weeks). One property is currently being held back for a Ukrainian family as part of the LAHF funding 

Request reference: FOI 9788

Issue date: 18.04.24

Request received: 

1. The amount of money the council paid to providers of temporary accommodation in calendar year 2023, broken down by individual provider (i e showing how much was paid to each provider). If the information is not available by calendar year, please provide the figures for the 2023/24 financial year (year-to-date if necessary)

2. The number of households currently living in temporary accommodation. This includes households that the council has placed inside or outside the local authority area, but excludes households placed inside the local authority area by other councils

3. Of the placements referred to in response to question 2, how many placements have their rent fully covered by the government subsidy for temporary accommodation costs (i e up to 90 percent of January 2011 Local Housing Allowance rates)?

4. In calendar year 2023, how many households did the council assess as having made themselves “intentionally homeless” due to rent arrears?

5. In calendar year 2023, how many households did the council end its homelessness duty towards due to the household’s refusal to accept an offer of housing outside the local authority area?

Response provided:

1. Applicant provided with the information held in Excel format, which is available upon request. Some personal data redacted under Section 40 of Act

2. 66

3. All apart from those in Bed and Breakfast who are required to pay for a contribution to cover heating, lighting, hot water and breakfast

4. Three

5. Zero

Request reference: EIR 9789

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX36 4QW

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9790

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX32 7BG

Response provided:

Applicant advised no information held 

Request reference: EIR 9791

Issue date: 17.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 9FF

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9792

Issue date: 19.04.24

Request received: 

A list of all public swimming pools and leisure centres run by your council between 2005 and 2022. Additionally, could you please provide information on dates of opening and closure (with at least year-month precision) if they started or ceased operation over that period. Lastly, could you please provide information on opening and closing hours of the leisure centre/swimming pool in that given year?

That means the final dataset would have the following columns:

Name of the swimming pool or leisure centre, type (i e leisure centre or swimming pool or both), address, date of opening, date of closing, opening hours in year 2005, opening hours in year 2006, … , opening hours in year 2022

If collecting weekly opening hours is not possible, annual opening hours are sufficient, too

Response provided:

Between 2005 and 2022 North Devon Council has operated the following:

Ilfracombe Swimming Pool 

This was closed temporarily in January 2014 due to works to include a gym and the replacement of pipework, re-opening on 3 January 2015

North Devon Leisure Centre 

This closed in June 2022, but was replaced by Tarka Leisure Centre which opened in June 2022. Both are/were leisure centres with swimming pools

Tarka Tennis Centre 

Opened in 2003 as a standalone facility but is now adjoined to the new Tarka Tennis Centre

All facilities closed when required to by law under Covid restrictions and re-opened as soon as restrictions were lifted. These dates (Covid restrictions on leisure facilities) are in the public domain: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-gyms-and-pools-to-reopen-safely

Request reference: FOI 9795

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many cumulative working days did council staff spend working from home in 2022/23?

2. How much the council spent on work from home related costs for council workers (i.e. home desktop screens/office chairs etc) in 2022-23?

Response provided:

1. North Devon Council has adopted flexible working arrangements to fit the needs of the particular team and the personal circumstances of the individual. As a result, many staff have the option to work from home for either part or all of the working week. The number of people working from home and the duration fluctuates each week

2. £2,090.00

Request reference: FOI 9796

Issue date: 23.04.24

Request received: 

RE: Industrial Premises, Drayford Lane, TIVERTON, EX16 8PR

We are carrying out some due diligence on the above property (site plan attached) and was hoping you might be able to answer the below questions for us:

1. Is the Site is on the Council’s list of Part 2A sites to investigate, under the EPA, 1990?

If so:

1. Has the Site been prioritised for detailed inspection? (If yes, where is it on the list – Low/Mod/High priority)?

2. Are any prioritisation works being undertaken under Part 2A at this time/are they expected to take place in the near future?

And also,

1. Are you aware of any issues relating to contaminated land either on site or in proximity to the Site?

2. If the Site were to be redeveloped, would contaminated land conditions be placed on the planning application?

3. Is the site considered suitable for its current use?

Response provided:

The Council confirmed that it does hold some of the information as requested. The applicant provided with a map and spreadsheet (QGIS contaminated land report) which are available upon further request

The Environmental Protection team does not hold any other records regarding potentially contaminated land in this area. It was recommend that the applicant also contact the Environment Agency and Devon County Council regarding any information they may hold in relation to the site or the land in the vicinity

North Devon Council has not yet fully inspected its area to identify sites of contaminated land as required by Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. As such, it is not possible to say whether or not this site will be classified under this legislation. At this time, it is considered unlikely that this site would be the subject of inspection under this legislation to the future 

Request reference: FOI 9797

Issue date: 19.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many water complaints did you receive in the years, 2021, 2022 and 2023?

2. What are the reasons for the complaints?

a. The quality of the water

b. The water pressure

c. Interruption to water supply

d. Unhappy with service

e. Water pipes

f. Costs

g. Damages

h. Other, please specify

3. How much have you had to pay out in connection with water complaints during the years 2022, 2022 and 2023? In pounds (£)

Response provided:

Applicant advised that whilst the authority is responsible for monitoring the quality of water supplied by water companies within North Devon, they may also wish to make a separate request to South West Water for any information they may hold in regards to 2.b onwards

1 and 2. Applicant provided with the information held in Excel format, which is available upon request

3. £0 in each of the requested years 

Request reference: FOI 9798

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

1. What is the total number of individuals employed as Covid Marshalls since 1st March 2020?

2. What was the average contract duration?

3. What is the total number of Covid Marshalls, currently employed?

4. What is the total cost spent on Covid Marshalls since 1st March 2020?

Response provided:

1. Covid Marshals (known locally Place Makers) were contracted on four different occasions from December 2022 to May 2022 to police/enforce Covid restrictions. Each contract required two Covid Marshals to be on duty at any one time

2. Two months

3. There are currently no staff or outside contractors hired to police / enforce Covid restrictions

4. The total value of all the contracts for Covid Marshals (Place Makers) was £49,297 funded by the Welcome Back Fund and the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF)

Request reference: FOI 9799

Issue date: 02.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many people were owed the relief duty under the housing act by the council after leaving Home Office asylum accommodation in:

a) 2022

b) 2023

c) In each month from January 2022 to the month for which data is most recently available

2. How many transgender (including non-binary) people were owed the relief duty under the housing act by the council after leaving Home Office asylum accommodation in:

a) 2022

b) 2023

c) In each month from January 2022 to the month for which data is most recently available

Response provided:

1. A) Zero B) Zero C) Zero

2. A) Zero B) Zero C) Zero

Request reference: FOI 9801

Issue date: 03.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many public car parks do you operate? 

 2. Please fill in the below table to advise on how many public car parking spaces were available in council-operated car parks in the following years: 2022, 2023 and 2024 until 01.04.24

3. Please provide details on how much you did/do charge for parking in the years as requested above or whether it is free for the period referenced and the operational hours of charging

Response provided:

1. Applicant directed to the Council’s website for this information: Parking

2. 2022 = 3,626, 2023 = 3,622, 2024 until01.04.24 = 3,583

3. As follows:  

Year	Type of parking
2022	Average/typical hourly day time rate £	£1.10
	Average/typical hourly evening rate £	N/A
	Average/typical hourly overnight rate £	N/A
	Average/typical 24 hour rate £	£11.60
	Day time – please provide timings (i e daytime rates apply 6am to 6pm)	08:00-18:00
	Evenings – please provide timings (i e evening rates apply 6pm – 11pm)	N/A
	Overnight – please provide timings (i e night rates apply 11pm – 6am)	18:00-08:00
2023	Average/typical hourly day time rate £	£1.27
	Average/typical hourly evening rate £	N/A
	Average/typical hourly overnight rate £	£15.00 motorhomes only
	Average/typical 24 hour rate £	£15.00
	Day time – please provide timings (i e daytime rates apply 6am to 6pm)	08:00-18:00
	Evenings – please provide timings (i e evening rates apply 6pm – 11pm)	N/A
	Overnight – please provide timings (i e night rates apply 11pm – 6am)
	Average / typical hourly day time rate £
2024 until April 1st	Average/typical hourly day time rate £	£1.27
	Average/typical hourly evening rate £	N/A
	Average/typical hourly overnight rate £	£15.00 motorhomes only
	Average/typical 24 hour rate £	£15.00
	Day time – please provide timings (i e  daytime rates apply 6am to 6pm)	08:00-18:00
	Evenings – please provide timings (i e evening rates apply 6pm – 11pm)	N/A
	Overnight – please provide timings (i e night rates apply 11pm – 6am)	18:00-08:00
2024 – 2025 financial year	Average/typical hourly day time rate £	£1.27
	Average/typical hourly evening rate £	N/A
	Average/typical hourly overnight rate £	£15.00 motorhomes only
	Average/typical 24 hour rate £	£15.00
	Day time – please provide timings (i e daytime rates apply 6am to 6pm)	08:00-18:00
	Evenings – please provide timings (i e evening rates apply 6pm – 11pm)	N/A
	Overnight – please provide timings (i e night rates apply 11pm – 6am)	18:00-08:00

Request reference: FOI 9802

Issue date: 17.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX35 6EH

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9803

Issue date: 16.04.24

Request received: 

1. How does the Council consult with the business community under Section 65 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and which organisations are contacted? Plus details of any meetings and who attended? With a timescale of the municipal years for 2021/22, 2022/23 and the current year 2023/24
2. What contact has the Council had with the Federation of Small Businesses during the period referred to under 1 above, has the FSB been invited to participate in any relevant consultation and meetings? If so, what was the topic? Did the FSB respond? 

Response provided:

1. The Council holds an annual Business Support and Consultation event in advance of the budget plans being considered and approved by Full Council at the end of February each year for the forthcoming year – this is to satisfy the s65 requirements of the Local Government Finance Act quoted

The events run through the Council’s budget plans, presented by the Council’s Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive and other business support presentations are presented by the Council’s Economic Development team

I can confirm we held the events as follows, these were held at Node Business Centre, Barnstaple;

• 8 February 2024 (for 2024/25 financial year)

• 21 February 2023 (for 2023/24 financial year)

• 16 February 2022 (for 2022/23 financial year)

There was no event held one for the 2021/22 budget due to the pandemic and being in lockdown measures, therefore budget papers and reports for member consideration would have been placed on the Council’s website

2. The events we have hosted in the years listed are ‘open’ to any business or provider to attend and are promoted via our social media accounts, press releases and directly to a mailing list of over 1000 businesses who are registered to receive NDC business news

The Council has not directly invited the FSB to speak at any of the events in the listed years. The Council holds no specific records that they have come to the events as attendees, although they would have been able to attend as these are ‘open’ events without any need to book a place

Request reference: FOI 9804

Issue date: 08.04.24

Request received: 

1. What are the maximum amount of bins/receptacles that are available for collection by the council (i.e. general waste bin, recycle bin, food bin, battery bin etc)? This includes bins that residents are charged extra fees to obtain

2. Provide a list with the names of all the bins/receptacles available for collection by the council

3. If the bin available for collection requires additional fees from a resident, please note the bin requiring fees

4. What is the average number of bins collected from a resident by the council?

Response provided:

1.  One Black bin (two if they meet criteria and pay)

     One Green bin (two if they pay for second permit)

     Two black or green boxes 

     One blue box

     One kerbside food waste caddy

     One kitchen food waste caddy

     Two Brown bags

     Two Green bags

2. One Black bin (two if they meet criteria and pay)

    One Green bin (two if they pay for second permit)

    Two black or green boxes 

    One blue box

    One kerbside food waste caddy

    Two Brown bags

    Two Green bags

3. Green Wheelie bin for garden waste and second black wheelie bin for residual waste if property meets criteria for second bin

4. Average black bins collected is 1

    The average green bins collected is 0.4

    The average number of recycling receptacles collected is 5

Request reference: FOI 9805

Issue date: 17.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX33 1NN

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9806

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

1. Current polling district boundaries in your council area in Shapefile/GIS format. Your GIS mapping team (if you have one) should have this. If you do not hold boundaries in this format, please provide the maps in PDF or image format

2. Number of individuals registered to vote in each polling district in your council area by polling district reference. For example: AA - 1,000; AB - 500; AC - 600 etc

Response provided:

1.  Polling Districts are available from the Ordnance Survey under their Open Licence: https://osdatahub.os.uk/downloads/open/BoundaryLine

2. Applicant provided with this information in Excel/CSV format, which is available upon request 

Request reference: FOI 9807

Issue date: 17.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX33 1DS

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9808

Issue date: 16.04.24

Request received: 

1. The total number of complaints you have received from private renters in each of the last six financial years (i e 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24 until the most recent available date)

2. The number of complaints you have received from private renters in each of the last six financial years (i e 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24 until the most recent available date) for each of the following reasons: 

• Repairs (e g that haven't been actioned, haven't been completed or haven't been completed to a good standard)

• Illegal eviction (or the threat of)

• Harassment

• Dishonest or unfair trading behaviour

3. The number of complaints you have received from private renters in each of the last six financial years (i e 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24 until the most recent available date) about letting agencies (or the top ten with the most complaints is fine). Please provide the name of each letting agency, along with the number of complaints

4. The number of complaints you have received from private renters in each of the last six financial years (i e 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24 until the most recent available date) that have been resolved:

• By the council

• By the landlord/letting agency

• Referred to an external body (such as Environmental Health)

Response provided:

Applicant provided with a spreadsheet (which is available upon request) with some of the information where held/recorded. Applicant also directed to Devon County Council for information on Trading Standards:

1. Number of complaints = Sheet one

2. Reasons for complaints = Sheet one (merged with totals)

3. Number of complaints about letting agencies = This information is not collected in a data field for reporting, therefore the Council is unable to provide this information

4. Number of complaints that have been resolved = Sheet two

Request reference: FOI 9809

Issue date: 04.04.24

Request received: 

A list of hereditaments where there is a credit of over £2,000 on the account

A list of hereditaments where there has been a right on over £2000

Please include:

• Property Reference Number (also known as Billing Authority Reference Number) of the property on which the charge is made. This is not the Rate Demand or Account Number

• Current Rateable Value

• Account holder name

• Property address

• The billing address (where different to the property address)

 

Response provided:

A list of hereditaments where there is a credit of over £2,000 on the account – fully withheld under Section 31 of the Act – prevention and detection of crime

A list of hereditaments where there has been a right on over £2000 – fully withheld under Section 12 of the Act - cost of compliance as the Council’s Revenues team would be required to manually check all accounts that had a ‘write on’ to ensure it had not been reversed. The Revenues department would need to do this to validate the accuracy of the accounts identified in the 'write on' report. To identify the cases they would need to run a transaction report for each individual year (going back to 1 April 1993 which is as far back as the information is held) and the accounts on each report would have to be checked manually

The transaction report only gives details of the account number and the amount of the write on/off so once the relevant accounts had been identified the company name, address and amount of credit would have to be entered manually into a spreadsheet which again would require looking at each account individually 

Request reference: FOI 9810

Issue date: 08.04.24

Request received: 

What percentage have the business rates you have collected over the last three year's increased?

Response provided:

2021/22 - collected 97.46% - collection increased by 2.23% over 2020/21

2022/23 - collected 97.05% - collection decreased by 0.40% over 2021/22

2023/24 - collected 97.48% - collection increased by 0.43% over 2022/23

Request reference: FOI 9812

Issue date: 08.04.24

Request received: 

1. The name(s) of the software used for maintenance management systems (Typically known as CMMS, EAM, Asset Management, Facilities Management) within the council

a) The number of users licensed to use the maintenance management system software

b) The annual cost associated with the maintenance management system software

c) The individual or department responsible for managing and overseeing the maintenance management system software

d) The expiration date of the current contract(s) for the maintenance management system software

2. The software used to manage the allocation of equipment within the council, for example lawn mowers, road sweepers, waste collection vehicles

a) Additionally, to this, how are the above jobs allocated?

3. The software used for maintaining buildings, homes, playgrounds, green spaces and grounds etc. within the local council

4. The software used for registering accidents or damages within all equipment or assets owned or leased within the facility

5. How failures of equipment, machinery, vehicles, and damages to property and supplies are logged within the facility

6. Name of software used to ensure equipment, machinery and any other items are fit for use for example periodic testing and calibration, for example fire extinguishers

7. With property, how are they maintained, how is the data logged for example testing, alarm checks, inspections of homes and which software is used to support this if any?

Response provided:

1. The Council does not currently use any management software

a) – d) Not Applicable

2. Three members of the Council’s Waste and Recycling team as access to software called FLEETWAVE, which is used for managing its vehicles supplied through its vehicle maintenance provider Specialist Fleet Serviced Ltd, however they own and maintain the software. The Council’s contract expires 30.09.2028

For waste collections, the Council’s Waste and Recycling team uses BARTEC

The Parks team do not use any software

 

a) Waste and Recycling - jobs are allocated by round remodelling or manually by office staff.

     Parks - manually by office staff

3. The Council’s Parks team uses playground inspection software for maintenance of its playgrounds through the play inspection company

4. None used by the Council

5. For Property Parks Services, Excel spreadsheets. For waste vehicles, a form/sheet is completed and forwarded to the external maintenance provider

6 and 7. No software used, only Excel spreadsheets

Request reference: FOI 9813

Issue date: 10.04.24

Request received: 

1.A - How many vacant council homes, including void properties do you currently have to date? (6th April 2024)

   B - How many of these properties have been vacant for longer than 3 months?

   C - How many of these properties have been vacant for longer than 6 months?

   D - How many of these properties have been vacant for longer than 1 year?

2.A How many people do you currently have to date on your current council housing waiting list? (6th March 2024)

   B How many homeless families and or individuals have you received from London boroughs (out of area rehousing) in the last 5 years (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) 

   C Additionally how many homeless families and or individuals have you received from    London boroughs (out of area rehousing) since the beginning of 2024 (Jan 2024, Feb, 2024, March, 2024) 

   D How many people that declared themselves homeless to your council in the last year, were not deemed a priority need and therefore were not accepted onto your council housing waiting list?

Response provided:

1. The Council no longer holds a housing stock; this was transferred to North Devon homes Ltd, 21.02.2000; therefore the Council no longer holds this information

2. a) It is not possible to pick a historic date and provide a figure at that time, however the Housing team confirm that as at 08.04.24 there 2,082 applications. Each application represents a household's application, which can have more than more person on the application (e g a family who wish to live together)   

b) Zero in each requested year

c) Zero in each requested year

d) We are not a stock holding authority, if deemed to be Non Priority they are still able to access Devon Home Choice housing register

Request reference: FOI 9814

Issue date: 08.04.24

Request received: 

Section 38 and Section 278 Schemes/Technical Approvals granted from 01.01.24 to 31.03.24

Response provided:

This information is not held by the authority. Applicant directed to Devon County Council for information which relates to Highways  

Request reference: FOI 9815

Issue date: 08.04.24

Request received: 

For each year from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023, please tell me the following information for your local authority

1. How many people applied to the council for the Property Flood Resilience (PFR) grant?

2. How many people successfully secured a Property Flood Resilience (PFR) grant? 

3. How many people applied to the council for a Business Recovery Grant (BRG) after being involved in a flood?

4. How many people successfully secured a Business Recovery Grant (BRG) grant?

Response provided:

This information is not held by the authority. Applicant directed to Devon County Council for information 

Request reference: FOI 9816

Issue date: 30.04.24

Request received: 

In csv/xlsx file format:

1. List of active public sports/leisure facilities fully or partially funded by the local government from 2010, including:

1-a. Name of the facilities

1-b. Postcode of the facilities

1-c. Date of first service (date when it first started to service)

1-d. (If applicable) Name of the affiliated private entity (Better, Active)

1-e. Date of re-opening after the UK government's announcement to re-open indoor sports facilities

1-f. (If the facilities have ever intermittently suspended operation for some reason other than the Covid-19 lockdown law) Dates of intermittent closure and reopening

1-g. (If available) a brief reason for the intermittent suspension (financial reason, safety reason, renovation)

2. List of discontinued public sports/leisure facilities fully or partially funded by the local government from 2010, including:

2-a. Name of the facilities

2-b. Postcode of the facilities

2-c. Date of first service

2-d. Date of closure

2-e. (If applicable) Name of the affiliated private entity

2-f. (If available) a brief reason for closure (financial reason, safety reason, moving)

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the Council’s response in Excel format, which is available upon request 

Request reference: FOI 9817

Issue date: 19.04.24

Request received: 

This is a request for Business Rates information, to be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Please provide the ratepayers and the charges levied (including any reliefs, exemptions or write offs) in respect of the property listed below for the financial year 2016/2017:

1. Sticklepath Service Station, Sticklepath Hill, Barnstaple, EX31 2BU – Property reference: 04063034102

 Please provide the ratepayers and the charges levied (including any reliefs, exemptions or write offs) in respect of the properties listed below for the financial year 2017/2018:

2. Sticklepath Service Station, Sticklepath Hill, Barnstaple, EX31 2BU – Property reference: 04063034103

3. Hand Car Wash at Sticklepath Service Station, Sticklepath Hill, Barnstaple, EX31 2BU – Property reference: 04063034104

Response provided:

1. Ratepayer was Global Fuel UK Ltd, charges levied = £8,107.00 (no reliefs, exemptions or write offs)
2. Ratepayer was Global Fuel UK Ltd. charges levied = £8,615.31 (no reliefs, exemptions or write offs)
3. The ratepayer was a sole trader, therefore this information is considered to be exempt under Section 40 of the Act as the information constitutes personal data and that individual would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to make their personal information publicly available, as a disclosure under the Act would not just be to you as the requester, but also to the world at large. Section 40(2) provides that personal data is exempt information if one of the conditions set out in section 40(3A), (3B) or (4A) is satisfied

In this case Section 40(3A)(A) is met because disclosure of this information would breach the fair processing principle contained in the General Data Protection Regulation. This is an absolute exemption and there is therefore no requirement to consider the public interest in this instance

Charges levied = £0.00 (100% Small Business Rate Relief awarded)

Request reference: FOI 9818

Issue date: 09.04.24

Request received: 

In Excel format:

1. How many projects under the Government’s ‘Levelling Up Fund’ has your Local Authority been granted government funding for (including rounds one, two and three)?
2. What is the total estimated cost of these projects combined, and what is the total estimated cost of each project?
3. How much money has currently been spent by the Local Authority on these projects in total, and how much money has currently been spend by the Local Authority on these projects, broken down by project?
4. How much money has been transferred from the government to the Local Authority for each project, broken down by project?
5. Do these projects require planning permission and if so, has planning permission been granted for the projects which require it? Please supply the answer for each project

Response provided:

The applicant was advised that the Council has been unsuccessful in receiving any grants through this fund

Request reference: FOI 9819

Issue date: 22.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX32 0EG

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9820

Issue date: 22.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX35 6NF

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9821

Issue date: 10.04.24

Request received: 

Under the Housing Act:

1. How many section 202 reviews were successful in the annual year 2023? Please also give the number of section 202 reviews received
2. How many section 202 reviews were successful in the annual year 2022? Please also give the number of section 202 reviews received.
3. How many section 202 reviews were successful in the annual year 2021? Please also give the number of section 202 reviews received
4. How many section 202 reviews were successful in the annual year 2020? Please also give the number of section 202 reviews received
5. How many section 202 reviews were successful in the annual year 2019? Please also give the number of section 202 reviews received

Response provided:

1. 18, one withdrawn

2. 19, two withdrawn 

3. Nine, one withdrawn

4. 23, two withdrawn

5. Nine, Zero withdrawn 

Request reference: FOI 9822

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

For the tax years 2014/15 to 2022/23 inclusive, the following details, breaking the figures by year:

1. How much revenue has been received by your organisation for services rendered to film and television productions? This could include location rental, permits and all other services related to film productions using your personnel or resources

2. Please outline the type of work or service rendered, in each case and disclose the revenue received for each type of service

3. How much has your organisation spent on facilitating such arrangements between 2014/15 to 2022/23, inclusive, broken down by year?

Response provided:

The Council provided the following response recorded per calendar year:

1. 2014 - 2020 - £0 in each year

    2021 - £2,030.00

    2022 - £0

    2023 - £1,150.00

2. 2014 - 2020 - £0 in each year

    2021 - Cost of parking

    2022 - Cost of parking and admin charges, no further breakdown is recorded

    2023 - N/A

3. Nil in each of the requested years

Request reference: FOI 9823

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

Information regarding the LocalGov Drupal Content Management System (CMS) platform used by the council:

Cost of LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS:

1. What was the spend with suppliers for the design, implementation, and training to enable your organisation to go live with its LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS?

2. What is the annual spend with suppliers for the maintenance, development and hosting of your LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS?

3. What internal resource (FTE) was devoted to the design, implementation, and training to enable your organisation to go live with its LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS?

4. What internal resource (FTE) is devoted to the maintenance, development and hosting of your LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS?

Cost of the website/CMS that immediately preceded the LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS:

5. What was the spend with suppliers for the design, implementation, and training to enable your organisation to go live with your website solution that immediately preceded your LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS?

6. What is the annual spend with suppliers for the maintenance, development and hosting of the solution that immediately preceded your LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS?

7. What internal resource (FTE) was devoted to the design, implementation, and training to enable your organisation to go live with the solution that immediately preceded your LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS?

8. What internal resource (FTE) is devoted to the maintenance, development and hosting of the solution that immediately preceded your LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS?

Due diligence:

9. What soft market testing or other market evaluation did your organisation undertake prior to selecting the LocalGov Drupal Solution?

10. Please outline how many bidders were invited to bid for the design, implementation, training, development, and maintenance and hosting of your organisation’s LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS, and the pricing that each supplier quoted

11. Please outline how many bidders were invited to bid for the design, implementation, training, development, maintenance and hosting of your organisation’s website(s)/CMS using a software platform other than LocalGov Drupal and the pricing that each supplier quoted

Response provided:

Cost of LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS:

1. 15
2. £24,470 per annum
3. One FTE
4. One FTE

Cost of the website/CMS that immediately preceded the LocalGov Drupal website(s)/CMS:

1. No documentation held
2. £8,400 per annum for maintenance, support and upgrades (prices 2018 – 2023)
3. One FTE
4. One FTE Development

Due diligence:

1. We looked at different CMSs, upgrading to Umbraco 10, Word Press, Goss but decided Local Gov Drupal and a co-operative of Councils sharing knowledge was the way to proceed
2. Procured through the CCS framework and direct awarded to the company who remained after completing a supplier search
3. The direct award mechanism was used as detailed above. We did receive indicative pricing from two suppliers prior to direct awarding

Bigbluedoor = £70k build costs

S8080 = £20k build costs

Request reference: EIR 9824

Issue date: 22.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 4TL

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9825

Issue date: 22.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 2PS

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9826

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

1. List how many public health funerals (or so called “pauper” funerals) your council has organised, in the following years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

2. Do you carry out an attended or unattended funeral?

3. Do you return ashes to family or friends if wished and, if so, under what circumstances?

4. If you do return ashes do you charge for that and how much?

5. What evidence do you require to carry out a burial, if that isn’t the default funerary method?

Response provided:

1. Applicant referred to the Council Public Health Funeral dataset which is updated monthly

2. Both. The Council allows anyone wishing to attend and if there are no persons able to/wishing to attend, the Council would carry out a direct cremation where no persons attend

3. Ashes are returned to family and/or friends where requested

4. No charge is made

5. If the council is advised by a reliable source that the deceased wanted to be buried rather than cremated, the Council would honour this

Request reference: FOI 9828

Issue date: 15.04.24

Request received: 

A list of all properties within your Billing Authority area where there is either a credit held on the account or there was previously a credit which has now been written on.  The fields required are all non-personal:

• Primary Liable Party Name (Business Name)

• Full Property Address

• Postcode

• Billing Authority Reference Number (Assessment Number)

• Current Rateable Value

• Credit Amount

• Date Credit Applies To

Response provided:

Following careful consideration of the ICO decision for Wandsworth Council (FS50619844) and discussions with the Council’s Revenues team which holds this data, the Council considers that the continued publication of this data would be likely to prejudice the prevention and detection of crime and therefore the Council considers that this data is now exempt from disclosure under Section 31(1)(a)

When applying this exemption, the Council is required to carry out a Public Interest Test which considers the factors that favour disclosure and the withholding of the data:

Factors in favour of disclosure

• Withholding the information could be perceived as the council attempting to retain monies that belong to the public

• It is in the public interest to be open and transparent about its use of public funds

• It is also in the public interest to be transparent regarding the records held in respect of the administration of business rates. This could be of interest to the minority of people who are due a refund, but have somehow failed to receive the notifications that money is owed to them

Factors in favour of withholding

• There is a public interest in ensuring that monies from the public purse, such as rebates on business accounts, are not fraudulently claimed and also a public interest in not making it easier for fraud to be committed

• The Council’ current verification procedure for refund claims is simple and cost effective however the Council cannot be certain as to whether some claimants are who they really say they are for every refund processed. If the Council were to continue to publish this data then this would ultimately result in additional verification processes needing to be implemented by the Revenues team at additional cost to the public, which would be disproportionate to the benefits that would accrue from disclosure. The additional verification procedures would also be likely to slow the verification process, resulting in detriment to the genuine ratepayer in that it would take longer for their credit to be refunded to them

• In relation to any new verification processes that might be needed, these would be likely to require the production of additional documents by those claiming a rebate which would place a new administrative burden on the majority of those legitimate claimants that did not currently exist. This would be compounded by the fact that the level of scrutiny of those documents would be higher than at present, given the increased suspicion that some of the claims (and associated documents) might well be fraudulent. The result would be that a new verification process would be likely to slow the rate at which credit balance claims could be considered and refunded, causing delay in all refunds and the likelihood of complaints, which would further burden the Council’s limited resources

• Disclosure of the requested information would result in the need to implement disproportionate steps and additional expense to the Council to counter an increased fraud risk

The cost consequences of a successful fraudulent claim would:

• have incurred the cost of paying out to the fraudster

• remain liable to the legitimate rate payer for an equivalent amount, raising the prospect of paying out twice; and

• be faced with the cost (legal and incurrence of internal management time) of seeking to recover the funds wrongly paid to the fraudster

It would not be in the public interest to expose it to such potential costs and expenses, given that they would be funded from the public purse

It is considered that the greater public interest, therefore, lies in no longer publishing the data. In coming to that conclusion, the public interest in providing the information has been carefully weighed against any prejudice to the public interest that might arise from withholding the information; in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information

Instead, in accordance with Section 21 of the Act, the Council publishes a dataset which provides:

• the total amount of credit refunded 

• the number of refunds 

• the total amount of outstanding credit

• the number of outstanding refunds

The dataset is updated on a quarterly basis and was recently updated as at 4 April 2024 

Request reference: FOI 9829

Issue date: 24.04.24

Request received: 

1. The Council’s most recent published or otherwise councillor training or induction programme or schedule including seminars, workshops eLearning etc

2. Your councillor training, development strategy or plan or policy 

3. Any report of wholistic or groups needs analysis of councillor training developed i.e. where you have scoped and analysed councillor training needs either as individuals or as a whole. Where there is none in the last five years (April 2019 to April 2024) please state this

4. A copy of your new councillor induction or welcome pack, if any

5. The budget over the last two financial years for Councillor training

6. The Job description of any officer responsible for council development or training 

7. The most recent list of publications, guidance notes for councillors available

8. A copy of the proforma which may be used to develop or identify councillors’ own development needs i e by completing a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) or undertaking a Personal Development Review (PDR) or Personal Training Programme ( PTP ) Or Similarly named document used to identify individual training needs

9. The most recent quality assurance or feedback report of the quality of the programmes being develop or delivered i e what do councillors think of the quality and relevance of the training provided. Where there is none in the last five years (April 2019 to April 2024) please state this

10. Any other document which identifies positively, through awards or accolades or positive articles or press releases the type and scope of training and induction you provide to councillors (Please use your discretion, I am looking for best practice)

Response provided:

The applicant was provided with all applicable information in pdf format via a WeTransfer link due to the volume of information which exceeded email file size limits for sending (which is available upon further request):

1. Within the aforementioned link above, the applicant was referred to the following documents:

Member Training Programme – Mandatory Sessions

Member Training Programme – Voluntary Sessions

Members Induction Day – 2023 Final

2. Applicant advised that the Council does not have a Councillor Training and Development Strategy, Plan or Policy

3. None within the last five years (April 2019 to April 2024)

4. Within the aforementioned link above, the applicant was referred to various documents provided other than the documents as referred to in 1, 6 and 7, which make up the new councillor induction pack

5. 2022/23 = £2,333.40, 2023/24 = £8,270.82

6. Within the aforementioned link above, the applicant was referred to the document:

     JOB DESCRIPTION SENIOR CORPORATE SERVICES OFFICER V 0 3

7. Within the aforementioned link above, the applicant was referred to the documents:

     252643 – Member social media Trifold Brochure

     Annual Council guidance notes for new Councillors

     iPad - Quick guide

8. The Council does not hold a pro-forma

9. The Council has feedback forms completed for each training session, however these are yet to be collected into a single report. The Member Services team is currently in the process of working through these to development the training programme for 2024/25

10. None 

Some of the information has been redacted. The Council considers that this redacted information to be exempt under Section 40 of the Act as the information constitutes personal data and those individual(s) would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to make their personal information publicly available. Each document that has been redacted has _Redacted at the end of the file name

Signatures – Any signatures of officers are redacted throughout

Contact List_Redacted

The direct telephone numbers of the senior officers are redacted as they are not already publicly available. It publishes instead the following page on its website with the contact email addresses: https://www.northdevon.gov.uk/council/chief-executive-and-senior-management

The names and telephone numbers of junior members of staff (non-managerial) are also redacted where appropriate as they would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to place their data into the public domain

NDC Councillor Information_Redacted

This document contains all of the contact information for the Council’s Councillors. This has been cross referenced with the published Councillor contact information as the document contains further contact information that is not published, including personal email address and telephone numbers. Where the information is published it has not been redacted within the document

Contact Details for Police Officers in communites_Redacted

The names and contact information for the Police Officers within the document were provided purely for the Councillors use. You will note within the document on page two that they are not to be provided to members of the public, therefore it would not be appropriate to provide these, as a disclosure under the FOI is not just to the requester but also to the world at large

Section 40(2) provides that personal data is exempt information if one of the conditions set out in section 40(3A), (3B) or (4A) is satisfied.  In this case Section 40(3A)(A) is met because disclosure of this information would breach the fair processing principle contained in the General Data Protection Regulation. This is an absolute exemption and there is therefore no requirement to consider the public interest

Request reference: EIR 9830

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 4QX

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9832

Issue date: 17.04.24

Request received: 

The applicant requested the following information:

- How much money the council has collected in affordable housing contributions under section 106 or community infrastructure levies in the years: 2023,2022,2021,2020

- For the same years how much of the money was spent

- A list of the projects that the money was spent on

Response provided:

 The Council publishes annual Infrastructure Funding Statements that provide the requested information for each of the requested years

In accordance with Section 21(1) of the Act, the Council is not obliged to provide information that is already in the public domain. However, it does have a duty under Section 16(1) to provide all applicants advice and assistance in order to assist with locating the information, which the Council has done so in providing the direct link to the statements as explained above

Request reference: FOI 9833

Issue date: 19.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many people work in your legal department?

2. How many of those are senior solicitors, solicitors, trainees and paralegals?

3. Please break down the figures from q2 into each area of law they work in such as commercial, social care, litigation etc

4. What is the salary range for a senior solicitor, solicitor, trainee solicitor and paralegal?

Response provided:

1. Nine

2. Senior Solicitor - One (also the Council's Monitoring Officer) 

    Solicitors - Three (One is also the Council's Data Protection Officer) 

    Legal Executive - One 

    Trainee Solicitors - Zero

    Paralegals - Three (One is also the Council's Freedom of Information Officer) 

    Administrator - One

3. Please refer to the following page on the Council's website that sets out the type of work/areas of law that are dealt with by the Legal team: https://www.northdevon.gov.uk/business/north-devon-legal-services

4. Senior Solicitor - £47,420 - £56,505 

    Solicitors - £39.186 - £46.464

    Trainee Solicitor - N/A

    Paralegals - £24,294 - £28,770 

Request reference: FOI 9834

Issue date: 18.04.24

Request received: 

I am interested in how race is addressed in the council area, with particular regard to cultural activities and the built environment

For the last year up to date, but inclusive of information and documents from work which may have begun before this period and is still being pursued by the council

(For example, a project to identify monument may have begun in 2020, but the list compiled from this project may still be used by the council now)

Please disregard requests to schools, galleries, museums libraries as appropriate - if the council does not control these 

1. Could you please provide any list or review/research/report/survey of locations (streets/buildings/parks), or public art (such as statues), plaques, commemorations, graves, memorials that the council has produced in relation to slavery, colonialism, empire/British Empire, racism, white supremacy, Black Lives Matter, decolonising, racial justice

In question form: “What in the built environment has the organisation, or a group working on its behalf, identified as being linked to racism, slavery, colonialism: that is, contested history?”

1. Could you please provide details of what being done to highlight, reinterpret, redisplay, or rename aspects of the environment in the council area identifying in part 1 of this request 

In question form: “What work (such as adding interpretation, or information boards, or plaques close to contested monuments) has been undertaken by the council to address these legacies?

1. If applicable, can you please provide information on what is being done to address issues of slavery, colonialism, empire/British Empire, racism, white supremacy, Black Lives Matter, decolonising, racial justice in council museums/galleries?

For example, what information boards have been added, what has been taken off display or put on display, what new plaques have been erected?

1. The same as for part 3, but can you provide information on how council libraries have addressed these issues

For example, have any books been specifically banned or removed from the library? Has a system of trigger warnings been established for sensitive topics?

Could you please provide details of any books which have been taken from public display and perhaps placed at the desk, or in a reserve stack, because they may be offensive or inappropriate?

(This can be broad, I do not need an full check of all items in the library; please do not get bogged won in this if it is likely to go over the limit)

1. For any council run or supported events in the area, how have these events been more inclusive or a greater focus on diversity? For example, Bonfire nights or Christmas lights events
2. For any schools affiliated with the council, could you provide details on how the curriculum has been diversified? Council provide any details or advice to school provided by the council on design the curriculum

Response provided:

1. In June 2020 the Council looked at its statues, plaques etc. after the 2020 Colston incident in Bristol, however the outcome did not note anything of concern, therefore it does not hold any such list, review, research, report or survey of locations or public art within its area

2. Not Applicable

3. The Council’s museum is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and we follow their investment principles around people ad representation. We have an Equity Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan which aims to increase the diversity of our workforce and we are creating a young curators group which will consider how we can improve our displays to increase the range of viewpoints represented

4. Applicant advised to contact Devon County Council for this information

5. Our cultural activities aim to be as inclusive as possible, in line the public sector equality duty. We work with the full range of diverse groups, including people suffering from rural isolation and economic deprivation as well as those with protected characteristics

6. As 4 above

Request reference: EIR 9835

Issue date: 22.04.24

Request received: 

The Building Regulation certificate of completion of the property: Western Heights, Sinai Hill, Lynton, EX35 6AR and any paperwork that the Council is able to release

Response provided:

Applicant provided with some of the information, however much of the information held is considered to be personal data and therefore exempt from disclosure under Regulation 13  

Request reference: EIR 9836

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX39 4NR

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9837

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 3SW

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9838

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX37 9TS

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9839

Issue date: 19.04.24

Request received: 

I would like to request the following information regarding Tax Increment Financing (TIF) in your Council:

1. Is the Council currently making use of tax increment financing (retaining business rate increases above a set baseline, for a set period, in a designated area? For clarification, this practice is sometimes also known as ‘business rate borrowing’, although it does not have to involve borrowing

2. If so,

a. Could you please provide a map of the designated area(s)?

b. Could you please provide a list of postcodes that fall within the designated area(s)?

c. Please provide a short description of the purpose of using TIF (e g for regeneration of the designated area).

i. Has any investment taken place in relation to TIF? If so, could you please provide a short description of the type of investment, timelines, and amount invested?

d. When did the TIF mechanism come into effect, and for which period (e g in April 2013, for a period of 25 years)

e. Has the Council taken out any borrowing to be repaid through the retained business rates? If so, could you please state how much was borrowed, and who the lender was (e g £XX borrowed through bond issuance, £XX borrowed from the PWLB, etc.)

Response provided:

1.) No

2 a-e) Not Applicable

Request reference: EIR 9840

Issue date: 30.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 8AY

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9841

Issue date: 30.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX36 3FA

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: EIR 9842

Issue date: 30.04.24

Request received: 

CON29 information relating to a property at EX35 6HG

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information

Request reference: FOI 9845

Issue date: 22.04.24

Request received: 

How much do Cllrs and Officers who are on the Board of North Devon Plus, get paid and what are their allowances?

Response provided:

Officers and Councillors who sit on the Board of North Devon Plus do not receive any pay or any allowances 

Request reference: FOI 9846

Issue date: 22.04.24

Request received: 

1. Are you currently using AI functionality within your IT Service Management function? Yes/No

If yes:

2. What functionality are you utilising? (e g co-pilot, incident/ticket summarisation, chatbot, ticket routing, knowledge creation etc.)

3. What measurable benefits have you achieved since implementation of AI functionality? e g reduced MTTR, increased ticket handling (from X to Y), First Call Resolution (FCR) etc

4. What statistics can you share? e g FCR went from 60% to 80% and/or MTTR reduced by 10% 

If no:

1. Do you have plans to introduce AI capability within your Service Management function within the next 12months?

2. If no, what is your key rationale for this decision? 

3. If yes, what are the key benefits you are looking to drive (see above examples)

Response provided:

1. No  
2. No plans to introduce AI within ITSM in next 12 months
3. The Council has not looked at AI within the ITSM 

Request reference: EIR 9848

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

What pre-application advice the Council gave in 2022 at Riversdale, Berrynarbor, Ilfracombe, EX34 9TB

Response provided:

The Council fully refused this request as the information was considered to be personal data, and therefore was exempt from disclosure under Regulation 13 

Request reference: FOI 9856

Issue date: 25.04.24

Request received: 

The:

• Registration number
• Make
• Model

of all vehicles registered as a Taxi, Hackney Carriage or for Private Hire between 22.11.23 and 31.03.24 within the Council

Response provided:

Applicant provided with this information in Excel format, which is available upon request  

Request reference: FOI 9858

Issue date: 25.04.24

Request received: 

1. Contact Centre 

a. Do you have a customer/citizen facing contact centre? If not please skip these questions.

b. Do you employ and manage your own agents, or do you outsource to a third party? If you outsource who to?

c. How many contact centre agents do you have?

d. Do agents work from home? Or just your offices?

e. Please confirm the manufacturer of your contact centre system(s) that are currently in place?

f. When is your contract renewal date?

g. Who maintains your contact centre system(s)?

2. CRM

a. Do you use a CRM in the contact centre? What platform is used?

b. Do you use the same CRM for the rest of the organisation? What platform is used?

c. Do you use a knowledge base / knowledge management platform? What platform is used?

3. AI and Automation

a. Does your organisation have a customer or citizen facing chatbot? If so, who provides this chatbot technology?

b. Does your organisation utilise RPA technology? If so which RPA technology provider do you use?

Response provided:

1. a) Yes

    b) Employ own agents

    c) 44

    d) Hybrid

    e) Zoom - please details of this contract published via the Council's Contract Register: 

   f) Please refer to the link above

   g) Zoom

2 a) Granicus (gov.service)

   b) Yes, as above

   c) No

3 a) No

   b) No

Request reference: FOI 9859

Issue date: 25.04.24

Request received: 

1. How many inspections of New Domestic Heating installations have North Devon Council conducted since 2019?

2. What are the brief reasons why each inspection was instigated or conducted?

Response provided:

1. Zero 

2. N/A

Building Control advises that they receive many applications that include new and replacement heating systems, however they do not received applications under building regulations specifically for heating systems or boiler installations as those works are undertaken by competent persons so they self-certify and register the installation within their registered body, therefore Building Control confirms that they are not inspected by the Council 

Request reference: FOI 9860

Issue date: 25.04.24

Request received: 

The applicant requested the following regarding the Council’s Private Sector Landlord (PSL) Scheme from May 2023 to date:

1. From May 2023 to date, how my homes does the Council have on the scheme? 

2. How many homes have also ceased to be part of the scheme in that time? 

3. How many were due to the council giving the landlord notice?

Response provided:

The Council provided the following response regarding its PSL Scheme from May 2023 to date:

• Six properties 

• No leases have ceased during this time

• Four leases will be terminating in June 2024, which the Council has given has given notice on

• Two leases will remain

Request reference: FOI 9861

Issue date: 25.04.24

Request received: 

Safeguarding statistics for nearest Five Year Period

Response provided:

Applicant direct to Devon County Council for this information covering the North Devon area  

Request reference: FOI 9865

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

How much money was spent by the Council on outsourcing to Capacitygrid regarding the Single Persons Discount for Council Tax?

Response provided:

The Council confirmed that it does hold some of this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council Revenues and Benefits Manager confirms that the charge is £21.95 excluding VAT for each case that Capacitygrid provide information to the authority stating that the Single Person Discount can be removed and that decision is then not overturned within 28 days

The Council’s Internal Auditors, Devon Audit Partnership (DAP) in conjunction with Devon County County commissioned Capacitygrid to undertake this work on behalf of Devon County Council (DCC), therefore DCC will pay for all charges

At the time of this response the answer is £0 as the Council will not know the charge until 28 days after the project has finished (which will be at the end of June 2024). The charge will ultimately be £0 for North Devon Council as it will be recharging DCC for the full and final cost once it has been calculated; therefore it is advised that the applicant makes a fresh FOI request for this information in early July 2024 to Devon County Council’s Information Governance team for a response

Request reference: FOI 9865

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

The cost to the Council of outsourcing to Capacitygrid to confirm which ratepayers no longer qualify for Single Persons Discount for Council Tax

Response provided:

The Council confirmed that the charge is £21.95 excluding VAT for each case that Capacitygrid provides information to North Devon Council stating that the Single Person Discount can be removed and that decision is then not overturned within 28 days

The Council’s Internal Auditors, Devon Audit Partnership (DAP) in conjunction with Devon County Council commissioned Capacitygrid to undertake this work on behalf of Devon County Council (DCC), therefore DCC will pay for all charges

At the time of this response the answer is £0 as North Devon Council will not know the charge until 28 days after the project has finished (which will be at the end of June). The charge will ultimately be £0 for North Devon Council as it will be recharging DCC for the full and final cost once it has been calculated; therefore the applicant was advised to make a fresh FOI request for this information in early July 2024 to Devon County Council’s Information Governance team for a response

Request reference: FOI 9866

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

1. The total number of cyberattacks detected or reported to you for each year (and month if possible) between and including 2019 and 2024 

2. A breakdown of the types of cyberattacks experienced, including but not limited to:

Phishing attacks

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks

Malware infections

Ransomware attacks

Insider threats

Other types of cyber threats, if applicable

Response provided:

Information fully withheld under Section 31 (prevention and detection of crime) 

Request reference: FOI 9867

Issue date: 29.04.24

Request received: 

1. Does your local authority use converted shipping containers, or similar structures, as 'temporary', 'interim' or 'emergency' accommodation?

Please answer questions 2 to 5 if your authority does use shipping containers or similar structures as temporary accommodation:

2. (i) How many were in use in the past 12 months from April 2023?

    (ii) Please provide the same figures for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, if available

3. How many (i) individuals and (ii) families with children are currently being supported in this type of temporary accommodation?

4. What is your policy for the maximum length of time that anyone being assisted by your authority should be kept in this type of accommodation?

5. What is the longest amount of time an (i) individual or (ii) a family has been housed in this type of accommodation?

6. Please outline how many people being supported by your authority in this manner are care leavers, if that information is available

7. Does your local authority make use of caravan parks, either private or council owned, to house individuals or families, as a form of temporary housing?

If question 7 is applicable to your authority, please answer the questions 8 to 10

8. (i) How many sites are currently being used?

    (ii) How many individual units is this?

9. How many (i) individuals or (ii) family groups are currently being supported in this way?

10. Please outline how many people being supported by your authority in this manner are care leavers, if that information is available

Response provided:

1. No

2-5. N/A

6. No Care Leavers currently in Temporary Accommodation.

7. Yes

8. i) One  ii) 34

9. 30

10. Zero