Disclosure Log - November 2020

1. A) Does your council routinely ask your homeless service users about their sexuality as part of monitoring?

1. B) Does your council routinely ask your homeless service users about their gender identity as part of monitoring?

2. A) Does your council require ‘proof’ to show that people have been asked to leave home by their family members?

2. B) Would you contact the family members of LGBT people who have been asked to leave their homes, for further proof?

3. Have your housing officers received specialist LGBT homelessness training?

4. Does your council offer an emergency homeless shelter/service for LGBT people?

5. How much money did your council spend on LGBT related merchandise for Pride events, or LGBT diversity celebrations, in the financial year 2019-2020 (eg Rainbow flags for Pride 2019)? 

1.A) As part of the Housing Application it does ask about sexuality, applicants complete this themselves/support work and can decline to answer

1. B) As part of the Housing Application it does ask for gender, applicants complete this themselves/support work and can decline to answer

2.A) The allocated officer would make contact with family members to confirm the reason for their client being asked to leave, however we do take into consideration of risk especially those at risk of emotional or physical harm

B) As A) above

3.The team attend a number of courses which also identifies issues faced by the LGBT community from DA to mental health issues

4.Not a specific shelter/service

5.Nil

For the years: 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20:

1.How many applications for planning permission for the following activities were received by your council by:

- Construction of an external building at a property for residential purposes

- Conversion of an external building at a property for residential purposes

2. How many of these planning applications were approved by:

- Construction of an external building at a property for residential purposes

- Conversion of an external building at a property for residential purposes

1. As follows:

Construction of an external building at a property for residential purposes

2017/18 = 519
2018/19 = 528
2019/20 = 483

Conversion of an external building at a property for residential purposes

2017/18 = 167
2018/19 = 213
2019/20 = 197

2. As follows:

Construction of an external building at a property for residential purposes

2017/18 = 412
2018/19 = 384
2019/20 = 411

Conversion of an external building at a property for residential purposes

2017/18 = 135
2018/19 = 153
2019/20 = 206

1. The number of new dwellings that the local authority granted permission to be built in National Flood Zone 3 (a and b) for each of the following financial years 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20

NB. new dwellings in this context includes new-build flats and homes, and new homes and flats that required a planning permission or prior approval for permitted development for change of use to residential purposes; please do not include the conversion or extension of existing homes in floodplains

2. A) – In relation to 1, please provide the breakdown of the number of dwellings granted permission to be built in National Flood Zone 3 (a and b) for each of the following financial years 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20

a) Zone 3A
b) Zone 3B

2 B) – In relation to 1, if you identify medium and high risk areas within National Flood Zone 3 as separate data, please provide a breakdown for the new homes built every financial year 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20

a) Medium risk areas
b) High risk areas

NB. RoFRS High Risk: each year, there is a chance of flooding of greater than 1 in 30 (3.3%)
RoFRS Medium Risk: each year, there is a chance of flooding of between 1 in 30 (3.3%) and 1 in 100 (1%)

1. 2016/17 = 0
2017/18 = Three
2018/19 = Six
2019/20 = 54

2.(A) Flood Zones 3A and 3B are not captured separately within our system, therefore we are unable to provide a response to this

2.(B) Flood Zones 3A and 3B are not captured separately within our system, therefore we are unable to provide a response to this

3.(B) a) We do not identify medium and high risk areas within our system, therefore we are unable to provide a response to this

3.(B) b) We do not identify medium and high risk areas within our system, therefore we are unable to provide a response to this

The number of ‘change of use applications’ your council has received since the beginning of 2020 from owners wanting their property to be changed from Class A or Class B (now known as Class E under the 2020 amended order) to Class C under the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order of 1987?

Please can you provide this information broken down into Class A and Class B changes of use (before September) and by month of application date

We have received the following change of use (from Class A or Class B to Class C) applications since 1st January 2020:

71663 – Prior Approval for change of use from light industrial (Class B1(c)) to dwellinghouse (Class C) at Builders Workshop,Sentry Lane, Bishops Tawton, EX32 0BW
Date Valid: 24/06/2020
Date Approved: 14/08/2020

72013 – Prior Approval for change of use of offices (Class B1) to dwellinghouses (Class C3) at 6-9 Market Square, Market Street, Ilfracombe, EX34 9AX
Date Valid: 19/08/2020
Date Approved: 27/10/2020

Council tax

If the council does not have data for households for questions 1-3, please provide data for individuals

Questions 1-3 refer to arrears that have accumulated with regard to 2020/21 council tax bills

1. How many households have been issued with liability orders in relation to council tax arrears from the 2020/21 financial year?

2. How many households have been referred to bailiffs in relation to council tax arrears from the 2020/21 financial year?

3. For how many households has the council requested an attachment to benefits in relation to council tax arrears from the 2020/21 financial year?

Homelessness assistance

4. Since 1st April 2020, how many people have approached the council for help with homelessness or the threat of homelessness under the Homelessness Reduction Act?

5. Please provide the question 4 figure broken down by the month in which the approach for help was received, for each month from April to November (if available) inclusive

6. Of the people who approached the council since 1st April 2020 for help with homelessness or the threat of homelessness under the Homelessness Reduction Act (ie the question 4 figure), how many have been assessed by the council as being owed the prevention duty?

7. Of the people who approached the council since 1st April 2020 for help with homelessness or the threat of homelessness under the Homelessness Reduction Act (ie the question 4 figure), how many have been assessed by the council as being owed the relief duty?

8. Of the people who approached the council since 1st April 2020 for help with homelessness or the threat of homelessness under the Homelessness Reduction Act (ie the question 4 figure), how many have been assessed by the council as being owed the main housing duty?

9. How many homeless people were supported into accommodation under the 'Everyone In' scheme in March?

This question refers to the initial round of immediate support back in March, rather than any longer term assessment and support that may have occurred in subsequent months

Commercial rents

10. How many commercial property tenants does the council have (in the council's role as landlord)?

11. Of the tenants referred to in question 10, how many are at least a month (or four weeks) in arrears on rent?

12. Of the tenants referred to in question 10, how many are at least three months (or 12 weeks) in arrears on rent?

13. What is the total amount of commercial property rent arrears that has accumulated to date during 2020/21 (where the council is the landlord)?

14. Please provide any report or analysis prepared by or for the council since March on the property values of the council's commercial property portfolio, particularly in terms of the impact of Covid and related economic effects

Information provided in Excel format, which is
available upon request

Number of complaints in the local authority specifically relating to Christmas lights or decorations for the period from 15th of November to 15th of January for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

15.11.15 – 15.01.16 = 0
15.11.16 – 15.01.17 = 0
15.11.17 – 15.01.18 = One
15.11.18 – 15.01.19 = 0
15.11.19 – 15.01.20 = 0

The following information, in Excel format on any new or refurbished buildings that have been certificated under BREEAM between 2009 and 2020 and if available an up to date Display Energy Certificates (DEC) and corresponding recommendation reports

• Building Name
• Address
• BREEAM Assessor name
• BREEAM Assessor company
• BREEAM Rating
• Main Contractor
• DEC Cert Number

Applicant advised that for the period between 2009 and 2020 to date there have been no new or refurbished buildings that have been certificated under BREEAM

CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 2ER

Applicant advised that no information is held

CON29 information relating to a property at EX16 9JT

Applicant advised that no information is held

An up-to-date list of licensed puppy breeders in the County including their name, address and licence number

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

1. How many playgrounds the council is responsible for maintaining?
2. How many playgrounds have an outstanding repair needed? This includes equipment, surfaces, access
3. How many of these repairs have been logged and unresolved for a month or longer?
4. How many playgrounds the council was responsible for maintaining three years ago?

1. 27

2. High = One, Medium = One, Low = 703 (these are very minor from missing screw caps on equipment, moss and algae, missing slats on fencing etc)

3. Medium = One, Low = 703

4. 26

CON29 information relating to a property at EX33 1NE

Applicant advised that no information is held

Please provide on the assessment below from 15 April 2019, for the property: 32 High Street, Ilfracombe, EX34 9DA

• the date(s) of any empty periods
• the period(s) of any exemptions

In Excel format;

1. Full list of businesses/charities that have become newly liable for business rates

2. On and between the 01/08/2020 to 3/10/2020

3. Include full address, property type and the date of liability

Applicant advised that the Council is unable to provide the information sought in the format requested

The reporting element that is used by Revenues is only able to extract information on the day that a report is run, which then provides a snapshot as to how the accounts stand on that specific day. The system does not allow the team to select specific historic/past dates back over the years to run reports on to see which premises became liable for Non Domestic Rates. The system used by Revenues is a live system that is continually being updated

Instead, a comparison can be made between the datasets that are published on the Council’s website which provide a snapshot of the accounts held with the authority:
http://www.northdevon.gov.uk/open-data/?ID=7ED2F924-B000-4771-B16B-181DB316F4E1&DS=4005

Applicant advised that the next update is due, in accordance with Section 22 of Act, in the new year, 2021

1. What is the Limit of Indemnity on the Council's Land Charges claims?

2. How many claims have been lodged in the last five years, in relation to local authority searches?

3. How many of those claims were successful?

1. How many tenants (residents in homes for which you have responsibility for maintenance) did you have between Jan 2019 - Jan 2020?

2. How many complaints/enquiries did you receive relating to mould or damp from your tenants between Jan 2019 - Jan 2020?

3. How long on average did it take to resolve these enquiries/complaints?

4. What was the estimated total cost of responding to these requests between Jan 2019 - Jan 2020?

Applicant advised that the Council no longer has a housing stock of its own; this was transferred to North Devon Homes Ltd in 2000, but it does has a small number of homes that are used by the Housing team for Temporary Accommodation. The response below is in relation to this:

1. 121 temporary accommodation placements into self-contained accommodation that is either managed or owned by the authority

2. Two

3. Average of 9 months. Issues with gaining access, and tenant management of property. Second complaint advise on tenant management of property which resolved the issue

4. £600

1.The total Discretionary Housing Payment allocation for your authority for 2020/21

2.The equivalent figure for 2019/20

3.As at October 31 2020, the amount of this budget that has already been spent

4.For comparison, the amount of the 2019/20 budget which had been by October 31 2019

5.The number of applications for DHP received so far in 2020/21

6.The number of applications for DHP rejected so far in 2020/21

7.For comparison, equivalent numbers to (4) and (5) for the period April to October 2019

1. £246,097.00

2. £157,730.00

3.As at October 31 2020, the amount of this budget that has already been spent = £56,320.72

4.For comparison, the amount of the 2019/20 budget which had been by October 31 2019 = £55,722.53

5.The number of applications for DHP received so far in 2020/21 = 423

6.The number of applications for DHP rejected so far in 2020/21 = 100

7.For comparison, equivalent numbers to (4) and (5) for the period April to October 2019 = £55,722.53 and Total DHP apps received 357 rejected 106

1. Do you have a policy for the inspection of woodland for which you are the land owner or have responsibility for?

2. If your answer to the above is yes, what is the frequency of your inspections?

3. What is your policy as to the inspection for / removal of rope swings?

4. Do you use any warning signs regarding rope swings? If yes, please provide details of the warnings you give and you policy for the erection of such warning signs

5. Please provide a link to your policy documents regarding inspection of woodland, inspection for / removal of rope swings and warning signs

1. We inspect our woodland trees using a Quantified Tree Risk Assessment (QTRA)

2. This is done on a 1-3 year cycle depending upon the risk factor

3. We don't have a policy for inspection and/or removal of rope swings. This would be done on a reactive basis where these are reported by the public or upon inspection

4. We do not have any warning signs for the use of rope swings

5. Not Applicable

1.Which of the following data sources is the local authority responsible for protecting?

- Personal citizen data
- Personal staff/civil servant data
- Research data
- Intellectual property
- Other, please specify

2. What is the average length of time data is stored by the local authority?
- Less than one year
- More than one year
- More than three years
- More than five years
- More than 10 years
- Other, please specify

3. Do you store data in the following locations?
- Private cloud
- Public cloud
- On-premise data centre
- Colocation data centre
- File server
- Other, please specify

4. A) Do you have a back-up of your organisation’s data?
Yes
No
Other, please specify

B) If yes, what third party organisations (vendor and/or supplier) do you use to backup your organisation’s data?

5. Does your organisation have a disaster recovery plan in case of IT failure/outage?
Yes
No
Other, please specify

6. A) Does your organisation have an official/formal policy detailing the disaster recovery process in the event of an IT failure/outage?

Yes
No
Other, please specify

B) If yes, how often is this updated?
At least once a month
Once or more a year
Less than once a year
It has never been updated
Other, please specify

C) Can you share the official policy?

7. A) Does your organisation conduct tests on its data backup and IT disaster recovery system?
Yes
No
Other, please specify

B) If yes, how often does your organisation test its data backup and IT disaster recovery system?
At least once a month
Once or more a year
Less than once a year
It has never been updated
Other, please specify

8. A) Does your organisation use Microsoft Office 365?
Yes
No
Other, please specify

B) If so, how many users do you currently have?
0-99
100-249
250-499
Over 500
Other, please specify

9. A) How many unplanned IT outages has your organisation experienced in the last 12 months? (from the date of receiving this request)

B) If more than zero, on average, how long did each of these unplanned IT outages last?

10. A) How many cyber-attacks against your organisation have you recorded in the last 12 months? (from the date of receiving the FOI request)

B) If more than zero, of these incidents, how many had an impact on the organisation’s operations?

11. When was the last time your organisation updated the following processes?

The way data is backed up
Insert date:

The way data backup and IT disaster recovery systems are tested
Insert date:

Your organisations use of cloud computing Insert date:

1. Personal Citizen

1. Personal Citizen data and personal staff/civil servant data.

2. The Council doesn’t record average times, however I can direct you to our data retention page which sets out all of the retention periods and includes the Council’s policy on this too:
https://www.northdevon.gov.uk/council/data-protection-and-freedom-of-information/privacy-and-data-protection/data-retention/

3. Public Cloud, On-premises data centre and File Server

4. A) Yes, B) Arcserve

5. Yes

6. Yes, B) Less than once a year, C) No

7. We restore files and servers

8. Yes, B) 250-499

9. A) 0, B) N/A

10. A) 0, B) N/A

11. A and B) We are currently implementing a new backup system
C) Use the of cloud computing technology is constantly under review

data and personal staff/civil servant data

2. The Council doesn’t record average times, however I can direct you to our data retention page which sets out all of the retention periods and includes the Council’s policy on this too:
https://www.northdevon.gov.uk/council/data-protection-and-freedom-of-information/privacy-and-data-protection/data-retention/

3. Public Cloud, On-premises data centre and File Server

4. A) Yes, B) Arcserve

5. Yes

6. Yes, B) Less than once a year, C) No

7. We restore files and servers

8. Yes, B) 250-499

9. A) 0, B) N/A

10. A) 0, B) N/A

11. A and B) We are currently implementing a new backup system
C) Use the of cloud computing technology is constantly under review

The number of Covid secure marshals employed by the local authority (please use equivalent full time positions if possible, see this page on gov.uk for definition) Alternatively, if no marshals are currently employed at the time of the request but will be shortly, how many you plan to employ

The amount spent on Covid secure marshals since March 2020

The amount spent on Covid secure marshals 22 September 2020 (this was date on which the government announced £30m funding to go to local authorities for enforcement, see here. The government guidelines recommend that spending on Covid secure marshals “under this grant is recorded under ‘Other – lockdown compliance and reopening costs’ in MHCLG’s Local authority COVID-19 financial management information survey.” Please provide this information where your own accounts are not available.)

Whether any Covid secure marshals are designated as a relevant person for the purposes of the Coronavirus regulations (ie are able to issue fixed penalty notices; see the relevant part of the most recent regulations here

1. Does the council have a vulnerability policy? If so, the applicant requests a copy of this

2. How many complaints per year does the council tax department get

3. What is the council tax department's performance target for answering emails

4. What percentage of the council tax department's emails meet the target in 3. above

1. No, the Revenues team does not have a vulnerability policy, therefore this information is not held

2. 2017 = Two 
    2018 = 28
    2019 = 15
    2020 = Nine

3. To respond within 10 working days. However this target has had to be extended because of the current circumstances with regard to the coronavirus pandemic

This information is not recorded

1. How many rough sleepers in your local authority area were accommodated in total between August-October 2020?

2. How many rough sleepers in your local authority area accommodated under the ‘’Everyone In’’ initiative in total between August-October 2020?

3. How many rough sleepers in your local authority area, who were accommodated under the ‘’Everyone In’’ scheme (March-July 2020) continued to be provided accommodation in the months August-October 2020?

4. How many of the rough sleepers accommodated at any time during this period (August- October) are considered to be No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)?

5. How many of the rough sleepers accommodated at any time during this period (August-October) are EU nationals?

6. Have any rough sleepers placed in accommodation during this time been supported through a reconnection service to another part of the UK or to return to country of origin as well as information on the age, gender, nationality and marital status of those who have subsequently accessed a reconnection service?

1. How many Public Health funerals were held in your council jurisdiction in the years 2018, 2019 and from January 1 2020 to Nov 1 2020?

2. Of the total figure for the period January 1 2020 to Nov 1 2020, how many listed COVID-19 on the death certificate as the underlying cause of death, or as a significant condition contributing to death but not the underlying cause.

3. For the Public Health funerals that took place in 2018, 2019 and the period January 1 2020 to Nov 1 2020, what was the total

1. Applicant referred to the Council’s website which publishes a Public Health Funeral dataset, updated on a monthly basis:

http://www.northdevon.gov.uk/viewblob/?DS=2000&ID=0725B3CD-BF89-4D53-B96C-D2A703CE9802

2. This information is not recorded and therefore not held

3. As 1. above

Confirm that the Council uses the company (listed below) for software for parking permits

The company that has created and maintains Si-Dem, the software historically responsible for managing permits, is Conduent Parking Enforcement Solutions Ltd

If not, then which software/supplier the Council uses for parking permits

For each of the housing need bands listed below, please confirm the current number of North Devon households registered with Devon Home Choice in need of a 3 bedroom property and for each household, please confirm the date the household was registered with Devon Home Choice

Band A, Band B and Band C

Number of parking tickets issued in the name of the council broken for the separate months of April, May, June and November for the years 2019 and 2020

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

Applicant advised that no information is held

Applicant advised that no information is held

The Council has not used Common Purpose for the arrangement of any corporate training within the requested period of the last five years

Applicant directed to the Council’s contract register:

https://procontract.due-north.com/ContractsRegister/ViewContractDetails?contractId=0d1f9b35-ff7e-ea11-80ff-005056b64545&p=696a9836-1895-e511-8105-000c29c9ba21 

The number of deaths from 1st January 2020 – 20th November 2020 (inclusive) in each of the following accommodation types commissioned by the council:
• accommodation for homeless people, including hostels and supported accommodation for people identified as rough sleeping or with a history of rough sleeping

• temporary accommodation commissioned by the local authority
• supported accommodation for homeless young people

Please can this include the cause of death or suspected cause of death, date of death, and the person’s age when they died

Applicant advised there have been no deaths in the types of accommodation as set out below, for the period 1 January – 20 November 2020;

• accommodation for homeless people, including hostels and supported accommodation for people identified as rough sleeping or with a history of rough sleeping = Zero

• temporary accommodation commissioned by the local authority = Zero

• supported accommodation for homeless young people = Zero

The UK government and devolved governments have implemented £500 support payment schemes for those who are told to self-isolate by their administration’s respective testing and tracing scheme

These schemes are being executed by local authorities

until week ending 22/11/2020:

1.The number of applications received for the £500 support payment

2.The number of £500 payments that have been made to those eligible for the payment based on government guideline

3.The number of £500 payments that have been made on a discretionary basis by the council

4.If it is not possible to separate the payments by eligible and discretionary, please provide one number for the total number of £500 support payments each week

5.If collating the data by week would cause the request to exceed the cost limit under section 12 of the FOIA then please submit the information as a total since the inception of the scheme

6. I would like the data to be presented as a csv or xlsx conforming to the template attached

1. The exact length of time your current Committee Management System has been in place for - please also confirm the start date.
2. The end contract date for your current Committee Management System
3. The last date a tender/ market evaluation was undertaken/ published by the Council for a Committee Management System
4. The date which you intend to publish your tender as part of your fair and transparent procurement process, and how you intend to undertake your tender process ie GCloud
5. The value of the yearly annual support/license/ maintenance charge for your current Committee Management System as this does not appear to be clear on your website and available data

Applicant directed to the Council Contract Register where all of the information can be found: https://procontract.due-north.com/ContractsRegister/ViewContractDetails?contractId=cbd34c6c-5ed0-e811-80ef-005056b64545&p=696a9836-1895-e511-8105-000c29c9ba21

Contract Finder Award Notice in regards to this contract.
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e92152a7-0e91-4cda-92cd-5720717221af