Request reference: FOI 10502
Issue date: 01.05.25
Request received:
Information relating to the council’s expenditure on management consultancy services, including services provided by the "Big Four" firms: PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst and Young (EY), Deloitte, and KPMG
For the financial years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25, please provide the following information:
- Expenditure on the Big Four consultancies
• Total amount spent with each of the following firms, broken down by financial year: PwC, EY, Deloitte, and KPMG
• The highest day rate paid to each of these firms in each financial year
- Expenditure on other management consultants
• Total amount spent on management consulting services excluding the Big Four, broken down by consultancy and financial year.
• For each engagement, please include:
- The name of the consultancy firm
- The financial year of the expenditure
- A brief description of the project or services provided (e g project title or internal reference)
- The start and end dates of the engagement (or anticipated end date if ongoing)
- The procurement route used (e g open competition, framework agreement, direct award) and the name of the procurement framework, if applicable
3. Additional information (if available without exceeding cost limits)
• Please state the number of individual consultants provided by each firm for each engagement
• Please indicate whether any deliverables were produced (e g reports, action plans) and whether these are publicly available
• Please confirm whether any of the consultancy work covered tasks that would normally be performed by in-house council staff or roles that were vacant at the time
Response provided:
1. The Council confirmed that it has not incurred any costs with any of the four firms identified within the request
2 and 3. Applicant provided with an Excel spreadsheet providing the information where record. Applicant advised that the Council does not have a specific cost code to which it records consultancy spend against, therefore will include some payments within the data that are not for consultancy but falls under the wider remit of External Professional Services. The only way in which the Council would be able to provide a more accurate response would require Finance to manually go through over 1,700 applicable invoices for the requested years and make further enquiries with officers where any queries might arise. Finance would need to spend anywhere between three and five minutes checking each applicable invoice, considering whether it falls within the remit of the request alone. It is not possible to be to determine how long they would then require in following up any queries resulting from going through those invoices and so this part of the request was refused under Section 12 as it was estimated that it would take anywhere between 42.5 and 70.8 hours (based on 850 invoices taking approximately three minutes to check and 850 taking five minutes to check)
Request reference: EIR 10510
Issue date: 07.05.25
Request received:
Bulworthy Solar Farm and Battery Storage Proposal
Information as regards the planning status of farm land potentially affected by the proposed Bulworthy Solar Farm and Battery Storage facility. Details of any Council meetings or discussions with the developer, Noventum, in relation to this matter
Response provided:
Applicant advised that the Council does hold some information that falls within the remit of their request and was provided with copies of this with the consent of Noventum. Some of the information was redacted throughout in accordance with Regulation 13 (personal data)
Request reference: FOI 10511
Issue date: 08.05.25
Request received:
Figures on the number of times that the council issued do not swim notices/warnings at local beaches between 15th May 2024 to 30th September 2024, due to poor water quality and/or risk of pollution
If possible, please also provide the total duration that the do not swim notices/warnings were put in place for
Response provided:
The Council’s Environmental Protection team confirmed that they have checked records for the period 15 May 2024 to 30 September 2024 but can find no record of them issuing do not swim notices/warnings
The team did receive a Pollution Incident Report from the Environment Agency on 15 August 2024, but the record shows that on this occasion the signage template was provided from NDC to the local parish council, who then displayed the warning signs themselves
Request reference: FOI 10517
Issue date: 08.05.25
Request received:
1. The total number of employees of your Council currently. Please provide a breakdown of headcount by department if possible
2. The total number of employees of your Council 12 months ago. Please provide a breakdown of headcount by department if possible
3. Your Council's total spending on agency staff for the financial year 2024/25. Please provide by department if possible
4. Your Council's total spending on agency staff for the financial year 2023/24. Please provide by department if possible
Response provided:
1 and 2. As follows:
As at 31.03.24:
| Customer Focus | 77 |
| Environmental Enhancement | 177 |
| Governance | 32 |
| Organisational Development | Six |
| Place Property and Regeneration | 57 |
| Planning Housing and Health | 96 |
| Programme Management and Performance | Two |
| Chief Executive and Deputy | Two |
As at 31.03.25:
| Customer Focus (CF) | 78 |
| Environmental Enhancement (EE) | 176 |
| Governance (G) | 33 |
| Organisational Development (OD) | Six |
| Place Property and Regeneration (PPR) | 63 |
| Planning Housing and Health (PHH) | 102 |
| Programme Management and Performance (PMP_ | Five |
| Chief Executive and Deputy (CED) | Two |
3 and 4. This information is not recorded in a way that it is possible to break this down by department/service area as 1 and 2 above, but instead is broken down by the specific area of spend. The Council indicated the service areas that each falls under with their respective abbreviations as per the Council’s published Senior Management details:
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
| Car Parks General (PPR) | 254 | 0 |
| Customer Services (CF) | 11,832 | -79 |
| Communications (CF) | 4,932 | 0 |
| Parks Administration (EE) | 27,612 | 19,389 |
| EH and Housing Administration (PMP) | 258,163 | 46,457 |
| Food Safety - Control Activities (PMP) | 111,491 | 155,570 |
| Kerbside Recycling (EE) | 470,623 | 323,788 |
| Human Resources (OD) | 4,330 | 2,676 |
| Accountancy Services (G) | 6,371 | 0 |
| Building Control (CED) | 197,823 | 103,356 |
| Development Control/ Enforcement C(ED) | 414,281 | 337,843 |
| Domestic Refuse Collection (EE) | 38,554 | 25,219 |
| Street Sweeping Contract (EE) | 65,710 | 30,106 |
| DLU Management/Administration (EE) | 18,762 | 0 |
| Toilet Cleaning Contract (EE) | 81,393 | 103,532 |
| 1,712,131 | 1,147,858 |
Request reference: FOI 10518
Issue date: 08.05.25
Request received:
1. How much the Council spent on advertising in the financial year 2024/25?
2. How much the Council spent on advertising in the financial year 2023/24?
Response provided:
1. £109,311
2. £60,309
Request reference: FOI 10519
Issue date: 08.05.25
Request received:
1. How many staff (as measured by full-time equivalents) does the council employ to work on communications? Please include all internal and external communications including work on your website, media queries and social media
2. What was the council’s communication spending for the financial year 2024/25?
3. What was the council’s communication spending for the financial year 2023/24?
Response provided:
1. Three Full Time Communications Officers who deal with media enquiries, social media, press releases and work on the Council website
2. £300,337
3. £305,047
Request reference: FOI 10521
Issue date: 14.05.25
Request received:
1. Do you have a locally run authority pound?
2. Is the pound run by the local authority or a contractor?
2. a) Name of contractor if applicable
3. Total number of dogs acquired in 2024 (1st January to 31st December)?
a) Number of those dogs reunited with owner?
b) Number of those dogs surrendered to a rescue or animal welfare organisation?
c) Number of those dogs euthanised?
4. If no pound, what happens to lost and stray dogs collected by the local dog warden?
Response provided:
1. No
2. Contractor
a) This information is withheld under Section 31(1) (a) as its release would likely prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. In this case, releasing the details of the establishment used in which stray dogs are taken to would likely lead to some owners attending and demanding the return of their dog(s) without going through the correct returns procedure. Before a lost/stray dog is released, the owner must pay any kennelling fees that have been incurred. Also, when dogs are returned to their owners, this is carried out away from the establishment used, usually in a public place that has been mutually agreed between the Council Officer and the owner(s) concerned
In considering the Public Interest Test, the Council determines that withholding the name of the establishment enables the process to be completed without the interference of other parties and allows the animals to be looked after in a safe environment for the duration of their stay. It is in the interest to the local community that the Council preserves this service which may be endangered if the name of the establishment were to become public knowledge and result in unannounced visits from owners demanding the return of their dogs without going through the correct return procedure. Any such visits would, in the Council’s view cause both the staff of the establishment undue worry and concern (particularly if those individuals display aggressive/violent behaviour) for the welfare of the dogs that are in their care and would likely result in additional security measures being required to ensure the safety of the establishment and would likely lead to further costs that the Council would be required to cover
3. From 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 a total of 16 dogs were taken to kennels. Five were returned to the original owner(s), five were rehomed to new owners, three were taken to a rescue/animal welfare organisation and three were euthanised
4. The Council uses the contracted kennels as indicated in its response to 2 above
Request reference: FOI 10523
Issue date: 08.05.25
Request received:
Details of Premises with Alcohol Licence within the council’s area, providing the following for each:
Contact Name
Business Name
Trading Name
Business Activity
Licence Activity
Business Address
Phone Number
Mobile Number
Response provided:
Applicant provided with an Excel spreadsheet of the information held, containing the information so far as it is held recorded (which is available upon request). Applicant advised that some of the information was redacted under Section 40 (personal data) as the information constitutes personal information that was provided by those licence holders to the Council for the purposes of the administration of their licences. The Council does not consider it would be fair to those individual(s) and that they would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to make their personal information publicly available when it is not already in the public domain
The only information that is disclosed was where that information has already been found within the public domain via an internet search. Where the information is not held (with regards to the contact phone numbers both premises and mobile and email addresses) the Council indicated this with ‘None held’
Request reference: FOI 10524
Issue date: 09.05.25
Request received:
1. The total number of non-housing premises owned by your Council that are currently empty. Please include a breakdown according to the intended use/previous use of the buildings (e g offices, retail, leisure)
2. The total number of non-housing premises owned by your Council that have been empty for more than 12 months. Please include a breakdown according to the intended use/previous use of the buildings (e g offices, retail, leisure)
Response provided:
1. Ground floor and basement of one retail premises that was used for commercial/retail use
2. Two premises, one was used as a public house and the other used for commercial/retail use
Request reference: FOI 10526
Request reference: FOI 10525
Issue date: 19.05.25
Request received:
Environmental health inspections
1. The number of inspections carried out on asylum accommodation by environmental health officers in each of a) 2023 b) 2024 and c) the first quarter of 2025
2. A breakdown, by category, of the hazards recorded from these inspections in each of these time periods (for example pests, mould, fire safety risks etc)
3. A breakdown, by category, of any notices issued to the accommodation provider or the Home Office in each of these time periods (for eg improvement plans, remedial instructions, full enforcement action)
4. If held in a reportable format, the number of asylum accommodation properties that have had multiple inspections by environmental health officers in each of these time periods
HMO licence inspections
5. The number of HMO licence inspections carried out on asylum accommodation by the local authority in each of a) 2023 b) 2024 and c) the first quarter of 2025
6. A breakdown, by category, of the hazards recorded from these inspections in each of these time periods (for fire safety risks, gas safety, room sizes, sufficient amenities etc)
7. A breakdown, by category, of any notices issued to the accommodation provider or the Home Office in each of these time periods (for eg improvement plans, remedial instructions, full enforcement action)
8. If held in a reportable format, the number of asylum accommodation properties that have had multiple HMO inspections in each of these time periods
Response provided:
Environmental health inspections:
1. Nil
2. N/A
3. N/A
4. N/A
HMO licence inspections:
5. a) Zero, b) Zero, c) One
6. Nil
7. Nil
8. Nil
Request reference: FOI 10526
Issue date: 08.05.25
Request received:
The applicant requested the following of the Planning Enforcement team:
- How long is your back log and the average timescales for resolution
- How do you prioritise activities and the number of outstanding enforcement cases by typology
Response provided:
1. There are 295 outstanding enforcement cases at the time of this response. The timescale varies depending on a number of variables:
1. The complexity of the case
2. The capacity of the case officer before the a site visit can be undertaken
3. If it is expedient to pursue following a visit,
4. the cooperation of the individual
a. If an individual complies with the directions by either removing a building or seeking retrospective planning permission the matter can be resolved
b. If not we may proceed with formal action that provides another period of time to comply.
Some cases can take years to resolve in which case we have prosecuted and there are still outstanding matters that are not resolved
There is no simple average timeframe for resolution, each case is unique in its complexity
2. Our priority cases are:
1. Unauthorised works to a listed building
2. Works to protected trees
3. Without planning permission residential use of land
Everything else is dependent on the case officer’s capacity to investigate and manage
| Type of Breach | Total |
| Breach of an enforcement notice | 3 |
| Breach of condition | 52 |
| Listed building in disrepair | 6 |
| Major site monitoring | 1 |
| Monitor planning permission | 5 |
| S106 Monitoring | 2 |
| Temporary planning permission expired | 5 |
| unauthorised advertisement | 2 |
| Unauthorised change of use | 94 |
| Unauthorised development | 83 |
| unauthorised hedgerow removal | 3 |
| Unauthorised tree felling | 4 |
| Unauthorised works to a listed building | 16 |
| untidy site | 19 |
| Total | 295 |
Request reference: FOI 10533
Issue date: 20.05.25
Request received:
The number of recorded fly-tipping incidents per year from January 2022 to March 2025-broken down by month and year, including if possible:
1. Age of offender (e g under 18, 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65 plus)
2. Gender of offender
3. A brief description of what took place (if possible)
a. Actions taken (fines, clean-up costs and prosecutions etc)
b. Object fly-tipped (white goods, building waste, mattresses etc)
c. Location (Urban, Rural, Layby, National Park etc)
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information (where recorded) within Excel spreadsheets for each of the requested years and also directed to the Council’s published datasets:
Environmental Fixed Penalty Notices
Request reference: FOI 10534
Issue date: 13.05.25
Request received:
1. How many public litter bins has the council provided for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024?
2. How often have each of the public bins been emptied for each of the years, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024?
3. How many complaints were received related to public litter bins for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024? And if possible, broken down by topic of complaint e.g. not enough bins, overflowing bins
4. What was the cost to the council to provide, maintain, and empty public bins for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024?
Response provided:
1. 2020 - 2024 = This information is not recorded
2025 = Applicant referred to the Council's online mapping service via its website: https://northdevon.cloud.cadcorp.com/webmap/en-gb/PublicMap/Webmap#/mydata from here, select the three lines at the top left hand of the page and then 'My Data'. From here, filter the Local Facilities layer, and the scroll down to litter bins and select. This will display all of the current litter bin locations
2. 2020 - 2024 = This information is not recorded
2025 = daily
3. Reports of overflowing bins to the Council's Customer Service team as a request for service (prior to escalation as a formal complaint):
2020, 2021 = This information is not recorded. Data is only retained for a rolling three years
2022 (from May 2022) = 24
2023 = 36
2024 = 61
Formal complaints recorded by the Council's Feedback team:
2020 = Zero
2021 = Two (both for overflowing bins)
2022 = Two (one overflowing bins, one not enough public bins)
2023 = One (not enough public bins)
2024 = Zero
4. Litter bin provision, maintenance and emptying fall under the Street Cleaning service, therefore the Council's Accountancy team is unable to extract the costs relating specifically for litter bin provision, maintenance and emptying
Below are the annual costs for the Street Cleaning service which includes bin provision, maintenance and emptying
2020/21 = £642,330
2021/22 = £712,987
2022/23 = £749,551
2023/24 = £921,544
2024/25 = £904,592
Request reference: EIR 10536
Issue date: 12.05.25
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX32 8NL
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 10538
Issue date: 16.05.25
Request received:
The requester indicated that they have a second home and provided its address within North Devon billing area
Recently the council has requested they pay a double council tax amount for this privilege
The council tax bill/statement received declares how their standard charge is distributed. e g to which agencies or functions it is directed but for the additional double tax there is no detail. Therefore, requested the following information:
- For the requester’s property (specific address redacted in accordance with Section 40 of the Act), how will the extra council tax be spent? That is, what causes, functions or purposes will it support?
- What does the Council estimate the scale extra revenue being generated from this strategy compared to its usual income? For example actual pounds or proportions
- What is the strategy of the council regarding second home owners?
Response provided:
1. All income from Council Tax goes towards funding the net revenue budget of the Council to deliver services across the whole district. For 2025/26 the authority when setting its budget has experienced reduced core funding from Government to fund the services it delivers, has experienced inflationary pressures on service delivery and additional costs from the fiscal changes the Chancellor announced within the Government’s budget
We have also experienced increased demand on services such as temporary accommodation and to ensure the most vulnerable in our society have this need met through housing need, we have invested further capital funds into acquiring more houses for temporary accommodation to meet this demand, the borrowing cost for these funded through the revenue budget. All of these additional cost pressures when setting the budget for the current year have been met through our overall funding streams of Council Tax, Business Rates and Government Grants to enable a balanced budget could be agreed
2. The additional income generated for North Devon Council from the second homes premium is estimated to be £353,000
3. The council has an overarching Housing Strategy which can be found at;
Item 7 on Strategy and Resources Committee 12 May 2025:
Council's new housing strategy adopted | North Devon Council
Request reference: FOI 10543
Issue date: 15.05.25
Request received:
1. How many public toilets are currently open in your council area and how many of these are accessible?
2. How many public toilets have been open for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 and how many have been accessible?
3. How much is currently being spent on providing and maintaining public toilets in your council area and how much has been spent for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024?
4. How many of the public toilets available require the public to pay to access them, how much do they charge, for this year and each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024?
Response provided:
1. Please refer to the Council's website for this information: Public toilets
2. Applicant provided with an Excel spreadsheet listing the applicable public toilets open/closed in the requested years and their reasons where held which is available upon request. Details regarding accessibility of those respective toilets will be published on the Council's website: Public Toilets
3. This data is only held/recorded per financial year, as follows:
2019/20 - £205,158
2020/21 - £356,172
2021/22 - £316,707
2022/23 - £293,339
2023/24 - £304,601
2024/25 - £220,371
4. No Council operated/run public toilets require a charge for their use. The Council has not previously charged for this service within the requested timeframe
Request reference: FOI 10546
Issue date: 16.05.25
Request received:
1. What Software Systems are currently used by the Council for:
A: Planning, Land Charges, Building control
B: Public Protection (Licensing, Environmental Health, Anti-Social Behaviour)?
2. When does each contract expire?
3. How much does each system cost annually?
4. Are you planning to go to market for a different Software System? If so, when?
5. How many users/licenses for each system do you have?
6. Who is the person responsible for your Software System? Please provide full name if possible
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 provided the following response:
1 A:
Planning = DEF Software Ltd
Land Charges = None used
Building Control = IDOX Uniform, however its software is run on Mid Devon District Council ICT hardware (as the service operates jointly with Mid Devon District Council) and their software licence and so the contract details are published via Mid Devon’s Procurement team: Mid Devon District Council Procurement contracts
Applicant advised that at the time of response there was a fault with accessing the individual contracts through this link (when the view button is selected it creates a red outline around the button but doesn’t open into another page as expected) which had been raised with Mid Devon District Council’s procurement team to look into
B: Public Protection
Environmental Health and ASB = NEC Software
2. When does each contract expire?
Planning = Please refer to the Contract Register as linked above, however Planning indicate that they are in the process of renewing for a further five years
Building Control = Please refer to the linked contract as above
Idox = please refer to the Contract Register as linked above; however this is only in place until Rocktime is fully implemented and may end sooner
Rocktime = Please refer to the Contract Register as linked above with an optional 1 year extension
NEC Software Ltd = Please refer to the Contract Register linked above. The Council is about to enter into a seven year contract
3. How much does each system cost annually?
Planning = Please refer to the Contract Register as linked above.
Building Control = This is not held by North Devon Council, please contact Mid Devon District Council for this information
Idox = Please refer to the Contract Register as linked above.
Rocktime = £18,897
4. Are you planning to go to market for a different software system? If so, when?
Applicant referred to the Appraisal/Review dates on the Contract Register for each as above
5. How many users/licences for each system do you have?
Planning = 39 users
Building Control = This is not held by North Devon Council, applicant advised to contact Mid Devon District Council for this information
NEC = Site
Rocktime = Site
IDOX = Site
6. Applicant referred to the Primary Contact details on the Contract Register for each as above
Request reference: FOI 10547
Issue date: 14.05.25
Request received:
a. What Cemetery/Crematorium Management solution does your council currently use?
b. When is the contract end date for the Cemetery/Crematorium Management solution?
c. When was the Cemetery/Crematorium Management solution contract last re-tendered?
d. Could you please provide the contract value for the Cemetery/Crematorium Management solution?
e. Is there an intent to release a tender for Cemetery/Crematorium Management solutions in the foreseeable future? If so, please kindly provide an estimated timeline or relevant details
f. If your Cemetery/Crematorium Management system hosted or on premise?
g. Does your Council have a Digital Strategy around the use of AI for other service areas?
Response provided:
a. Gower Epilog
b. The Council has a rolling contract in place
c. Over ten years ago. The Council does not hold an exact date on record
d. In 2024-25 budget, costs were:
Telebooking capability = £630.53
Hosting for Crematorium and Cemeteries = £1,970.35
Hosting for Cremations = £1,986.09
e. There are no current plans to tender
f. Hosted
g. No
Request reference: FOI 10549
Issue date: 27.05.25
Request received:
A list of all currently licensed animal boarding establishments (kennels) in the local authority area. For each licensed kennel, please include:
Name of the business
Address
Licence number
Licence expiry date
Type of boarding (e g kennels, home boarding, day care, etc)
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information requested in Excel format, which is available upon request
Request reference: FOI 10550
Issue date: 01.05.25
Request received:
In relation to rural active travel paths, active travel schemes in which local authorities and communities have encountered landowner difficulties, in order to establish the scale, nationally, of the problem, the length of potential routes these landowners are blocking (including potential routes that would connect to the landowner’s land but cannot proceed over a longer distance or in their entirety without that landowner’s assent)
1. The length, in miles, of A) proposed traffic-free paths or greenways being held up because they would need to cross a resistant landowner’s land, and B) the total length of route(s) that would be deliverable were those landowners to assent, i e if a proposed path would travel three miles between two towns but A), landowner X refuses to agree to a path across 500m of their land (and there’s no feasible alternative), B), this makes the whole three miles undeliverable, or so expensive to re-route as to be undeliverable
2. Has your local authority successfully used A) the threat (for want of a better word) of, or B) implemented, CPO (compulsory purchase order) powers to deliver any traffic-free cycling and/or walking paths since April 2017? If so, any details would be appreciated
Response provided:
Applicant advised that this authority does not hold the requested information and was directed to request this information from Devon County Council
Request reference: FOI 10551
Issue date: 01.05.25
Request received:
1. What payments, if any, the Council made to Stonewall (officially Stonewall Equality Limited) in the financial year 2024/25?
2. What payments, if any, the Council expects to make to Stonewall (officially Stonewall Equality Limited) in the current financial year?
Response provided:
1. No payments were made to Stonewall in 2024/25 by North Devon Council
2. No payments are anticipated to be made to Stonewall in 2025/26 by North Devon Council
Request reference: FOI 10552
Issue date: 23.05.25
Request received:
Unauthorised encampments:
1. How many complaints have the council received between the calendar years 2019 and 2024 about unauthorised encampments in the local authority area
2. The number of times your local authority has evicted members of the Romani
Gypsy and Irish Traveller communities from encampments from public or private land between 2019 and 2024
3. Of those, how many were carried out using:
a. Anti-social behaviour powers (please specify which)
b. Planning enforcement powers
4. Whether the authority works in partnership with the police or private bailiffs in these cases, and any costs incurred
5. Copies of any internal policies or protocols used in making decisions to evict
Anti-social behaviour powers
1. A list of all anti-social behaviour powers used by your authority that were directed at members of Romani Gypsy or Irish Traveller communities/any orders that specifically mention members of these communities
2. For each instance, please provide:
a. The type of power used (e.g., Community Protection Notice, Public
Spaces Protection Order, Dispersal Order, Injunction, Criminal Behaviour Order, etc)
b. The location
c. The date
d. The reason for its use
e. Whether the action was challenged and the outcome of any challenge
3. Please confirm whether your authority has a specific policy or guidance for the
use of ASB powers against Romani Gypsy or Irish Traveller or nomadic communities
Injunctions
1. Has your authority applied for, obtained, or enforced any injunctions (interim or final) to prevent unauthorised encampments, including “wide” or “persons unknown” injunctions?
2. For each injunction, please provide:
a. The type (e.g. interim, final, wide-area, “persons unknown”)
b. The date it was granted and by which court
c. The geographic area or sites it covers
d. The legal grounds on which it was sought (e g nuisance, ASB, trespass)
e. Whether it was directed at specific individuals or groups, and whether Traveller communities were named or implicitly included
3. The number of times the injunction has been enforced, including:
a. How enforcement took place (e.g. eviction, arrest, fine)
b. Whether any individuals from Romani Gypsy or Irish Traveller communities were affected
c. Any challenges or appeals, including outcomes
• Copies of any Equality Impact Assessments or Human Rights Assessments conducted in connection with seeking or enforcing such injunctions
Response provided:
Unauthorised encampments:
1. 39 complaints regarding unauthorised encampments were received between 2019 and 2024
2. The Council does not record the ethnicity of individuals and communities, therefore it is unable to answer this part of your request
3. a) unknown as the answer to 2 above is unknown
b) unknown as the answer to 2 above is unknown
4. Unknown as the answer to 2 above is unknown
5. Unknown as the answer to 2 is unknown
Anti-social behaviour powers:
1. The Council does not record the ethnicity of individuals and communities, therefore it is unable to answer this part of your request
2. Unknown as the answer to 1 above unknown
3. No it does not as it does not record the ethnicity of individuals and communities
Injunctions:
1. No
2. N/A
3. N/A
• N/A
Request reference: FOI 10555
Issue date: 12.05.25
Request received:
The number of registered voters on your current electoral roll who are known to be residing overseas, broken down by country of residence
Response provided:
| Country | Number of Electors |
| Australia | 35 |
| Austria | 3 |
| Belgium | 3 |
| Canada | 10 |
| Chad | 1 |
| China | 5 |
| Cyprus | 2 |
| Czech Republic | 2 |
| Denmark | 2 |
| Ecuador | 1 |
| Finland | 1 |
| France | 75 |
| Germany | 21 |
| Gibraltar | 2 |
| Greece | 1 |
| Guernsey | 7 |
| Ireland | 6 |
| Isle of Man | 1 |
| Italy | 6 |
| Japan | 1 |
| Jersey | 2 |
| Macau | 1 |
| Netherlands | 10 |
| New Zealand | 8 |
| Norway | 3 |
| Poland | 1 |
| Portugal | 13 |
| Qatar | 1 |
| Romania | 2 |
| Russia | 1 |
| Rwanda | 1 |
| South Africa | 1 |
| south Korea | 2 |
| Spain | 37 |
| Sweden | 4 |
| Switzerland | 3 |
| Thailand | 1 |
| United Arab Emirates | 3 |
| USA | 11 |
| Total | 290 |
Request reference: FOI 10556
Issue date: 12.05.25
Request received:
The applicant requested the property details where ‘Improvement relief’ is currently in place, including;
BA reference
Address and postcode
Rateable value
Value of certificate
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the requested information in Excel format, which is available upon request
Request reference: EIR 10557
Issue date: 21.05.25
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 9NX
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 10558
Issue date: 13.05.25
Request received:
This FOI is for the attention of the council officers who oversee the private rented sector
1. The total number of Civil Penalties relating to housing offences served to private landlords per year for the following years:
2023/24
2024/25
2. The number of Civil Penalties issued to private landlords each year (so 2023/2024 & 2024/2025) for each of the following offences per year:
a) Failure to comply with an Improvement Notice (section 30 of the Housing Act 2004)
b) Offences in relation to licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (section 72 of the Housing Act 2004)
c) Offences in relation to licensing of houses under Part 3 of the Act (section 95 of the Housing Act 2004)
d) Offences of contravention of an overcrowding notice (section 139 of the Housing Act 2004)
e) Failure to comply with management regulations in respect of Houses in Multiple Occupation (section 234 of the Housing Act 2004)
f) Banning Orders under the Housing and Planning Act 2016
g) Offences in relation to Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Regulations
h) Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (England) Regulations 2015
3. The total amount of income (£) levied (so before appeals/negotiations/legal costs etc) in Civil Penalties relating to housing offences to private landlords per year for the following years:
2023/24
2024/25
4. The total amount of income (£) collected (after appeals/negotiations/legal costs etc) in Civil Penalties relating to housing offences to private landlords per year for the following years:
2023/24
2024/25
Response provided:
1. 2023/24 = None
2024/25 = None
2. N/A
3. N/A
4. N/A
Request reference: FOI 10560
Issue date: 21.05.25
Request received:
1. How many assaults were reported against your council's housing staff (all housing officers plus any other council staff who work directly with council housing tenants) in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and in the first quarter of 2025?
2. For each of these years, how many of these assaults were verbal?
3. For each of these years, how many of these assaults were physical?
4. For each of these years, how many of these assaults were sexual?
5. For each of these years, how many of these assaults involved abuse related to a protected characteristic/hate speech?
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the following response:
| Year | Total number of assaults | Number of verbal assaults | Number of physical assaults | Number of sexual assaults? | Number of assaults involving a protected characteristic |
| 2016 | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded |
| 2017 | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded |
| 2018 | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded |
| 2019 | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded |
| 2020 | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded |
| 2021 | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded | Data not recorded |
| 2022 | 18 (April 2022-April 2023) | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 4 (April 2023-April 2024) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 11 (April 2024 – to date) | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 (January to March) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Request reference: FOI 10562
Issue date: 13.05.25
Request received:
A list of all organisations within the North Devon district who were in receipt of a discretionary relief on their business rates in the tax year 2024/25 and who have a relief in place for the year 25/26, including the percentage and monetary value of this relief
Response provided:
Applicant provided with this information in Excel format (two spreadsheets for each of the requested years. Some personal data was redacted under Section 40 of the Act
Request reference: EIR 10563
Issue date: 21.05.25
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: FOI 10564
Issue date: 14.05.25
Request received:
- The number of properties invoiced for the 100% second home Council Tax premium since 01.04.205
- The number of properties invoiced for the 100% second home council tax premium since 1st April 2025, who have applied for an exemption (split by reason for exemption)
Response provided:
- 1,996 on 01.04.25 and 1,859 on 14.05.25
- On 14.05.25:
Class F = 6
Class G = 86
Class H = 8
Class I = 76
Class K = 1
Class M = 3
Request reference: FOI 10561
Issue date: 29.05.25
Request received:
1. Contractors
Please can you provide a list of all contractors of facilities you use for collection of waste and recycling including:
- Kerbside collections (e g plastic waste dry mixed recycling and aluminium cans)
- Non-Kerbside collections – e g street bins, bins in public buildings, on-the-go waste
For each can you include:
- Services provided;
- Contract start and end dates
- Annual or total contract value
- Fee structures – whether they are fixed or variable rates, contamination charges/revenue sharing arrangements etc;
- Performance indicators or incentives used including recycling targets, contamination thresholds and any associated bonuses/penalties;
- Where possible can the information be broken down by plastic, aluminium, dry mixed recycling;
- Collection stream – Kerbside or non-Kerbside
2. Waste Volumes and Collection Methods
Please can you provide the annual tonnages collected (2021/22–2023/2024) of:
- Plastic bottles, including an estimate of the percentage or volume of PET plastic, where available
- Other plastics
- Dry mixed recycling
- Aluminium cans
If tonnages are estimated rather than measured, please indicate the method of estimation
Can you indicate whether these were collected separately or as part of a co-mingled waste stream. Where possible, can you provide an estimate of the PET plastic content
3. Contamination and Waste Treatment Outcomes 2021/22 to 2023/2024
Please can you provide annual contamination rates (gross tonnage and percentage) for plastic bottles, other plastics, dry mixed recycling, and aluminium cans between 2021/22 and 2023/2024 by contractor/facility. If tonnages are estimated rather than measured, please indicate the method of estimation
Please also provide the total annual amount (gross and %) of:
- Plastic waste recycled vs plastic incinerated
- Aluminium waste recycled vs aluminium incinerated
- All council-collected waste recycled vs. incinerated
4. Kerbside and Non Kerbside collections
Please describe your role in kerbside and non-kerbside waste and recycling collections
For kerbside collections, please include:
- Whether materials (e.g. plastics, aluminium) are collected separately or co-mingled
- Frequency and method of collection
- Any recent or planned changes in response to DRS or EPR
- If on-the-go (public space) bins are part of the system, please include them in your description and identify them separately
For non-kerbside collections (e g street bins or bins in public buildings), include:
- Whether separate contracts exist
- Materials collected, including plastic and aluminium
- Volumes (2021/2022 – 2023/2024), with percentages and volumes for plastics and aluminium
Contract terms and fees structures with contractors
If tonnages are estimated, please state the method used
5. DRS and EPR Preparations
Please can you provide details of any work undertaken in preparation for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This may include infrastructure investments, installation of reverse vending machines, operational changes, pilot projects, modelling, or public engagement activities
Response provided:
1. Refuse, recycling (including Trade) are dealt with in-house
2. Plastic bottles = Not separated
Aluminium cans: 21/22 = 159
22/23 = 135
23/24 = 152
Co-mingled
3. Plastic waste recycled vs plastics incinerated = This is not recorded
Aluminium waste recycled vs aluminium incinerated = This in not recorded
All council-collected waste recycled vs. incinerated: 21/22 = 18,887/39,131
22/23 = 16,801/36,838
23/24 = 17,337/37,881
4. Waste Manager
Co-mingled
Weekly
No
N/A
No
Litter bin waste, not processed
Not recorded
N/A
5. Nothing as yet
No information is held regarding Deposit Return Scheme and Extended Producer Responsibility
Request reference: FOI 10567
Issue date: 14.05.25
Request received:
The applicant requested information regarding fixed penalties issued to drivers caught smoking in licensed vehicles in the last tax year (6th April 2024 to 5th April 2025):
1. How many fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were issued to drivers for smoking in their licensed vehicles?
2. What is the monetary value of a FPN for a driver being caught smoking in a licensed vehicle (if it was paid within 15 days)?
3. How many FPN’s were paid within 15 days?
4. What is the monetary value of a FPN for a driver being caught smoking in a licensed vehicle (if it was paid within 29 days)?
5. How many FPN’s were paid within 29 days?
6. How many drivers were summoned to court (for not paying the FPN within the 29 days)?
7. What were the subsequent fines paid by the respective drivers which were summoned to court? (where applicable)
Response provided:
The Council provides the following response for the requested period 06.04.24 - 05.04.25:
1. Nil
2. £30
3. N/A
4. £50
5. N/A
6. N/A
7. N/A
Request reference: FOI 10568
Issue date: 27.05.25
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 9AB
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 10569
Issue date: 21.05.25
Request received:
- How many defibrillators are currently under the supervision of the council?
- How many defibrillator guardians are there per AED? By guardian, I mean person responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the defibrillator.
- Are all of the defibrillators currently registered on the circuit?
- How many times have each of the defibrillators owned by the council been used between 01.05.2024 and 01.05.2025
- How much does the council spend on defibrillator maintenance per financial year?
- How many out of the total defibrillators that the council owns are accessible 24/7?
- In the last two months, how many AED’s have been checked?
Response provided:
1. Seven
2. One
3. Yes
4. This data is not recorded by the Council
5. Batteries/pads are replaced every three years. The most recent spend was in November 2024 for batteries (10 per device) and pads. The seven devices at a cost of £1,442.42
6. None
7. None. Last check was in November 2024
Request reference: FOI 10571
Issue date: 21.05.25
Request received:
The applicant requested information on the demographics of elected councillors. Essentially, any Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) data held on local councillors. If only basic demographic information such as age is held, the applicant requested that this be disclosed
Response provided:
The applicant was provided with the following response and that it relates to a where a member (42) including those that have been co-opted) (seven)) have chosen to disclose their formation to the authority:
Disability
The Council has one member who has registered their disability with the authority
Age
Under 21 = Zero
21 - 30 = Zero
31 - 40 = Four
41 - 50 = Nine
51 - 60 = 10
61 and over = 26
Total = 49
Gender
Female = 17
Male = 32
Ethnicity by Gender:
| Ethic origin | Male | Female | Gender withheld |
| Any other mixed background | One | Zero | Zero |
| British | Three | One | Zero |
| Withheld | 28 | 16 | Zero |
Request reference: FOI 10572
Issue date: 23.05.25
Request received:
The following details regarding payments for Business Rates and Council Tax refunds:
1. The sort code and account number from which refunds for Business Rates and Council Tax are paid
2. The exact wording that appears on payments issued from your bank accounts (e.g., CX190707 BURNLEY BOROUGH CO 40151791206850)
3. The contact telephone number and email address for your Council Tax and Business Rates teams
4. The contact telephone number and email address for your Accounts Payable/Finance teams
Response provided:
1. Sort Code: 600203, Account Number: 03953793
2. NDDC GENERAL ACCOU REFERENCE: 01 52790354
3. 01271 388361 for both Council Tax and Business Rates, counciltax@northdevon.gov.uk businessrates@northdevon.gov.uk
4. creditors@northdevon.gov.uk 01271 388217, accounts@northdevon.gov.uk 01271 388435
Request reference: FOI 10573
Issue date: 12.05.25
Request received:
List of planning references and S106 contributions for the years 2005-2020, a data list in .csv or Microsoft XL format to include the following:
Application number, total S106 contributions paid per application, date the S106 contributions were received, the amount of contributions that have been spent and the date that spend the contributions were spent
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the requested information in Excel format (which is available upon request), but advised that the data is recorded by financial year and not calendar year as requested and that the actual date of spend is not recorded but the year spent is and so is included within the response
Request reference: FOI 10574
Issue date: 27.05.25
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX31 4HY
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 10575
Issue date: 19.05.25
Request received:
1. How many reports has the council received of suspected second homes from residents?
2. How many second home premium charges have been issued as a result of reports? From April 2024 until May 2025
Response provided:
The Council confirmed that it does hold this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council’s Revenues team confirmed that they are unable to provide this information due to the way in which it is recorded. They advise that there are currently a total of 1,859 second homes within the authority billing area, however they are unable to easily identify which accounts were historical second homes (prior to the new charge) and those that have become second homes since the new charge came into force) and that to be able to answer your request, each account would need to be manually gone through to identify which accounts fall under 1 and 2 above. They would require anywhere between 2.5 and 5 minutes on each account, reading through the information held in order to identify, locate, retrieve and collate the information
Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the appropriate limit, which for Local Authorities is set at £450 by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours at £25 per hour in determining whether the Council holds the information, locating, retrieving and collating the information
It has been estimated by the Revenues team that it would take anywhere between 77 and 154 hours to provide the requested information. This search would cause serious disruption to the day to day working of the Revenues team and therefore we are unable to process your request any further. As set out in the previous paragraph, the Council has the right to refuse to provide the information in accordance with Section 12 of the Act
In accordance with Section 16, the Council is required to provide advice and assistance in order to help applicant’s refine/narrow requests that exceed the 18 hour cost limit as far as reasonably and practicably possible; however in this instance the Council is unable to identify any other way in which the information could be obtained from it, other than the manual search of each applicable Council Tax account for the 1,859 second homes currently held. If upon the consideration of this response the applicant is able to reconsider and wishes to submit a new FOI for the Council to consider and respond to, it will endeavour to assist them with this as far as practicably possible, in accordance with Section 16
Request reference: FOI 10576
Issue date: 15.05.25
Request received:
1. The total number of political assistants/researchers currently employed by your Council. These may be staff allocated to assist different councillor political groups
2. The total number of policy officers currently employed by your Council
3. The total number of scrutiny officers/scrutiny co-ordinators employed by your Council to administer Council committees
4. The total number of committee clerks (other than scrutiny officers/scrutiny co-ordinators) employed by your Council to administer Council committees
Response provided:
1. Zero
2. Zero
3. Zero
4. Five
Request reference: FOI 10579
Issue date: 23.05.25
Request received:
1. The current organisational structure chart for your Public Health department, including job titles and reporting lines
2. The names of all staff at Public Health Consultant level and above within the Public Health team
3. Where available, individual and team-level contact details such as email addresses or switchboard numbers
If possible, please provide the information in PDF, Word, or Excel format
Response provided:
Applicant provided with a copy of the applicable structure chart which includes Public Health. All personal data (names) of officers below senior management, management and service leads redacted in accordance with Section 40 of the Act
Applicant also referred to the Council’s website: Contact Us for the team email addresses and telephone numbers. This page also provides the main telephone number and email for Customer Services (at bottom of the page)
Request reference: FOI 10580
Issue date: 21.05.25
Request received:
1. The number of complaints received per year by tenants related to private rented sector housing for the following years:
2023/2024
2024/2025
2. The number of complaints received per year by tenants related to social housing for the following years:
2023/2024
2024/2025
3. The number of Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) inspections carried out per year on PRS properties for the following years:
2023/2024
2024/2025
If applicable: 3a) The total number of property licensing (selective and/or additional) inspections carried out per year on PRS properties for the following years:
2023/2024
2024/2025
4. How many improvement notices have been served in relation to Category 1 and/or Category 2 hazards on PRS properties per year for the following years:
2023/2024
2024/2025
If possible, please list the total number of Improvement Notices served exclusively because of category 1 hazards.
5. The total number of formal enforcement notices served: Overcrowding Notices (Housing Act 2004 Part 2) on properties in the PRS for the following years:
2023/2024
2024/2025
6. Please state the year in which your local authority last carried out a Stock Condition Survey
7. How many housing units in your local authority do you estimate to be in the Private Rented Sector?
Response provided:
1. The reporting system used is unable to distinguish between Private Rented Sector and/or Social housing; therefore the figures for 1 and 2 are as follows:
2023/24 = 133
2024/25 = 111
2. As above
3. 2023/24 = Two
2024/25 = 77
3 a). Zero in both requested years
4. 2023/24 = Two
2024/25 = Six
5. 2023/24 = Zero
2024/25 = Zero
6. 2019
7. 8,830
Request reference: FOI 10581
Issue date: 19.05.25
Request received:
Access to any available data on wildlife stowaways intercepted in the United Kingdom between 1st January 2015 and April 2025. Information (where available) on all amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates (non-agricultural pest invertebrate species such as tarantulas, scorpions and myriapods but excluding agricultural pest such as aphid species etc.) intercepted across all modes of transport (air, sea, road, rail)
Covering but not limited to the following fields, where recorded:
• Date of interception (if available)
• Year
• Species name
• Sex
• Status (dead or alive)
• Country of origin
• Means of arrival (e g within cargo, luggage, containers)
• Location of arrival (e g which port, airport, city)
• Mode of transport (e g ship, airplane, truck, etc)
• Who reported the presence (e g customs officer, public, etc)
• Whether the interception was commercial-related
Response provided:
The Council’s Health, Food and Safety team confirmed that for the requested period they have not received any complaints or reports that would fall under the remit of the request. Instead, the applicant was directed to the Animal and Plant Health Agency for any information that they may hold
Request reference: FOI 10584
Issue date: 19.05.25
Request received:
The applicant requested the following information in Excel format:
Registration number:
Make:
Model:
of all fleet Council owned vehicles between 1st April 2024 and 31st March 2025 within its Council
Response provided:
Applicant provided with this information in Excel format, which is available upon request
Request reference: FOI 10585
Issue date: 19.05.25
Request received:
The applicant requested details of reports of incidents, accidents and fatalities involving sharp/irregular edges or protrusions on headstones, memorials or monuments in U.K. cemeteries over the last thirty years. The applicant specifically wishes to exclude incidents, accidents and fatalities relating to fallen or falling headstones, memorials or monuments; only sharp/irregular edges or protrusions they were concerned about. If information is known:
1. The cause, if known, of each accident or fatality
2. Any details of the sharp/irregular edges or protrusions of the memorials concerned in each incident, accident, or fatality
3. The approximate locality of each incident, accident, or fatality
4. In the case of incidents and accidents their severity and whether hospitalisation was required
5. The ages of each incident or accident victim
Response provided:
The Council confirmed that it does not have any records of any incidents, accidents or fatalities specifically involving sharp/irregular edges or protrusions on headstones, memorials or monuments in its two cemeteries over the last thirty years
Request reference: FOI 10586
Issue date: 28.05.25
Request received:
1. Has your authority adopted the social model of disability in its practices?
2. If yes to Q1, has this been formally adopted at a council meeting or similar?
3. Have your staff and councillors been trained in disability awareness, including the social model of disability?
4. Do your equality impact assessments include reference to the social model of disability and its implications for policy decisions?
5. Does your authority employ an access officer or similar (e.g. access design officer or disabilities officer) to provide advice to officials and others about access standards and design? If yes, please provide the specific job title
6. Does your authority have a policy or charter covering accessible streets for disabled people, for example a Streets Charter, accessible streets policy or similar? If so, please can you provide a copy
7. Is your authority part of the Disability Confident scheme? If so, at what level - Committed, Employer, Leader?
Response provided:
1. No
2. No
3. No, just EDI training including disability
4. Applicant referred to the Council's published Equality Impact Assessments: 2021/22. 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25 (up to January 2025) which may include reference to this (where applicable): https://www.northdevon.gov.uk/council/strategies-plans-and-policies/equality-and-diversity/equality-impact-assessments
5. No
6. N/A
7. Yes. Disability Confident registration (Level 2)
Request reference: FOI 10592
Issue date: 27.05.25
Request received:
Last year the government wrote to all councils to ask them to carry out checks of all funeral homes in their area. I understand that it was largely environmental health teams who carried out this work
Please can you tell me:
• if the council has completed these checks
• where any concerns about specific funeral homes were identified please provide a summary of the concern and the name of the business
Response provided:
The Council confirmed that checks were made at all establishments within North Devon Council area. No major concerns were raised. Most premises were pleased to receive the visit and some were given advice on best practice
Request reference: FOI 10597
Issue date: 23.05.25
Request received:
1. Tax year 24/25: The number of times between 01.04.2024 and 31.03.2025 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority
2. Tax year 23/24: The number of times between 01.04.2023 to 31.03.2024 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority
Please provide a separate figure for each tax year, rather than a combined figure
By “private bailiffs/enforcement agents” we mean those who are self-employed or who work for private companies, including as high court enforcement officers. Please include cases where local authority employees have visited a property to enforce a warrant of control
3. Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support/Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)
Response provided:
The applicant was directed to the Council’s datasets in response to 1 and 2: Non-payment of Council Tax which covers both requested years and also goes back to 2014/25
3. No
Request reference: FOI 10602
Issue date: 29.05.27
Request received:
Information regarding Council Tax discounts in the local authority
1. What percentage of households currently receive any form of Council Tax discount in the 2025/26 financial year?
Please include all discount types (e g single person discount, low income-based reductions, disability-related discounts, student exemptions, etc)
2. What percentage of households received Council Tax discounts in the 2024/25 financial year?
3. Have any Council Tax discounts or exemptions been reduced, removed, or otherwise changed in 2025/26 compared to 2024/25?
If so:
Please specify the types of changes made (e.g. eligibility rules, discount rates, categories affected)
The effective date(s) of these changes
4. Of the households that received any Council Tax discount in 2024/25, how many (and what percentage) are receiving a reduced discount or no discount in 2025/26?
If possible, please provide this by discount type (e g single person, low income, disability-related, etc)
5. If available, please provide any impact assessments, internal reports, consultation documents, or equality impact assessments related to these changes
Response provided:
1, 2 and 4
Applicant advised that it is not possible to provide a percentage of households receiving a discount without exceeding the 18 cost limit under Section 12 of the Act. The Revenues team confirms that they can provide a total number of households, and an individual total of households who receive single person discount, low income-based reductions, disability-related discounts, student exemptions. However, the same household may receive multiple discounts and appear within the total for each individual discount. Therefore a Revenues officer would need to manually check each account to provide an accurate figure of the percentage of households receiving a discount. At the time of this response the team confirms they have approximately 15,000 single occupiers whose accounts would need to be manually checked, each taking approximately five minutes
Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the appropriate limit, which for Local Authorities is set at £450 by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours at £25 per hour in determining whether the Council holds the information, locating, retrieving and collating the information
It has been estimated by the Revenues team that it would take approximately 1,250 hours to provide the requested information. The procedure of which would cause serious disruption to the day to day working of the Revenues team and therefore we are unable to process these parts of the request any further. As set out in the previous paragraph, the Council has the right to refuse to provide the information in accordance with Section 12 of the Act
In Accordance with Section 16, the Council is required to provide advice and assistance in order to help applicant’s refine/narrow requests that exceed the 18 hour cost limit as far as reasonably and practicably possible; however in this instance the Council is unable to identify any other way in which the information could be obtained from it, other than the manual search of the 15,000 single occupier accounts as referred to above. If upon the consideration of this response the applicant is able to reconsider and wish to submit a new FOI for the Council to consider and respond to, it will endeavour to assist them with this as far as practicably possible, in accordance with Section 16 of the Act
3. No
5. None held
Request reference: FOI 10606
Issue date: 29.05.25
Request received:
Re: Tors Park Lynmouth EX35 6BN
The applicant advises that there are 34 apartments shown on the government website; 30 apartments are listed under Council Tax and four are listed under Business Rates
Of the 30 apartments listed as Council Tax:
1. How many does North Devon Council have as paying the second homes premium?
2. How many does North Devon Council have as paying the empty homes premium?
Response provided:
Of the 30 apartments at Tors Park, Lynmouth, EX35 6BN listed as Council Tax:
1. 23
2. Three
Request reference: FOI 10607
Issue date: 29.05.25
Request received:
1. Does the Council have its own local authority plant nursery?
2. Does it have a peat-free policy?
3. Does the Council have a peat-free policy for sourcing plants and growing media (compost) for parks?
4. What percentage of peat-free plants does the Council estimate it currently uses?
Response provided:
1. No
2. N/A as No to 1 above
3. The Council does have a policy not to use peat compost and all bedding plants are grown in peat free compost. The Council does occasionally buy other plants from different suppliers, however it does not hold any information on whether they are peat free
4. This information is not recorded
Request reference: FOI 10609
Issue date: 30.05.25
Request received:
1. Previous or Current Service Delivery: Please provide copies of any policies, guidelines, internal memos or external communications that set out the Council’s approach to allowing males who identify as women (either with or without a GRC) to use spaces or services designated as for women. These services can either be commissioned or provided directly by the Council
2. Policies: Provide a list of all policies and practices that are under review to ensure they align with the Supreme Court’s clarification of the Equality Act 2010 following the For Women Scotland ruling. If no policies are currently under review has there been a decision about when this work will be undertaken?
3. Equality Impact Assessments: Provide a list and copies of all Equality Impact Assessments that are under review to ensure they are in line with the Equality Act 2010, particularly with regard to policies that affect women and sex-based rights
4. Monitoring and Compliance: What measures are in place to ensure that, going forward, women’s rights are not compromised under any of the Council’s policies once existing policies have been updated to reflect the ruling of the Supreme Court?
Response provided:
1. No, the Council does not hold information that falls within the remit of the information requested
2. No, not at the time of this response
3. None
4. The Council confirms that whilst there are no measures currently in place, it will apply all necessary measures as and when appropriate
Request reference: FOI 10610
Issue date: 29.05.25
Request received:
1. Does the Council use a Citizen Engagement platform?
2. If so, what tools does it use?
3. How much does it spend annually on a Citizen Engagement tool?
4. Which month and year does the contract with the Council’s supplier end?
A citizen engagement platform is a digital tool or system designed to facilitate communication, interaction, and participation between citizens and government or public organisations. Its goal is to make civic involvement easier, more transparent, and more effective
These platforms can be used by governments, cities, or organisations to:
- Collect feedback on policies, services, or community issues
- Conduct surveys and polls
- Enable reporting of local issues, like potholes or graffiti
- Share updates, news, and documents with the public
- Encourage participatory budgeting or co-creation of solutions
Examples include tools like Granicus, CitizenLab, or Commonplace
Response provided:
The Council confirmed that the information requested is published via its Contract Register:
1) Yes
3) As published via the Contract Register linked within the response to 2 above
4) As 3 above