Disclosure Log - November 2025 | North Devon Council

Request reference: FOI 10857

Issue date: 06.11.25

Request received:

1. Can you tell me the council's position on the emergence of St George's flags on lampposts, roundabouts and elsewhere via non-official origins in the past few months?

2. By conducting a keywords search of the authority's email server, please tell me how many emails appear, separately, for each of the months of May, June, July and August 2025 when searching for the term 'English flag' or 'George's flag''

3. By conducting a similar search for any occurrence of the terms 'English flag' or 'George's flag' (use the search term 'English flag' OR 'St George's flag' ) please can you provide for me an output of the contents of email exchanges on your server, redacted to ensure no personal information is included, starting with the most recent and going back as far as you can within the time and cost limits specified in the FOI Act - and not extending before 1st July 2025

If you don't have a system capable of automatically redacting emails outputs, I believe this should be possible by conducting a search for emails on your server going back as far as 1st July, outputting all as a PDF and redacting the PDF(s) as far back as you can, then omitting all the pages which remain unredacted from your response

4. If possible, within the cost limits of the act after fulfilling the above questions, can you please also provide the contents of any minutes or discussions where the emergence of these flags on streets and roundabouts was discussed?

Response provided:

The Council’s Communications team provided the following response: The Council will always support those who wish to express their patriotism and fly the nation’s flags on their own homes; however, it asks the public to not fly flags, or paint them, on publicly owned property without first seeking the permission of the relevant authority. Doing so could breach the Highways Act and pose a risk to road users should they obstruct visibility, be a distraction or become loose. Devon County Council may remove any flags that have been hung from lampposts without permission or if they consider them to be unlawful. Anyone wishing to fly a flag on property that Devon County Council is responsible for can apply at no cost through their website
May 2025 = Zero

June 2025 = Zero

July 2025 = Zero

August 2025 = One
As follows:

Email chain 05.09.25 – log from Devon County Council Highways, providing the locations of red flags painted on highways assets – provided for information/awareness. Applicant provided with a copy of the email chain, with all personal data redacted throughout in accordance with Section 40 of the Act
Two emails within one pdf document sent by a member of the public to a Cllr on 8 and 16 September 2025 reporting that red crosses had been painted on a number of mini roundabouts within the Sticklepath area. Cllr provided consent for the disclosure of these emails and further advises that whilst they did not respond to either of the emails, they did speak with the County Councillor for Barnstaple South in person regarding the issue. As attached. All personal data that identifies the member of the public is redacted throughout, in accordance with Section 40 of the Act
Email chain 02.10.25 – log from Devon County Council Highways, providing the locations of flags being erected within the wider Devon area (including Barnstaple) provided for info. As attached. All personal data redacted throughout, in accordance with Section 40 of the Act

The Council does hold a further email which was sent by its Emergency Planning Officer to their colleagues on 22 September, providing an extract of an e-bulletin received from the Local Resilience Forum on 19 September. The content of the bulletin only refers to ongoing protest activity and does not specifically mention flags. The only reference to ‘flags’ is within the subject field of the email which states: for info only – ongoing protest activity, flags; therefore the Council considers that whilst the email does fall within the search, the content of the email does not and is withheld from disclosure in accordance with Section 41 of the Act (info provided in confidence)

Was the info provided by another person?

Yes, the ebulletin was received by the Council‘s Emergency Planning Officer from a Sargent within Devon and Cornwall Police, Contingency Operations and Events Planning (Local Resilience Forum)

Would disclosure constitute an actionable breach of confidence?

To determine this, we need to consider the following:

1. Whether the info has the necessary quality of confidence

2. Whether the info was imparted in circumstances importing an obligation of confidence

3. Whether disclosure would be an unauthorised use of information to the detriment of the confider

1. Yes, the Council’s Emergency Planning Officer confirms that information shared within the Local Resilience Forum which North Devon Council is part of is considered to be shared under an implied obligation of confidence

This forum is a multi-agency partnership that prepares for and plans against large scale emergencies such as localised incidents and catastrophic events, consisting of public services such as the Police, LA’s, NHS and Environment Agency. They work to identify risks and create emergency plans to reduce their impact on the local communities they represent

Other than through an FOI disclosure, the information is not otherwise accessible. The Council considers that the information to be more than trivial as the email provides sensitive information to members of the LRF regarding ongoing protest activity

The Council considers that this confidence is important enough for the information not to be disclosed, either in full or part, having identified the prejudice it would cause the LRF if it were

2. Yes, the Council considers that the information was communicated/shared with the Council under the implied obligation of confidence as it was only shared with those that part of the LRF. The content of the withheld information, would, in the Council’s view is not information that would otherwise be made publicly available

3. The Council considers that a disclosure of the withheld information would be an unauthorised use of information to the detriment of the Police that provided the information in the form of the e bulletin to its LRF members

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (CCA) places a statutory duty on Category One Responders (Emergency Services such as the Police, LA’s, NHS bodies, The EA etc to work with one another and share information with each other. Effective information sharing is necessary in planning for, responding to and recovering from emergencies. Without accurate exchanges of information, the creation of comprehensive risk assessments, emergency plans or response strategies would not be fit for purpose, as they would lack the information required. Some elements require specialist knowledge or privileged/sensitive information that is not in the public domain. Responders need to be able to communication openly and honestly with their counterparts to support effective decision making in what is often in high-pressured situations, without fear that their comments may be shared beyond their colleagues

A disclosure of information under the FOI is not just to the requester, but also a disclosure to the world at large as it places that information into the public domain for all to see. If responders fear information shared within a multi-agency setting could be released under the FOI, they are likely to become reluctant to share details in the future, leading to a breakdown in the trust that has been developed between LRF parties and ultimately this lack of effective collaboration would undermine co-operation, one of the key duties placed upon responders by the CCA 2004

Is there a public interest test defence for the disclosure?

Section 41 is an absolute exemption, therefore there is no requirement to consider the public interest test; however within the Common Law of Confidence, there is a defence of action for a breach of confidence if it can be demonstrated there was an over-riding public interest defence. In order to do this, the Council has weighed the public interest in disclosure of the information against both the wider public interest in preserving the principle of confidentiality and the impact disclosure of the information would have on the interests of the confider (the Police). The Council considers that there must be significant public interest factors present in order to override the strong public interest in maintaining confidentiality, such as where the information concerns mis-conduct, illegality and gross immorality

The Council acknowledges that there will always be a certain level of public interest in the disclosure of information that is a matter of public interest and that a disclosure of the information concerned would demonstrate the work being undertaken by LRF with regards to the emergence of the English/St Georges flags on streets and roundabouts within the Council’s area, promoting accountability and transparency

However, the Council does not consider that in this case, the public interest is sufficiently compelling to support a public interest defence against an action for breach of confidence such that the information should be disclosed under the FOI. The Council considers that the there is a greater need to protect the integrity of the work that the LRF carries out and that any such disclosure of the withheld information in this instance would constitute an actionable breach of confidence and damaged collaborative working between all category 1 and 2 responders within the forum, as it would likely weaken their ability to be able to deal with serious incidents constructively, and must be able to do so in a safe space that allows responders to be as honest and open as possible to be able to make effective and carefully considered decisions for the benefit of the wider communities that they represent

4. The Council does hold one further email (as indicated in its response to Q2 for August 2025) which provides the notes taken by the Council’s Emergency Planning Officer at their attendance of a meeting that was organised by Devon and Cornwall Police, held 28 August 2025, which covered Pro and Anti Migration matters and included discussion regarding reports nationally and locally of St Georges Flags painted on roundabouts

Again, for the reasons as set out above, the Council considers that this email and its contents are fully withheld from disclosure in accordance with Section 41 of the Act

Request reference: FOI 10886

Issue date: 27.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information regarding the council’s regulation of dog-breeding establishments under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 or the equivalent legislation in Wales (the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021) for each of the past three calendar years (2022, 2023 and 2024). If records are held by financial year

1) Number of dog-breeding licences currently issued by your authority

2) Number of new licence applications received and number refused each year

3) Total income received from dog-breeding licence fees each year

4) Total expenditure on administering and enforcing these licences each year (including officer time, inspections and related costs)

5) Number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) officers responsible for animal-licensing inspection and enforcement in each year

6) Number of inspections carried out at licensed breeding premises each year

7) Number of inspections carried out at unlicensed or suspected breeding premises each year

8) Number of dog-breeding licences revoked, suspended, or not renewed each year

9) If held, the number of formal investigations or enforcement actions relating to breaches of dog-breeding licence conditions or unlicensed breeding, broken down (where recorded) by:

a. Investigations initiated

b. Formal warnings / improvement notices issued

c. Fixed-penalty notices issued

d. Cautions administered

e. Prosecutions commenced

f. Prosecutions resulting in conviction

10) Does the council maintain a public register of licensed dog breeders?

10a. If yes, please provide the URL or explain how the public may access it

10b. If no, please confirm whether an internal register exists

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the requested information (save for Q4 and Q10) in Excel format, which is available upon request

4. The licensing team confirmed that they do not hold this information as it is not recorded in a way that the team can easily calculate, however they confirmed that the cost of administering and enforcing the licences far exceeds the income received

10. Yes, applicant referred to the Council’s published public register for the animal welfare licences issued

Request reference: FOI 10872

Issue date: 17.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested copies of all correspondence held regarding Planning Pre-Application C106941 and Planning Application 55214 which make reference to a ‘community hub’ on land at Chivenor Cross, Heanton Punchardon

By correspondence, the applicant means all written correspondence, emails, notes of telephone calls and notes of meetings held between officers of the Council (any department) and the developer St Francis Group. Its subsidiaries and its agents (but not limited to) LDA Design Consulting LLP and George Green LLP; and all written correspondence, emails, notes of telephone calls and notes of meetings held between officers of the Council and between officers and elected members

Response provided:

The applicant was provided with the following response:

Planning Application 55214

The Planning department reviewed the records for the application where they are not already published via the Planning Tracker, and confirmed that there are no unpublished records (correspondence, emails, notes of telephone calls, notes of meetings) that make reference to a ‘community hub’ on and at Chivenor Cross, between the Council and the parties as set out in the request, on this application file. The applicant was directed to the Documents tab of the published information for the application as there is a vast amount of information publicly available that may make reference to ‘a community hub’

Pre-app C106941

The Planning department reviewed the records for the application which is not publicly available (as the above Planning application) and confirmed that only two documents make reference to a ‘community hub’ on and at Chivenor Cross, between the Council and the parties as set out in the request. The Agent considered this information and confirmed to the Council that they have no concerns with their disclosure under this request. This information is available upon request

Request reference: FOI 10900

Issue date: 07.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information regarding the purchase of Temporary Accommodation properties purchased by the Council since 2018:

1. In which towns and villages were these properties bought?

2. How many properties were bought in each of these towns and villages?

3. Initial costs of buying these properties:

a) Legal Fees

b) Stamp Duty

c) Officer Time

d) Estate Agents fees

4. Ongoing costs:

a) Extra members of staff to manage the additional housing units based on 1 staff member for every 20 properties

b) Amount of Council Tax lost

c) Maintenance

d) Gas and electric safety checks

e) EPC's

f) Utility bills - water, gas, electric

5. In which towns and villages is the planned to buy a further 15 properties?

Response provided:

1. Barnstaple and Ilfracombe

2. Barnstaple = 16, Ilfracombe = Two

3. a) Legal = £3,707.64 (most were completed by the Council’s in-house Legal team)

b) £163,852

c) Unknown, this is not recorded

d) Nil

For the last financial year (2024/25):

4. a) Currently two members of staff with an FTE of 1.75 (property only) manage 42 properties, average of 1.56 hours per property, per week

b) £0. The Council is liable for Council Tax during void periods and occupants are liable during their stay (2024/25, the Council paid £1,905.68 for the 18 properties mentioned)

c) £44,628.42

d) Gas safety = £90 per property per annum

Electrical safety = £200 per property every five years

e) EPCs = £150 per property, every 10 years

f) £1,637.93

5. Current projections = Two in South Molton and 13 in Barnstaple

Request reference: FOI 10906

Issue date: 27.11.25

Request received:

Section 1: Empty Business Rates Relief

1. A list of all properties that are currently in receipt of or have received empty business rates relief in the past six months

For each property, please include:

- The address of the property (this can be removed if a security concern)

- The type or classification of property (e g retail, office, industrial, etc.)

- The name of the owner

- The date the relief started and ended (if applicable)

Section 2: Double Council Tax Charges for Empty Properties

1. A list of all companies or individuals that have been charged a council tax premium (i.e., double council tax or an increased charge) due to the property being empty in the past 12 months

For each case include:

- The name of the liable party

- The postcode of the property

- The date the premium was applied

Section 3: Property Guardian Companies & Vacant Property Management

1. Selection Process:

What is the process and criteria used by your organisation to select Site security or property guardian companies for managing vacant properties?

2. Current Providers:

Which security companies are currently contracted or engaged by your organisation to protect your vacant property?

3. Tendering Schedule:

When is the next tendering or procurement process scheduled for property guardian or other vacant property security services?

4. Decision Makers:

a) Who is responsible for selecting property guardian companies (please provide role/department name and email address)?

b) Who oversees the management and security of vacant properties (role/department name and email address)?

Section 4: Vacant or Empty Sites (All Property Types)

1. Current and Predicted Vacant Sites:

a) How many vacant or empty sites does your organisation currently own or manage?

b) How many sites are predicted to remain vacant or empty for one month or longer?

c) How many operational sites are scheduled to closed in the next year, what are their addresses and to which team will they be given to manage?

2. Costs Associated with Vacant Sites:

Please provide annual spend on the management of vacant/empty sites, including:

- Business rates

- Utilities (electricity, water, gas)

- Security (CCTV, patrols, fencing, etc.)

- Maintenance and repairs

- Any other associated costs

3. Policy on Vacant Properties:

Please provide a copy of your organisation’s policy or guidelines regarding the management, use, or disposal of vacant/void properties.

Section 5: Regeneration

1. The name, job title, and contact details (email and/or phone number) of the director or lead officer responsible for:

- Regeneration

- Property

- Housing

2. A list of housing estates or properties within your organisation that are planned for regeneration or redevelopment within the next ten years

For each estate or property, please include:

The name and location of the estate or property

The estimated timeline for regeneration or redevelopment

The current stage of planning or consultation (e g pre-consultation, planning application submitted, etc)

Response provided:

Section 1: Empty Business Rates Relief

1. Applicant provided with this information within a spreadsheet ‘which provides the:

Account Name (Ratepayer where there are not a sole trader) – The name of the owner is not recorded by the Revenues team

Postcode of the property

Discount Class

Start date for the relief

Section 2: Double Council Tax Charges for Empty Properties

1. Applicant provided with this information within a spreadsheet which provides the:

Account Name (Ratepayer) where they are not a sole trader

Postcode of the property

Discount Class

Start date for the premium

Section 3: Property Guardian Companies and Vacant Property Management

1. Applicant referred to the Council’s Contract Register for its current contract for the provision of security services (process used RFQ)

2. As per the link provided above under awarded supplier(s)

3. As per the link provided above under Details, applicant referred to the review date

4. As per the link provided above under Primary contact

Section 4: Vacant or Empty Sites (All Property Types)

Council Managed Residential Temporary Accommodation

1. Current and Predicted Vacant Sites:

As at FOI date 29.10.25, three properties were void and will be occupied within two weeks of this date

None

Not Applicable to Residential property

2. Costs Associated with Vacant Sites:

Business Rates = N/A for Residential properties

Utilities = Varies per annum, 24/25 costs were £8,146.93

Security = None, additional checks carried out by authority staff

Maintenance/Repairs = N/A, costs would occur from occupation/changeover

Any other costs = N/A

Policy on Vacant Properties = No specific policy held. Void residential properties are checked weekly and are not void for extended periods. Typically, void properties are undergoing works which adds a protective factor

Council Managed Non-Residential properties/buildings

1. Current and Predicted Vacant Sites:

10 currently vacant

All vacant sites to remain vacant for longer than one month

There are no occupied properties that are scheduled to close in the next year that the Council is aware of

2. Business rates = £10,317.27 for 24/25

Utilities = £3,610.50 for 24/25

Security = This will be covered within the Council’s security contract; the details are as set out in response to 3 above

Maintenance/Repairs = £38,612.28 (£37,356.46 was spent on the demolition and repurposing of garages into parking bays).

Any other costs = N/A

Section 5: Regeneration

1. Regeneration = SarahJane Mackenzie-Shapland, Head of Place, Property and Regeneration

Property = Same as Regeneration above

Housing = Nina Lake, Head of Programme Management and Performance, Housing and Health

2. As follows:

Royal Mail Building, Ilfracombe – 2026/2027 – pre consultation

36/38 Oxford Grove, Ilfracombe – 2026/2027 – pre-consultation

36/37 Boutport Street – April 2026 – construction has already started

Seven brethren bank development – within the next 10 year – works have started on site so planning is approved

Request reference: FOI 10907

Issue date: 04.11.25

Request received:

1. The total payments from your General Fund to your Pension Fund in the financial year 2024/25 and the burden of this cost measured as a proportion of the Council Tax revenue this consumed

2. Any estimate for the total payments from your General Fund to your Pension Fund in the current financial year and the burden of this cost measured as a proportion of the Council Tax revenue this is expected to consume

3. The total payments from your General Fund for debt interest in the financial year 2024/25 and the burden of this cost measured as a proportion of the Council Tax revenue this consumed

4. Any estimate for the total payments from your General Fund for debt interest in the current financial year and the burden of this cost measured as a proportion of the Council Tax revenue this is expected to consume

Response provided:

The Council provided the applicant with two Excel spreadsheets (which are available upon request) in response and advised that Council Tax is not the only source of funding to the authority. All funding is used to fund the Net Revenue budget, applicant referred to the second spreadsheet that provides this further detail

The Pension costs are £3,316,791 for 2024/25 and £3,552,830 for 2025/26 budget and this represents 20.18% and 19.66% respectively of our Net Revenue budget

The Debt interest costs are £704,418 for 2024/25 and £1,053,000 for 2025/26 budget and this represents 4.29% and 5.83% respectively of our Net Revenue budget

Request reference: FOI 10911

Issue date: 12.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information relating to zoos within the local authority area

Zoos are defined by the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 as “an establishment where wild animals are kept for exhibition to the public otherwise than for the purposes of a circus and otherwise than in a pet shop”

The following documents in relation to all zoos within the Council’s jurisdiction:

1. The most recent inspection report

2. The most recent stocklist

3. Any mortality lists and/or post-mortem results that may be available

If applicable, please also provide:

4. Details of instances where a zoo licence has been revoked or an application for licence renewal has been refused, within the last six years

Response provided:

Most recent inspection reports:

1. CMWDP Informal inspection 20.12.2024

2. Exmoor Zoo Periodical Inspection 13.11.2024

3. Ilfracombe Aquarium Informal inspection 26.03.2025

Some of the information within the disclosed inspection reports was redacted. The Council considered that this redacted information to be exempt under Section 40 of the Act as the information constitutes personal data and those individual(s) would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to make their personal information publicly available, particularly as a disclosure under the Act is not just to the requester, but to the world at large, and so a disclosure under the Act places the information into the public domain for all to see

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

Most recent stocklists:

1. CMWDP

2. Exmoor Zoo

3. Ilfracombe Aquarium

Morality lists and post-mortem results not held by the Licensing team

No zoo licences have been revoked or refused by the authority within the past six years

Request reference: EIR 10914

Issue date: 04.11.25

Request received:

CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 8FU

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 10915

Issue date: 07.11.25

Request received:

This request relates to employee physiotherapy services (including Occupational Health Physiotherapy) provided by the council to its staff

Service Delivery Model:

Does the Council currently deliver employee physiotherapy services (including Occupational Health Physiotherapy) in-house or through an externally commissioned provider?

Current Provider Details:

If the service is externally commissioned, please provide the name of the current provider and the duration of their contract (including start and end dates, and any extension options)

Referral and Triage Process:

How are employee referrals for physiotherapy triaged (e g direct line manager referral, occupational health, online form)?

Is triage completed internally or outsourced to the provider?

How many referrals in the last 12 months or last full year of MI?

Digital Systems/Case Management Tools:

Does the Council use any digital system or online portal for managing referrals, appointments, or management reporting (e g an online referral portal, HR case management system, or occupational health platform)?

If so, please specify the name of the system and whether it is operated by the provider or the Council

Session Delivery:

What proportion of physiotherapy sessions are delivered:

• In person

• Via secure video call

• Via telephone consultation

Average Sessions Per Case:

On average, how many physiotherapy sessions are provided per employee (including assessment and follow-up appointments)?

Self-Managed vs Assisted Treatment Plans:

What proportion of cases result in self-managed treatment plans (e g exercise videos or online programmes) compared to assisted treatment (hands-on therapy)?

Performance and Reporting:

What Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or management information are routinely collected to monitor physiotherapy service performance?

(e g referral turnaround times, attendance rates, discharge outcomes, employee satisfaction, etc)

Price and Costing:

What is the current annual budget for occupational physiotherapy services and/or the average cost per physiotherapy session (including triage, assessment, and treatment)?

Optional / Educational Services:

Does the Council offer any additional musculoskeletal education, wellbeing sessions, or webinars (e g back care, posture, or early intervention workshops)?

If yes, are these delivered internally or by the provider?

Contractual and Procurement Details:

When is the current contract due to expire or be retendered?

If available, please provide the procurement reference number or link to the most recent tender notice

Is there a planned tender for this service within the next 12 months?

Response provided:

The Council confirmed that it does not deliver or pay for any physiotherapy services. Employees obtain this via their GP/NHS or a private consultant that they choose to go to and pay for

Request reference: FOI 10916

Issue date: 07.11.25

Request received:

1. The total number of appeals lodged against decisions relating to residential-led planning applications, and the total number of residential units involved in these appeals

2. The number of appeals that resulted in planning permission being granted, and the total number of residential units approved as a result of such appeals

3. The total amount of money spent by the council on legal advice, representation, and any other costs incurred in defending planning appeals

4. The total amount paid by the council to appellants in respect of costs awarded against the authority in planning appeal cases

5. Of the total expenditure identified in (3), please specify how much related to appeals that were subsequently allowed (i.e. where permission was granted on appeal)

6. The number of appeals that were made against an officer recommendation for approval?

If any part of this request cannot be fulfilled, please provide the information that is available

Response provided:

1. 2022/23 = 66 (33 of which residential led)

2023/24 = 31 (16 of which residential led)

2024/25 = 22 (14 of which residential led)

Total = 119 appeals

2. Number of appeals that resulted in planning permission granted:

2022/23:

Allowed = Seven

Dismissed = 23

Withdrawn = Three

2023/24:

Allowed = Two

Dismissed = 11

Withdrawn = Two

2024/25:

Allowed = Two

Dismissed = Five

Withdrawn = One

The Council is unable to confirm number of residential units approved as a result of such appeals in each of the requested years as this information is not recorded separately or in a way that it can be easily located and collated. Please see below the Council’s response to 3-6 of the request for further explanation of this

Second part of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

The information as requested under the second part of 2 and 3-6 above cannot easily be provided, as the system used by the Planning department does not have a reporting function that can easily extract the required data. The only way which this could be provided would require a manual search of each of the 119 appeals covering the three financial years requested to identify, locate, retrieve and collate the data

It is estimated that a minimum of 10 minutes per appeal file would be required, however they also advise that for larger/complex appeals (where they have more than 50 documents to review) processing could take anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes. Based on the searches they have carried out so far and assuming that only 20% of the 119 appeal matters contain over 50 documents, then reviewing these matters may require approximately 11.5 hours at 30 minutes per appeal matter. The remaining 96 appeal matters would require an additional 16 hours at 10 minutes per appeal matter, plus the two hours the Planning department has already spent responding as above, they calculate that to fully respond to these parts of your the would take approximately 29 hours

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

The task of manually providing the information as explained above would far exceed the 18 hour cost limit as explained above would cause a diversion of the officer resource away from other matters and cause serious disruption to the day to day working of the Planning department; therefore the Council is unable to process these parts of the request any further in accordance with Section 12 of the Act

In accordance with Section 16 of the Act, 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 of the 119 applicable appeal files currently held. 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

Request reference: FOI 10919

Issue date: 19.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information:

1. A list of domestic properties within the North Devon Council billing area that have been recorded by the council as empty (unoccupied and substantially unfurnished) for a continuous period of 6 months or more, for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. Please include: address (uprn if available), date first recorded as empty, current status (e g owner contact attempted, enforcement action, subject to sale), and whether the property appears on any council priority/empty-homes register

2. Copies of any policies, guidance or internal criteria used to decide whether an empty-homes record is published publicly or withheld

Response provided:

The Council confirmed that it is unable to provide the applicant with the information requested under part 1 of their request

Due to the way the data is recorded, there is no easy way to provide a response for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. The raw data is extracted by way of a snap shot report from the Council’s Council Tax department system, which is a live system and constantly being updated. The Empty Homes officer receives the report around the 2nd of each month. The only way it would be possible to identify all relevant properties for each of the 12 months during the 2024 calendar year would require the Empty Homes officer to go through each of the 12 reports that they have received from Council Tax and cross-referenced against existing records they hold to identify any changes, additions etc. The number of entries per report in that was received during 2024 is as follows, recording all empty homes for each month and including those that were empty for less than six months too:

Jan = 759

Feb = 810

Mar = 892

Apr = 729

May = 679

Jun = 705

Jul = 687

Aug = 710

Sep = 698

Oct = 689

Nov = 729

Dec = 713

Total = 8,800

It has been estimated by the Empty Homes officer that it would take approximately 37 hours to manually go through each of the 12 aforementioned reports and provide the requested information for the entire 2024 calendar year as per the request. The procedure would cause serious disruption and a significant diversion of staff resource away from the day-to-day work that the Empty homes officer is responsible for and who does not have any other resource in terms of staff to assist with this huge manual task. Therefore, the Council confirmed that it is unable to process this part of the request as set out 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 of the Act, the Empty Homes officer provided an Excel spreadsheet in response, which lists all domestic properties within the Council’s area that have been recorded by the Council as empty for a continuous period of six months or more, as at 1 January 2025 which provides a list of the properties and provides the status and Empty date for each, however parts of their addresses and postcodes were redacted as well as the UPRN for each property

The Council considers that this information is exempt from disclosure in accordance with the following exemptions:

Section 31 (prevention and detection of crime)
Section 40 (Personal information)

Section 31(1)(a) of the Act, as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime

The Council accepts that the perceived prejudice must be "real, actual or of substance" and not trivial or insignificant and that there must be some causal relationship between the potential disclosure and the stated prejudice. In this case, the decision is that such prejudice does exist. A decision of the Information Tribunal Mr Yiannis Voyias v IC 22 January 2013 is relevant to this

If the Council were to release the requested information, it considers that those empty dwellings would likely become more vulnerable to crime. The crimes associated with empty properties include squatting, criminal damage, theft including organised 'fixture stripping' of premises (particularly to remove metal), arson, drug dealing, prostitution and fraud

In addition, disclosing the information would also likely increase the likelihood of the neighbouring dwellings that are occupied being subjected to associated crime, either indirectly or directly

Any incidence of crime will have potentially serious cost implications for the property owners of those empty dwellings and also those who live in the vicinity, including increased insurance premiums. Furthermore, crime can cause an emotional impact both on those who are direct victims, and on those who feel less secure due to an increase in the crime rate near where they live or work or go to school

The Council’s Revenues team responsible for the administration of Council Tax and Business Rates confirm that the details they hold regarding the empty dwellings are held for the purposes of the collection tax and its associated administration. They may only lawfully disclose information to other public sector agencies to:

- prevent or detect benefit fraud and other crime

- to support national fraud initiatives

- to protect public funds

They may only use basic information about ratepayers of empty dwellings in other areas of service provision if it:

- helps those ratepayers to access Council services more easily

- promotes the more efficient and cost-effective delivery of services

- helps the Council to recover monies that ratepayers owe to it

The Council does not consider that the release of the requested information to you would fall into any of the above categories and those ratepayers would have no reasonable expectation for their information to be made publicly available, as a release of the information to you as the requester would be considered as a release to the world at large

Unfortunately, not every person has a genuine reason for requesting such information and it would not take long before the information fell into the hands of persons who intend to find those empty properties to squat, cause criminal damage, steal fixtures and fittings, damage, deal drugs etc. The Council does not have any provision under the Act to verify the identity of applicants to ensure they are genuine and not submitting a request under an alias

For these reasons, the Council considers that there is an inherent public interest in crime prevention and therefore the possibility of crime resulting from disclosure is sufficient for the Council to favour the withholding of the requested information in this instance

In addition to the above, the Council considers that this withheld dwelling addresses are also exempt from disclosure under Section 40 of the Act as the information constitutes personal data and those individuals responsible for the payment of Council Tax to those properties would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to make their personal information publicly available, particularly as a disclosure to you as the requester is also a disclosure to the world at large and essentially places that information into the public domain

It may assist you to know that the Council publishes its Empty Homes Strategy on its website, and in particular, it provides a matchmaker service which aims to connect owners of empty homes with potential buyers, investors or developers. The Council does not disclose details of empty homes without the owner’s consent. Following receipt of an enquiry (which can be made through the Council website) the Council will make contact with the owner of the empty home to advise them and provide them with the contact details of the enquirer

2. The Council does not hold any policy, internal guidance or internal criteria used specifically to decide whether an empty homes record is published publicly or withheld

3. Copies of any relevant public-interest or s31 (prejudice to law enforcement) assessments, redaction logs, or reasons the council relied on when deciding to withhold or redact empty-homes addresses in the last 24 months. The Council does not hold any documented records that it would consider to fall under this part of your request. All requests for information that are received into the Council are considered on an individual case by case basis by the Freedom of Information Officer and are done so in by considering ICO guidance. In the case of this particular request, the following guidance was considered: Section 40 (personal data) and Section 31 (law enforcement). In addition to this, the Freedom of Information Officer considered the following ICO decision notices as published via the ICO website:

Newark and Sherwood District Council – 09.04.24

Durham County Council – 30.08.23

London Borough of Hounslow – 08.12.22

Guildford Borough Council - 09.04.20

Request reference: EIR 10920

Issue date: 11.11.25

Request received:

CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 0PJ

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 10921

Issue date: 03.11.25

Request received:

1. Does the council have a climate adaptation strategy?

If yes, is this rolled into the mitigation/Net Zero strategy or is it set out in the form of a separate/stand-alone document? Please provide link to the document

2. Has the council conducted a climate risk assessment?

If yes, please provide link to the document

If yes, was it produced using the Local Partnerships Risk Areas Matrix?

What sectors does the climate risk assessment cover?

Public buildings

Residential buildings

New developments

Schools

Care homes

Roads and other transport infrastructure

Communication networks – telecom and ITC

Energy infrastructure

Local businesses

Other – please specify

3. Has the council also produced a local climate adaptation action plan with associated timeframe for implementing and reviewing the strategy? If yes, please provide link to the document

4. What measures has the council put in place to withstand the climate impacts (e g severe heat, flooding, coastal erosion) experienced or predicted for your area? For example, by implementing:

Measures to alleviate flood risks and manage flooding

Measures to increase resilience of new building developments to climate impacts

Measures to reduce excess heat in new residential buildings

Measures to address overheating in schools, hospitals, care homes and other public buildings

Places for the public to gather in the event of a major climate disaster

Blue and green spaces

Strategies to manage climate-induced health problems

Improvements to make transport infrastructure more resilient

Nature based solutions, such a tree planting or creating wetlands

Coastal defences

SuDS (sustainable drainage systems)

Water efficiency measures

Ways of working with farmers to increase resilience of the food system and align adaptation objectives

Measures to enhance community engagement

Are there other key measures that you have taken? Please give details

5. Does the council have access to all the necessary information, technical advice and support to deliver on adaptation planning and implementation?

6. Has the council identified funding gaps hindering its ability to implement adaptation action planning? Which aspects would be priorities for additional funding?

7. Has the council identified shortfalls in its capacity, skills and experience to deliver required adaptation actions? If yes, what is needed?

8. Is the Council aware of, and does it have the capacity to draw in, external funds for climate adaptation measures? e g:

Combined Authority funding

Parish Council funding for small scale schemes - water butts, tree planting

Business contributions through Partnership Funding

Community Infrastructure Levy

Partnerships with third sector organisations such as Woodland Trust

9. Did the council submit a report to ARP4? If yes, please provide a link

10. Has the council supported the call, as articulated by the LGA, for local authorities to be given statutory duties and powers, sufficient funding and robust support to lead on climate action including adaptation? If yes, please provide link documenting this support

Response provided:

1. Yes, https://www.climateresilient-dcios.org.uk/#adaptation-strategy

2. Partly, for Waste and Recycling. No link - internal risk assessment

3. No

4. Flood prevention, tree planting, UNESCO project on climate/health/nature

5. Yes

6. N/A

7. Yes, capacity.

8. Yes

9. No

10. Yes, no link to document - was a Devon wide response

Request reference: FOI 10922

Issue date: 12.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information regarding the council's policies and practices on disability equality (as defined by the Equality Act 2010):

1. Disability employment schemes provide essential support for disabled people to find and maintain employment. Is the council signed up to one or more disability employment schemes, such as Disability Confident?

a. Yes - Please provide details about each scheme that the Council is signed up to

b. No

2. A copy of the Council’s policy and procedures in place that outline the council’s approach to the identification and implementation of reasonable adjustments for disabled employees in accordance with the Equality Act 2010

3. Does the council provide training or education for managers and employees relating to disability awareness and about the process for the implementation of reasonable adjustments for the councils’ disabled employees in accordance with the Equality Act 2010?

a. Yes - Please provide details or any documents that you provide to managers and employees

b. No

4. Do the Council’s procurement policies require private contracts to demonstrate a commitment to promote disability equality and provide regular reports on how they are achieving this? If yes, does the council also ask which disability employment schemes they have signed up to?

Response provided:

1. Yes. Applicant provided with a copy of the Council’s Disability Confident Employer certificate which runs from 19.03.25 to 15.03.28, which is available upon request. EDI training is provided to all employees, which specifically talks around the Equality Act which is sought to run and then updated every three years (mandatory)

Training in supporting neurodiversity in the workplace and creating a neuro-inclusive workplace has been provided to managers and all staff. In addition, resources are made available on the Council’s intranet pages, which include recordings of useful information, ACAS guidelines and more

Menopause awareness training has been provided for all staff and managers have received separate training on supporting staff in the workplace. Further information is available to staff via the staff intranet pages. Information is also emailed out to all and also on the Council’s social media channel to staff, supporting national campaigns, e.g. menopauses awareness month and day. The Council has also run a webinar on menopause and nutrition and has also offered one on one appointments (nine available appointments each time) with a menopause specialist for those staff that wish to discuss their symptoms further

The Council as also provided training in relation to mental health, for all staff and managers. Managers training has the content they need to support individuals in the workplace. Again, resources for managers and staff are also available on via the staff intranet and additional information is also sent out to staff and managers in relation to national campaigns and how to support. For example, managers resources in supporting staff with stress at work (HSE guidance) and all staff receive information on how to cope with, understand and reduce stress, where to go for additional support (National Stress Awareness week). The Council also participates in other events such as Mental Health Awareness week etc

Additional support also includes training events for those who are carers. The Council is a ‘Carer Friendly Employer’ through Devon Carers and its policies reflect the support it can give those who need it

2. Applicant provide with copies of the following policies which are available upon request: Dignity at Work, Capability, Sickness Absence Management

3. Yes, applicant refer to the provided policies and the information provided under 1 above

4. No

Request reference: FOI 10923

Issue date: 12.11.25

Request received:

The following information for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025, broken down by financial year:

1. Total expenditure by the council on pest control usage at all buildings and land that the council controls, including but not limited to parks, schools, council housing, council buildings, public bus stations, etc. This includes both in-house provision and external/contracted services

2. If any services are contracted out, please provide the supplier name(s) and the contract value(s)

3. The number of callouts/treatments by species category (e g rats, mice, pigeons, gulls, foxes, grey squirrels, wasps, bedbugs, cockroaches—please use your own categories if recorded differently)

4. For any lethal control commissioned or carried out by the council, the number of animals (e g rats, mice, pigeons, gulls, foxes, grey squirrels, wasps, bedbugs, cockroaches) killed by species and, where recorded, the method used (e g trapping, poisoning, shooting)

5. A copy of any policy, guidance, or standard operating procedure relating to the council’s pest control service or contractors

Response provided:

Property Services

1. No internal pest control services

2020/21 = £1207.74. 12 x visits clusters flies

2021/22 = £5487. 8 x clusters flies, 1 x bee, 1 x pigeon

2022/23 = £1721.25. 6 x cluster flies, 1 x rat, 1 x pigeon

2023/24 = £2565. 2 x woodworm, 4 x pigeon, 2 x cluster flies

2024/25 = £1290. 5 x rat, 2 x pigeon, 4 x cluster flies

2. West Pests Brothers, Devon - adhoc no contract in place

Rentokil - adhoc no contract in place

3. As 1 above

4. Not recorded, but no trapping or shooting has taken place during this period

5. Not held, they just ask for a RAMS/insurance from contractors

Waste and Recycling Services

1. 2020/21 = £1,284

2021/22 = £1,721

2022/23 = £1,119

2023/24 = £1,603

2024/25 = £1,764

2. Rentokil

3. Monthly visits, breakdown by species category not recorded

4. Not Applicable

5. Not held by Waste and Recycling team

Temporary Accommodation Property Team

1. 2020/21

2021/22

2022/23 - cost information not held - 1 x rat infestation

2023/24

2024/25 - £400.00 - 1 x gnat infestation

2. West Pests Brothers, Devon - adhoc, no contract in place CW Pest Control, Devon, as above

3. As above

4. Not recorded

5. Not held, they just ask for a RAMS/insurance from contractors

Parks

1. No internal pest control services

2020/21 = £3,615 rat x 12 visits

2021/22 = £1,800 rat x 12 visits

2022/23 = £1,800 rat x 12 visits

2023/24 = £2,060 rat x 16 visits

2024/25 = £2,335 rat x 19 visits, 1 x wasps

2. West Pests Brothers, Devon - adhoc no contract in place

Rentokil - adhoc no contract in place

3. As 1 above

4. Not recorded, but no trapping or shooting has taken place during this period

5. Not held, they just ask for a RAMS/insurance from contractors

Request reference: FOI 10924

Issue date: 26.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested a list of all planning applications or reference numbers that are associated with Section 106 agreements entered into in the year 2015, where all or part of the financial contributions remain unspent as of today’s date (10.11.25)

For each planning reference:

• The planning application reference number

• The date the Section 106 agreement was entered into

• The type or purpose of the contribution (e g education, highways, open space)

• The amount secured

• The amount received by the council

• The amount unspent to date

• Any expiry or repayment date specified in the agreement (if applicable)

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the requested information, where held, in Excel format, which is available upon request.

Applicant advised that the ones with a balance still remaining, the Finance team has noted when the funds were received as they believe the time for restriction for spending commences from the date of receipt rather than the date of the agreement

Furthermore, the Council confirms that it does not hold the information in relation to contributions for highways, transport and education and so the applicant was advised to request this information directly from Devon County Council

Request reference: FOI 10927

Issue date: 12.11.25

Request received:

1) How many dangerous wild animal licences are held in your area and which types of animals they are for

2) How many licence applications you have received in the past two years and which breeds of animals these applications involved. Please indicate where the same person has made multiple applications for different animals

3) Which of these applications were accepted, rejected or are still under consideration

4) How many dangerous wild animals you have discovered being kept illegally in the past two years without a licence and which breeds of animals each of these cases involved

5) Whether the animals identified in 4) were seized or not

Response provided:

1. None

2. Zero

3. N/A

4. Zero

5. N/A

Request reference: FOI 10928

Issue date: 27.11.25

Request received:

1. Details of how the council determines its charges or fees for Planning Performance Agreements

2. The total income received by the council from Planning Performance Agreements in each of the last three financial years

3. The number of major residential planning applications (those of more than 10 units):

a. Received by the council in each of the last three financial years; and

b. Determined under a Planning Performance Agreement in each of those years

4. Please provide details of average PPA charges in the 2024/25 financial year for sites of:

a. Under 150 units

b. 150-499 units

c. 500-999 units

d. 1,000 units plus

Response provided:

1. Fees are calculated on how Planning resource the post. In the above financial years, due to a shortfall in planning staff, they have used agency planners to either deal with the PPA cases or backfill for substantively employed Officers dealing with it. The charge to the applicant in those instances was the hourly rate of the agency member of staff. Planning advised that they have also secured funds for professional services such as ecologists through the PPA which were charged based upon the quotes from the Council’s selected consultants

2. 2022/23 = £0

202/24 = £74,903.19

2024/25 = £90,451.52

3. a) 2022 = 35

2023 = 34

2024 = 27

2025 to date = 17

3. b) Two applications: 80058: Land at Brynsworthy (pending) - outline application, 450 units

79586: Westacott – Reserved matters application, 350 units

4. a) Zero

b) Zero

c) Zero

d) Zero

Request reference: FOI 10929

Issue date: 03.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the number of homes which were sold under Right to Buy rules between the beginning of the scheme in 1980 and March 31 2025 which have since been re-bought by the council (on any date to the date this request is received) and requested the following information on each home rebought under the scheme.:

Address (as far as it can be shared)

Right to Buy Sale price

Sale date

Repurchase price

Repurchase date

Response provided:

The Council confirmed to the applicant that it does not maintain a specific record of residential properties that were sold under Right to Buy rules and then re-bought by the Council for the requested period 1980 – 31.03.25

The Council’s records are not complete for the entire requested period as the Council’s former social housing stock was transferred to North Devon Homes Ltd as of 21.02.2000 and so it does not hold the requested information from 21.02.2000 to date

The only way in which the Council would be able to confirm whether it has repurchased any Right to Buy properties from 1980 up to 21.02.2000 would require an officer to manually search through all relevant conveyancing records that are held across the Council’s Estates and Legal Services departments. Unfortunately, the information is not held in a way that it can be easily searched for and would therefore require an extensive search of a historic spreadsheet that records all of the Council’s title information and which holds over 10,000 rows of data. Unfortunately, due to the way in which the data is captured within the spreadsheet, the Council is unable to identify a way that it can filtered to specifically identify any relevant properties that fall within the scope of the request and so, would require an officer to manually go through every row of data in order to identify if it holds any relevant information relevant to the request. In addition to this, it is likely that the spreadsheet would not hold all of the requested data and further searches of historic conveyancing documents held separately would need to be searched through. Also, there is no way in which the Council would be able to confirm that this manual search would identify every applicable property that falls under the scope of the request

It has been estimated that it would take approximately 28 hours to go through the aforementioned title spreadsheet alone (this is based on a conservative estimate of an average 10 seconds per row of data) and would not include the additional time that would be needed to consider further historic conveyancing documents to identify any missing data from the spreadsheet, once it has been searched through. It would be impossible to be able to provide any further times estimates for this reason

The procedure to manually search the spreadsheet alone would far exceed 18 hours to completed and would cause serious disruption to the day to day working of both the Council’s Estates and Legal departments and therefore the Council confirmed that it was unable to process 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 of the Act, 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 was unable to identify any other way in which the information could be obtained from it, other than the manual search as described above. The applicant was informed that upon the consideration of this response they are able to reconsider and wish to submit a new FOI for the Council to respond to, it will endeavour to assist them with this as far as practicably possible, in accordance with Section 16 of the Act

Request reference: FOI 10930

Issue date: 03.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the ratepayer(s) names, and the current rates charged for the 2024/25 financial year (including reliefs and exemptions) and the respective Rateable Values in respect of the property listed below

Principal Doorsets Ltd, Riverside Road, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 1NB

Response provided:

Ratepayer = Principal Doorsets Ltd

Rates Charged 2024/25 = £69,207.37

Rateable Value for 2024/25:

01.04.24 – 30.08.24 = £118,000

31.08.24 – 31.03.25 = £133,000

Request reference: FOI 10931

Issue date: 26.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the number of complaints received by the authority in relation to the breeding and/or sale of dogs for the years: 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24

Response provided:

2021/22 = 12

2022/23 = Five

2023/24 = Seven

Request reference: FOI 10932

Issue date: 04.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the provision the following information for the most recent full financial year available:

1. The total number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests handled

2. The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) and part-time employees involved in handling FOI requests

3. The names of any software systems or tools used by the FOI team to manage or track requests

4. The total annual cost of those software systems

5. Any statistics or recorded information showing the average, median, and (if available) upper-quartile time spent per FOI request

6. The total salary cost of each employee (or, if easier, the total salary expenditure for all FOI-handling staff)

7. Copies of any internal communications, reports, or evaluations discussing the cost or effectiveness of FOI handling

8. Confirmation of whether the system used for FOI handling is also used for Subject Access Requests, complaints, or any other casework

Response provided:

1. Applicant referred to the Council’s published dataset: FOIA and EIR Statistics which is updated on a quarterly basis and covers each quarter falling within the 2024/25 financial year

Column B provides the total number of requests under both FOI and EIR received per quarter and Column R provides the numbers of those requests that were responded to either in full or part under the EIR

2. One FTE with the role of Freedom of Information Officer and Paralegal. Another FTE Officer with the role of Administrative Officer/Paralegal provides cover for the Council’s FOI Officer is absent/on leave

One Part Time Officer with the Role of Administrative Officer/Paralegal who assists the FOI Officer with some administrative duties three day per week, however they also provide other Administrative assistance across the whole of the Legal team

3. The Council does not have a dedicated FOI software system solely for its FOI handling; however, the Legal Services team uses Iken for its case management system which all FOI/EIR requests are recorded within

4. Applicant referred to the Council’s Contract Register: Iken

As explained in response to Q3 above, it is not possible to set out the specific costs for FOI from its wide use by the Legal Services team

5. Please refer to the Council’s published dataset as linked in the response to 1 above, which provides within Column S, the average number of days it took to respond to a request within each quarter for the 2024/25 financial year

6. This information withheld from disclosure as the Council considers under Section 40 of the Act as the information constitutes personal data. As the Council only has one dedicated member of staff for FOI handling who is identifiable, they would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to disclose their actual salary as such a disclosure would make it publicly available. A disclosure under the Act is not just to the requester, but to the world at large, and so a disclosure places the information into the public domain for all to see

Instead, the Councils considers it acceptable and fair to the officer concerned that only the SCP salary band of the role is disclosed:

SCP 7 – 17: £26,403 - £31,537

7. No applicable information held within 2024/25

8. Yes, the Legal case management system that is used for recording FOI requests also records Subject Access Requests, complaints, and other legal matters

Request reference: FOI 10933

Issue date: 24.11.25

Request received:

The applicant made the following request regarding software systems currently in use by the local authority to support the functions listed below

Where the requested information is already in the public domain, the applicant requested the relevant URLs and guidance on how to access it:

Functionalities:

• Planning

• Building Control

• Land Charges

• Environmental Health

• Licensing

(In case of bundling the above functionalities, please specify which functionalities are covered by the contract)

1. Software System in Use

For each of the functions mentioned above, please provide:

a) The name of the software/product

b) The vendor/provider

c) Whether the version used at your local authority is on-premise or cloud-hosted

d) The year of original implementation

e) Was it a direct awarded or RFP (if RFP, please provide the link for all relevant information)

f) The respective contract’s end date; term extension clauses and respective conditions; and current plans to use the extension option (if applicable)

2. Supplier Performance

For each of the functions mentioned before:

a) Is the vendor currently (or in the last 12 months) under any performance improvement measures, as described in their respective contract?

3. Expenditure

For each of the functions mentioned before:

a) Please indicate the total contract value (TCV), the implementation cost and the total on-going annual subscription cost

4. Licenses / Users

For each of the functions mentioned before:

a) Current number of active users licenses

b) Current number of active users

5. Other

a) Are there any ongoing discussions, proposals, or binding decisions related to local government reorganization involving the authority (as part of the Local Government Reorganization programmed) including potential structural changes such as consolidation into a unitary authority or shared service arrangements with neighbouring councils? If it is public knowledge, can the Council provide the councils with which the consolidation will occur?

Response provided:

The Council provides the following response:

Planning

1. Software System in Use

a) DEF Details of the contract are published via the Council Contract register as linked

b) DEF Software Ltd

c) On-premise

d) 02.07.2018

e) Please refer to the link provided above

f) Please refer to the link provided above

2. Supplier Performance

a) No

3. Expenditure

a) Please refer to the link provided above

4. Licenses / Users

a) 39

b) 35

Building Control

1. Software System in Use

a) Idox (software is run on Mid Devon District Council ICT Hardware as the service operates jointly between the two authorities)

b) iDOX

c) This is not held, please contact Mid Devon District Council

d) This is not held, please contact Mid Devon District Council

e) Please refer to the link to the contract above

f) Please refer to the link to the contract above

2. Supplier Performance

a) This is not held, please contact Mid Devon District Council

3. Expenditure

a) Please refer to the link to the contract above

4. Licenses / Users

a) This is not held by North Devon Council, please contact Mid Devon District Council for this information

b) This is not held by North Devon Council, please contact Mid Devon District Council for this information

Land Charges

None used

Environmental Health

1. Software System in Use

a) NEC software

b) NEC Software Solutions UK Limited

c) On-premise

d) Please refer to the link to the contract above

e)) Please refer to the link to the contract above

f) Please refer to the link to the contract above

2. Supplier Performance

a) No

3. Expenditure

a) Please refer to the link to the contract above

4. Licenses / Users

a) N/A, Site

b) N/A, Site

Licensing

1. Software System in Use

a) Idox and Rocktime

b) Idox Software Ltd and Rocktime

c) On-premises LALPAC, Verso hosted. Only live on Taxis on Verso, it is anticipated that transition all over by 01.04.26

d) Exact date unknown, other than very many years ago, 25 plus

e) Please refer to the links for the two contracts above

f) Please refer to the links for the two contracts above

2. Supplier Performance

a) No for both contracts

3. Expenditure

a) Please refer to the links for the two contracts above

4. Licenses / Users

a) N/A, Site for both contracts

b) N/A, Site for both contracts

5. Other

a) The Government has asked all councils in Devon to propose options for LGR within the county. The deadline for submission of proposals is 28 November but a decision on the preferred option won’t be made by government until next year. At this stage, we are therefore not able to confirm which councils we will be collaborating with the in future

Request reference: FOI 10934

Issue date: 25.11.25

Request received:

1. Tree Management System

Confirmation of which tree management software package the Council currently uses. If it is an in-house system, please state this; or state if none is used

2. Tree Inventory Summary

Please provide:

The approximate number of trees for which the Council has management responsibility

The number of those trees that are subject to Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs)

3. Tree Data

Please provide available tree data for the period 2015 to the current date

For each tree, the applicant requested the following, where available:

• Survey data capture date

• Tree number/reference

• Species

• Height

• Diameter at breast height (DBH)

• Crown dimensions

• Growth direction measurements (North, East, South, West)

• Tree location (Ordnance Survey coordinates, British National Grid reference, Global ID, or other locational parameter)

Where a tree has been surveyed on multiple occasions, the applicant requested that the Council include all recorded entries (for example, Tree one may have data spanning 2015–2024, Tree two may only have data for 2023–2024)

Response provided:

1. The authority does not use any tree management software

2. a) This information is not recorded

b) This information is not recorded

3. The applicant was provided with copies of all tree survey reports covering the requested period which include the requested information via We Transfer due to the volume of reports held, and which are available upon request

Some of the information within the reports was redacted. The Council considers that this redacted information to be exempt under Section 40 of the Act as the information constitutes personal data and those individuals would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to make their personal information publicly available, particularly as a disclosure under the Act is not just to the requester, but to the world at large, and so a disclosure places the information into the public domain for all to see

Request reference: FOI 10935

Issue date: 12.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested aggregated data regarding public complaints made to North Devon District Council about problematic driver and vehicle behaviour for the years 2020 to the most recent available date, annual totals for:

- Public complaints relating to cars that are excessively noisy, including those believed to be deliberately modified or driven to emit excessive noise (e g “boy racers,” “revving engines,” “loud exhausts”)

- Public complaints about antisocial driving behaviours, including but not limited to speeding, street racing, dangerous driving, and use of vehicles in a manner causing harassment, alarm, or distress

- Any other categories of road-user or vehicle-related nuisance or antisocial behaviour maintained in your records (please specify category name if not obvious)

For each category, the applicant requested the following:

- The total number of complaints per year (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024/2025 if available)

- The method of reporting (if recorded: e g email, hotline, online portal, etc)

- Any notes on how these issues are classified or defined by your council (if recorded)

- If possible, please provide the response as a structured spreadsheet (CSV or XLSX) with columns: “Year”, “Complaint Type”, “Number of Complaints”, ”Method”, ”Notes” for easier national comparison

If records are not broken down as requested, please provide whatever aggregated or category-level information is available

Response provided:

The applicant was provided with the information, where held by the Council in Excel spreadsheets for each of the requested years (which are available upon request) and also directed to both Devon County Council and Devon and Cornwall Police for any information that they may hold in respect of applicable complaints/incidents that have occurred on highways and complaints specific to driving behaviours, including but not limited to speeding, street racing, dangerous driving, and use of vehicles in a manner causing harassment, alarm, or distress

Request reference: FOI 10936

Issue date: 03.11.25

Request received:

2025 Noise Complaint Data:

1) Your name

2) Your email

3) For which local authority or shared service are you submitting data?

4) Which region is your local authority in?

South East

South West

Greater London

East of England

West Midlands

East Midlands

Yorkshire and the Humber

North East

North West

Wales

5) What is the total number of noise complaints your LA received during the period 1st October 2024 to 30th September 2025?

6) Within the total number of noise complaints received can you clarify how many were/are:

1. Resolved without further contact other than issue of standard notification, e.g. issue of standard letters, diary sheets or initial verbal advice

2. Resolved through informal action (e g telephone call letter(s), site meeting(s) etc)

3. Require formal action e.g. Abatement notice, Community Protection Warning, Closure Order, Planning intervention, Control of Pollution Act 1974 notice etc

4. Ongoing complaints awaiting resolution

5. Resolved following prosecution

6. Duplicate/invalid complaints

If the Council does not record this information as individual codes on its database, please answer as ‘Information not recorded’

7) The total number for each of the actions listed below during the period 1st October 2024 to 30th September 2025:

Environmental Protection Act 1990

Abatement notice (for any noise related nuisance) Environmental Protection Act 1990

Prosecution for failure to comply with requirements of Section 80 abatement notice Environmental Protection Act 1990

Works in default e g seizure of equipment

Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 Community Protection Notice – Noise

Control of Pollution Act 1974

Section 60/61 Notice – Construction Noise

Control of Pollution Act 1974

Section 62 Notice - Loudspeakers in streets

Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005 Section 77 - Silencing of Intruder Alarms

Licensing Act 2003

Formal review process associated with the Licence Condition

Town & Country Planning Act 1990 – Advice provided, conditions sought, enforcement visit

Noise Act 1996 – Any use

8) Does the Council use the Noise App or any other kind of app-based technology as part of your service for service users to submit evidence?

If so, how many different users were recorded in the period 1st October 2024 – 30th September 2025?

9) Does the authority record a breakdown of noise complaints by noise source?

If yes, please provide by way of screenshots or other means your breakdown of noise complaints by noise source

10) If the Council were to receive a complaint about noise from an air source heat pump installed at a domestic premises, into which of the codes/categories existing within yjr database would the complaint fall?

11) How many noise complaints relating to the following potential sources of noise nuisance has the local authority received between 1st October 2024 and 30th September 2025?

• Wind turbine(s)

• House alleged or proven to have been rented out as a short term let or a holiday let e g Air BNB

• Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP)

• Domestic battery storage

• Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR) generators

12) If applicable, how many noise complaints relating to air source heat pumps (ASHP) installed at domestic properties that were received between 1st October 2024 and 30th September 2025 has of today been found to be justified following investigation?

13) What was/were the main cause or causes of the interference in justified complaints relating to air source heat pumps between 1st October 2024 and 30th September 2025?

14) Does the Council’s current database provide the functionality to create new codes to reflect the introduction of newer sources of complaint like the above in Q11?

15) If an officer were to be investigating a complaint about an Air Source Heat Pump, what guidance apart from the IoA/CIEH (2022) guidance would officers refer to? Please either specify “No other guidance” or identify other guidance

16) What is the total Full Time Equivalent (FTE) capacity allocated to working on noise and nuisance complaints at the Local Authority?

17) Please provide the hourly rates for the 2024/2025 financial year for all of the different grades of Officers who may be involved in a prosecution under any of the legislation listed in question 7

18) Supply an anonymised or template copy of the authorisation granted to officers who routinely deal with nuisances so that we can identify the breadth of scope of the legislation you utilise

19) What means does the Council use to try to prevent noise nuisance complaints or situations from escalating? Please tick all that apply or specify where not already listed:

a) Involvement in Licensing Act 2003 process(es) to identify and design out problems

b) Involvement in planning permission process(es) to identify and design out problems (Town & Country Planning Act)

c) Use of either in-house or third-party mediation service(s)

d) Other - please specify

20) Do you operate a noise investigation service that operates out of normal office hours/overnight?

If yes, please share a hyperlink that describes the hours of operation and what the service entails

Response provided:

1. Environmental Protection Team

2. environmentalprotection@northdevon.gov.uk

3. North Devon Council

4. Southwest

5. 272

6. 1. 107

2. 116

3. Seven

4. Nine

5. Zero

6. 33

7. Abatement Notice (for any noise related nuisance) Environmental Protection Act 1990 = Seven

Prosecution for failure to comply with requirements of Section 80 abatement notice Environmental Protection Act 1990 = Zero

Works in default e.g. seizure of equipment = Zero

Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 Community Protection Notice – Noise = Six

Control of Pollution Act 1974

Section 60/61 Notice – Construction Noise = Zero

Control of Pollution Act 1974

Section 62 Notice - Loudspeakers in streets = Zero

Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005 Section 77 - Silencing of Intruder Alarms = Zero

Licensing Act 2003

Formal review process associated with the Licence Condition = Zero

Town and Country Planning Act 1990 – Advice provided 754, conditions sought 428, enforcement visit = Zero

Noise Act 1996 – Any use = Zero

8. No

9. Yes: Alarm = Seven

Barking Dogs = 90

DIY = Nine

Low frequency = Four

Machinery (Fixed) = Six

Music = 48

Other/unidentified = 27

Other animals and birds = Two

Party = Six

People noise = 24

Plant (mobile) = 27

TV/Radio = Two

Vehicle noise = 18

Vehicle repairs = Two

10. Machinery (fixed)

11. Wind Turbines = Zero

House alleged or proven to have been rented out as a short term let or a holiday let e g Air BNB = Two

Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) = Zero

Domestic battery storage = Zero

Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR) generators = Zero

12. N/A

13. N/A

14. Yes

15. No other guidance

16. Three full-time equivalent officers are employed to investigate a wide range of noise complaints, but no officers that focus specifically on noise complaints only

17. £89.80 / £73.23 / £54.56

18. Please refer to the attached Word document.

19. a) Yes

b) Yes

c) No

d) N/A

20. No

Request reference: FOI 10937

Issue date: 28.11.25

Request received:

1. Please provide the following data relating to housing and homelessness:

a) The total number of households supported through homelessness services in most recent financial year

o Year on year total and percentage change

b) Total expenditure on homelessness and associated services in most recent financial year

o Year on year total and percentage change

o As a percentage of total budget, expenditure on homelessness and associated services in most recent financial year

c) Total number of nights spent in temporary accommodation in most recent financial year

o Year on year total and percentage change

2. Furthermore, where recorded, please provide data on outcomes or success rates for the following types of intervention:

a) Temporary accommodation

b) Rapid rehousing

c) Supported housing schemes

3. Please provide the details on the funding sources for these services (central government grants, local council tax, business rates, housing revenue account, rental income, capital receipts, private investment, charity/voluntary sector contributions, etc), with approximate amounts or percentages

4. Please set out, as a percentage, the proportion of homelessness related spending in the most recent financial year associated with homelessness prevention

5. Please provide a list of active public private partnerships, joint ventures or similar arrangements through which the authority delivers housing or homelessness services. For each partnership please provide:

i. Name of the private partner(s) (e g company or charity)

ii. Date of commencement and duration of the contract or agreement

iii. Purpose and scope (e g management of temporary accommodation, development of affordable homes, regeneration project)

iv. Funding structure – the proportion of budget provided by the authority versus the private partner

Response provided:

1. a) 2024/25 – total approaches = 1,699 increase of 5.26% from 2023/24

b) 2024/25 Net Cost of TA = £482,593.98, 0.851% increase

Please refer to the Council’s published dataset ‘cost of providing Temporary Accommodation to the Council’ which provides the data from 2009/10 through to and including 2024/25

The Net Revenue budget for 24/25 was £16,432,690. The percentage is 3%

c) 2024/25 = 25,644 nights an increase of 17.5%

2. a) As follows:

Accommodation outcome Relief Name on letter

NO ACCOMMODATION OUTCOME 2

Not known 2

Other 1

Owner-occupier 1

Private rented sector: HMO 16

Private rented sector: lodging (not with family or friends) 6

Private rented sector: self-contained 48

Refuge 2

Registered Provider tenancy 20

Social rented supported housing or hostel 27

Staying with family 11

Staying with friends 3

Temporary accommodation provided by local authority 1

Total 140

b and c) The Council does not use these schemes

3. Housing Prevention Grant/Domestic Abuse Grant/RSI

4. Prevention spends 24/25 = £9,817.38 other prevention costs – i e rent arrears etc – RIA payments – £61,681.17 – Deposit – £37,423.35

5. i) North Devon Against Domestic Abuse

ii) 2024/25 – 2025/26 year on year contract

iii) DA Triage officer – Works within Prevention Team to work as a specialist officer for those experiencing or at risk of DA, to work to look for suitable alternative accommodation if required to avoid the need for TA accommodation

iv) A budget requirement to run the service of £40,491 – NDC share of cost being £25,491

v) Encompass Southwest

vi) 2023/24 – 2024/25 – 2025/26

vii) Housing First Scheme – Providing accommodation

viii) £20,000 per year. Delivering of housing services – TA services, Housing Options, Devon Home Choice

Request reference: FOI 10938

Issue date: 03.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested, in relation to the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 which will fully enter into force from 6 April 2026:

1. The total number of applications the council have received under the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 between 6 April 2025 and 1 November 2025 inclusive

2. Where applications have been received, the species of primate and the number of animals within each application

3. The total number of licences granted and refused

Response provided:

1. Zero

2. N/A

3. N/A

Request reference: FOI 10939

Issue date: 11.11.25

Request received:

The number of emergency housing requests made by refugees to the council for each month from the start of June 2024 to the end of October 2025

Response provided:

The applicant was provided with the number of housing approaches the Council’s Housing team received within the request period, as well as those who were actually in receipt of Temporary Accommodation. Not all of the housing approaches would have been for emergency accommodation, some just required housing advice and assistance, however, the Housing team confirms that they are unable to distinguish between the figures:

Homes for Ukraine Scheme
Year	Month	Number of Housing Assistance Approaches	Provided with emergency accommodation
2024	June	0
	July	1
	August	3
	September	1
	October	1
	November	1
	December	2
2025	January	2
	February	3	1
	March	1
	April	0
	May	1	1
	June	0
	July	0
	August	0
	September	2
	October	1
Total		19	2

Request reference: FOI 10940

Issue date: 11.11.27

Request received:

The applicant requested the following for the Council Tax period 01/04/2025 to 31/03/2026 for postcodes starting EX31:

1. Number of properties identified as second homes (i e properties that are substantially furnished and unoccupied or have no permanent resident)?

2. How much money will North Devon Council generate based on the additional 100% premium being charged for second homes during this period?

Response provided:

On 1 November 2025, 1,632 properties across the whole district are being charged a second home premium (properties that are substantially furnished and unoccupied or have no permanent resident); this will generate a total additional revenue of £1,885,883.80

As the Council only retains 8.62% of the Council Tax, £162,563.18 is the amount the additional premium contributes solely to North Devon Council

On 1 November 2025, 184 properties with a postcode commencing EX31 are being charged a second home premium (properties that are substantially furnished and unoccupied or have no permanent resident)

This will generate a total additional revenue of £421,583.64. As North Devon Council only retains 8.62% of the Council Tax, £36,340.51 is the amount the additional premium contributes solely to North Devon Council for properties with a postcode commencing EX31

Request reference: FOI 10941

Issue date: 06.11.27

Request received:

The following regarding all deceased individuals for the last three years broken down into individual records of those deceased to include the following information:

1. Full name of the deceased

2. Date of birth of the deceased at the time of death

3. Full residential addresses of the deceased

4. Full address of the site and/or contact details of the site where the deceased passed away

5. Date of death

6. Of the deceased without any known kith and kin or you’re in the process of establishing if this deceased has any kith and kin, did this deceased have any assets and/or properties?

7. Of the deceased without any known kith and kin, or you’re in the process of establishing if this deceased has any kith and kin, what is the full address where the individual’s cremation or the burial took place and the cost of the individual deceased’s burial or cremation?

8. Of the deceased without any known kith and kin or you’re in the process of establishing if this deceased has any kith and kin, specify what personal information of the deceased was passed to:

a) Which tracing agent/s with their full contact details and/or

b) The Government legal department and/or Treasury department/s and/or

c) Which Probate firm/s with their full contact and/or

d) Any other entity

9. Of the deceased without any known kith and kin or you’re in the process of establishing if this deceased has any kith and kin, what is the date when the deceased’s personal information was passed to:

a) Tracing agent/s and/or

b) The Government legal department and/or Treasury department/s and/or

b) Probate firm and/or

d) Any other entity

10. Of the deceased without any known kith and kin or you’re in the process of establishing if this deceased has any kith and kin, what specific information of the deceased was shared with:

a) Tracing agent/s and/or

b) The Government legal department and/or Treasury department/s

c) Probate firm/s and/or

d) Any other entity

11. Of the deceased without any known kith and kin and/or you’re in the process of establishing if this deceased has any kith and kin, what is the cost of the cremation or the burial of the individual deceased

12. What is the council’s department name and the council department’s e-mail address and/or any other contact information, responsible for passing the individual deceased records to:

a) Tracing agent/s and/or

b) The Government legal department and/or Treasury department/s and/or

c) Probate firm/s

Response provided:

The Council confirmed that it does hold most of this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council provided the following response:

The following parts of the request can be found within the Council’s published public health funeral dataset which is update monthly:

1, 2, part of 3 (first part of postcode), 5, part of 7 in terms of whether the deceased was cremated or buried, 9 and 11

4. This information will be found on the individual death certificates. These are accessible via Devon County Council: https://www.devon.gov.uk/registration-service/deaths/ and so using the published dataset information you will be able to obtain this information.

3, 6, 7, 8, 10

The Council confirmed that whilst it does hold the information that falls under these parts of your request, it considers publication and disclosure under the FOI in full would likely prejudice the prevention and detection of crime

In the case of the full addresses of the deceased, those properties may still be unoccupied and contain valuables, cash and other personal effects that would be vulnerable to criminal activity. Any assets of the deceased must be secured and so the disclosure of this information, together with the information that is published, may lead to arson, theft and cause loss to the unsecured estates

Disclosing specific details about what assets/properties the deceased had as well as specifying the particular personal information that has been referred to any external departments/agents would highlight those properties/estates that would likely have a greater risk to being targeted by criminal activity

Disclosure of information under the Act is not just to the requester but also to the world at large and so places that information into the public domain for all to see and thus increases the chances of the information falling into the hands of some individuals who may not have genuine and legitimate interests with it and may seek it is in order to participate in criminal activity

The ICO recognises that there is a strong public interest in avoiding likely prejudice to the prevention of crime, and in this case would be likely to include a diverse range from anti-social behaviour, criminal damage, arson, organised groups stripping empty properties to identity fraud and crimes that can be committed using false information and information that is sensitive to the estates of the deceased and their relatives (where identified)

It recognises that tackling issues such as these involve a significant amount of public expense and believes it is in the public interest to protect property and to ensure that public resources are used efficiently. There is also a strong public interest in avoiding personal distress to the direct victims of the crime and in the case of crime related to empty properties and estates of the deceased where their living relatives are identified, to those in the wider neighbourhoods who may also be affected; therefore, this is exempt from disclosure under Section 31 of the Act

In addition to the above exemption, the Council also considers that Section 40 of the Act also applies to some of the requested information (particularly that falling under 3, 6 and 7) where it is not already published via the dataset, as some of the information held may relate to living individuals who are related to those deceased individuals and who may be entitled to inherit from said estates

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

12. Environmental Protection team, 01271 388870

Request reference: FOI 10942

Issue date: 06.11.27

Request received:

1. Copies of any policies, guidelines and/or training prepared and/or followed by your authority’s housing department which relate to the practice of notifying Applicants of an Offer in discharge of the ‘main housing duty’, and the steps to be taken by your authority’s housing department where an Applicant accepts or refuses an Offer

2. Confirm what information is provided, and in what format, to Applicants when your authority’s housing department makes an Offer in discharge of the ‘main housing duty’. In particular:

(a) Please confirm whether, and if so how, Applicants are advised in relation to: (i) the potential consequences of accepting or refusing an Offer, including as regards the potential termination of the authority’s ‘main housing duty’; and (ii) the Applicant’s right to request a review

(b) To the extent your authority’s housing department uses any templates and/or precedents for such communications, please provide copies of the same. (c) Please provide copies of the information provided to the Applicants in receipt of the five most recent Offers made by your authority’s housing department, including the Offer itself and any subsequent correspondence

3. Please confirm what information is provided, and in what format, after an Applicant accepts or refuses an Offer and your authority’s housing department terminates its ‘main housing duty’. In particular: (a) Please confirm whether it is your authority’s housing department’s practice to always send a separate letter to notify the Applicant of the termination of the ‘main housing duty’ after the acceptance or refusal of an Offer. 310 (b) Please confirm, and if so how, Applicants are advised in relation to: (i) the consequences of your authority’s housing department terminating its ‘main housing duty’ and (ii) the Applicant’s right to request a review. (c) To the extent your authority’s housing department uses any templates and/or precedents for such communications. (d) Please provide copies of the information provided in the five most recent cases where an Applicant has accepted or refused an Offer and your authority’s housing department has terminated its ‘main housing duty’

4. If your authority’s housing department’s approach to notifying Applicants of Offers and/or the steps to be taken where an Applicant refuses an Offer is currently under and/or has been subject to review and/or legal challenge, please provide further details (and if already known, the outcome of that review and/or legal challenge)

Response provided:

1. All officers’ attend: Shelter A&B Training, In-House Training, Andy Gale-Locata Training. Officer will use the Code of Guidance for reference

2. a i and ii) When a main housing duty is accepted customers receive a letter outlining the duty accepted, it includes how this duty can be discharged, and how to review a decision. When the duty is being discharged, they will then receive a further letter to advise as to the reason the duty is ending, and how to review. Officers will ensure that the customer is able to understand the written letter and if issues such as language translation will be provided if customer has a support worker they will also be asked if they are content that support worker also receives a copy of any correspondences

2. b and c) The Housing team uses the Locata Housing System which has a suite of templated letters, these are then adapted on a case by cases basis (as provided)

3. a) Yes, a separate letter is sent advising as to the end of duty, the reasons for this duty ending and how to review

3. b i and ii) Letter, verbal conversation to advise of the offer and the outcome if offer were to be refused (mind too). Right to review is sent out with every decision communication

3 c) Locata templated letters/Right to Review information

3 d) Information provided to applicant which is available upon request

4. During the last financial year 24-25, the Housing team received three reviews of suitable of accommodation offered – Outcomes:

Single father, offered suitable accommodation – Refused – Review Requested – Upheld – remains in TA due to further issues during the period of upholding decision and eviction. Agreed to continue bidding/PRS whilst eviction pending

Single father, offered suitable accommodation – Requested a review – during review period a further suitable offer made – applicant withdrew review

Single mother, offered suitable accommodation – Refused – Requested a review – decision over-turned due to further evidence of un-suitability received

In the same time period, the Housing team discharged without request for review: 126

Request reference: EIR 10944

Issue date: 06.11.25

Request received:

Th applicant requested any information available with regards to asbestos remediation that has been carried out at the property: Welcombe Farm, Swimbridge, EX32 0RB

Response provided:

It was confirmed to the applicant that the Council’s Environmental Protection team has not received any formal notification of any asbestos remediation work having been carried out at the property; however, they advise that it may be that the Health and Safety Executive were contacted and so the applicant was advised to contact the HSE direct

The applicant was directed to two Planning Applications published via the Council’s Planning Tracker for the property where the Council’s Environmental Health team responded to consultations:

Planning consultation 59462 / EH worksheet WK/201502580 – 2 October 2015 we included the following advisory note as part of our response: *Asbestos Advisory Note* The buildings are of an age where materials containing asbestos may have been used in their construction or subsequent modification. The buildings should be surveyed for such materials prior to conversion by a suitably qualified person. Where found, materials containing asbestos should be removed and disposed of in accordance with current legislation and guidance

Planning consultation 63478 / EH worksheet WK/201703291 – 6 September 2017 we included the following advisory note as part of our response: Advisory Note: Asbestos The building is of an age where materials containing asbestos may have been used in its construction or subsequent modification. The building should be surveyed for such materials prior to conversion by a suitably qualified person. Where found, materials containing asbestos should be treated and disposed of in accordance with current legislation and guidance

Applicant informed that these are just advisory notes and not EH ordering these works to take place

Request reference: FOI 10945

Issue date: 07.11.25

Request received:

Information regarding the management of unauthorised encampments in the Council’s jurisdiction. Specifically, the following:

1. Unauthorised Encampments

a) The total number of instances of ‘unauthorised encampments’ involving vehicles (such as caravans, motorhomes, or other vehicles) that have been recorded by the local authority in the last year

b) The methods used by the authority or its agents to evict people and vehicles from such encampments, including the number of times each method has been used

2. Common Law Evictions

a) The number of times ‘Common Law’ evictions have been employed by the Council or its agents to remove individuals and vehicles from unauthorised encampments on land within the Council’s jurisdiction.

b) For each instance where Common Law has been used, the following details:

◦ The number of vehicles, caravans, and individuals removed from the land

◦ The length of time the encampment was present at the location

◦ The specific location of the encampment (including land ownership, i e., whether it was private or council-owned)

◦ Any welfare needs or the presence of children noted in relation to the encampment

3. Local Authority Policies

a) Any formal policies or guidelines that the local authority follows in relation to unauthorised encampments, including approaches to eviction, welfare assessments, and support for individuals or families involved

b) Any changes to these policies in the last five years

Response provided:

The Council provided the following response:

1. a) Eight cases

b) Applicant provided with the Council’s policy and timeline document which are available upon request

2. a) Three times

b) This information is not recorded, however aways in excess of two

- Various, but ranges between two and 14 nights

- Roundswell which is land the Council maintain and are waiting for transfer of

Seven Brethren and St Johns Lane (Barnstaple), both Council owned

- No welfare needs/children noted

3. a) Applicant referred to the Council policy and timeline document as provided

b) Yes, as part of partnership protocol with Local Authorities and Police

Request reference: FOI 10946

Issue date: 06.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information regarding the intended removal of the Fore Street Fairy String Lights on Fore Street, Ilfracombe:

the decision-making process for this action
the tendering process for contracting the work
the cost of the work

Response provided:

The applicant was advised that the information is not held and directed to Ilfracombe Town Council

Request reference: FOI 10948

Issue date: 11.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the most recent available data (preferably for the latest full financial year) for the parish of Instow:

1. The number of properties registered as “second homes” for council tax purposes (i e furnished dwellings that are not a person’s sole or main residence, including any subject to a second-home premium)

2. The number of properties registered as self-catering holiday accommodation (i e those on the business rates register as holiday lets or self-catering units)

3. The total number of dwellings in each parish, so that the proportion of second homes and holiday lets can be calculated

Response provided:

On 1 November 2025, within the parish of Instow:

463 residential dwelling of which 85 are furnished dwellings that are not a person’s sole or main residence
76 non-domestic dwelling 51 of which are holiday lets or self-catering units

Request reference: FOI 10949

Issue date: 17.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested copies of any zoo inspections that have occurred in the past 6 years (preferably a minimum of 2 for each zoo) for all the zoos the council inspects

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information held, with all personal data redacted throughout the information in accordance with Section 40 of the Act (personal data)

Request reference: FOI 10950

Issue date: 12.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested recorded information concerning any Digital ID, Citizen Account, MyCouncil, Single Customer View, or similar data-sharing and AI-enabled systems operated or commissioned by North Devon Council. There is growing public concern about the statutory authority being used by councils to collect and share resident or school data, and to engage third-party suppliers in systems that may form part of a wider digital-identity network

The applicant requested:

1. Statutory Authority – the specific Acts and sections that authorise the Council to create or operate any digital-identity or citizen-account system, or to share resident/school data with external organisations

2. If relying on Localism Act 2011 s.1 (General Power of Competence), explain how the Council has determined this complies with UK GDPR Articles 5 (lawfulness), 6 (legal basis), and 28 (data processors)

3. Third-Party Suppliers / Vendors – a list of all companies, consultants, or organisations involved since 2020 in developing, hosting, analysing, or providing software or AI services for these systems (e g Civica, Capita, Microsoft, NEC, AWS, Granicus, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change etc). Include contract titles, start/end dates, and funding sources where available

4. Data-Sharing and Funding Agreements – copies or summaries of agreements, memoranda of understanding, or grants with external bodies (including government departments or NGOs) that support digital ID or data-integration projects

5. Legal and Governance Oversight – the name or title of the Monitoring Officer or Data Protection Officer responsible for ensuring compliance with privacy law for these activities, and any internal briefing notes they produced

Response provided:

It was confirmed to the applicant that the Council does not have any Digital ID, Citizen Account, MyCouncil, Single Customer View, or any similar data-sharing and AI-enabled systems that it operates or commissions; therefore, it does not hold any applicable recorded information that falls within the scope of the request

Request reference: FOI 10951

Issue date: 07.11.25

Request received:

The name, job title, and generic work contact details (e g team mailbox or departmental telephone number) for the officer(s) responsible for:

• Managing or overseeing the Council's Temporary Accommodation Service

• Financial planning, accounting, or reporting related to Temporary Accommodation

• Managing or overseeing the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA)

• Financial planning, accounting, or reporting related to the HRA

If individual names cannot be disclosed under Section 40 (personal data exemption), please provide the team or departmental contact details (e g a “Housing Finance” or “HRA Team” email address) through which such officers can be reached

Response provided:

Managing or overseeing the Council's Temporary Accommodation Service – North Devon Council Temporary Accommodation Team – Senior Officer Gina Widnell, Service Manager Housing and Refugee Re-settlement Sarah Bentley
Financial planning, accounting, or reporting related to Temporary Accommodation –Tony Rumble, Finance Manager, Sarah Bentley, Service Manager Housing and Refugee Re-Settlement, Head of PMO, Environmental Health and Housing - Nina Lake
Managing or overseeing the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA); Tony Rumble, Finance Manager, Sarah Bentley, Service Manager Housing and Refugee Re-Settlement, Head of PMO, Environmental Health and Housing, Nina Lake
Financial planning, accounting, or reporting related to the HRA. – Tony Rumble, Finance Manager, Sarah Bentley, Service Manager, Housing and Refugee Re-Settlement - Head of PMO, Environmental Health and Housing, Nina Lake

Departmental telephone numbers and email addresses are published via the Council’s website: Contact us

Request reference: FOI 10952

Issue date: 27.11.25

Request received:

1. A list of all land and property sold by the local authority between 1 January 2020 and 31 October 2025, including the following for each sold asset:

The address of the land/property

A description of the asset, including what your local authority used it for

The sale price

The buyer (please state the name of any company, organisation, etc. or otherwise state whether it was a private individual)

The date of sale

2. A list of all the land and property currently owned by the local authority, providing the following for each:

- The address of the land/property

- A description of the asset, including what your local authority uses it for

- The date of purchase

- The purchase price

Response provided:

Applicant directed to the Council’s published datasets which provide this requested information: Council assets

Request reference: FOI 10953

Issue date: 26.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested a list of all planning applications or reference numbers that are associated with Section 106 agreements entered into in the year 2014, where all or part of the financial contributions remain unspent as of today’s date (10.11.25)

For each planning reference:

• The planning application reference number

• The date the Section 106 agreement was entered into

• The type or purpose of the contribution (e g education, highways, open space)

• The amount secured

• The amount received by the council

• The amount unspent to date

• Any expiry or repayment date specified in the agreement (if applicable)

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the requested information, where held, in Excel format, which is available upon request. Applicant advised that the ones with a balance still remaining, the Finance team has noted when the funds were received as they believe the time for restriction for spending commences from the date of receipt rather than the date of the agreement

Request reference: FOI 10954

Issue date: 18.11.25

Request received:

CON29 information relating to a property at EX32 0JZ

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 10956

Issue date: 13.11.25

Request received:

A list of all councillors who are or have been members of the planning committee, for the period 2000 to the present day

For each councillor, please include their start and end dates of service on the committee.

Please also indicate which councillor(s) served as Chair of the committee, and their corresponding dates in that role

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the requested information for the years 2019 – 2025, which is available upon request and advised that the information for 2000 is not held

Request reference: FOI 10957

Issue date: 13.11.25

Request received:

Contract 1 – Wide Area Network (WAN) Services (Including HSCN)

1. WAN Provider(s) - Please confirm the main supplier(s) for your WAN services. If this information is not available, please explain why

2. Contract Expiry Date - Please provide the expiry date for each WAN contract (DD/MM/YYYY or MM/YYYY acceptable). If rolling, please state the terms

3. Contract Description - Please provide a brief summary of the scope of each WAN contract

4. Number of Sites Covered - Please indicate the number of sites supported by the WAN. An approximation is acceptable

5. Annual Average Spend - What is the annual average spend for WAN services? Please break this down by provider if more than one

6. Procurement Route - Please provide details of how each WAN contract was procured. If a framework was used, please include the framework name and reference number

Internal Contact

7. Responsible Contact Person(s) - Please provide the full contact details for the person(s) responsible for each of the above contracts, including:

• Full name

• Job title

• Direct phone number

• Email address

Response provided:

1. Capita

2. Expires 08/2026

3. Devon Wide Area Network (WAN) is a managed connectivity solution that links multiple council sites across Devon, enabling secure inter-site communication and integration with the Public Services Network (PSN). It is delivered under a partnership arrangement led by Devon County Council, with North Devon Council as a participant.

4. Seven sites covered

5. Annual average spend £45,608

6. Procurement route procured in conjunction with Devon County Council

7. Internal contact, Andrew Tapp, ICT Manager, 01271 388232

Request reference: FOI 10959

Issue date: 13.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information covering the past five years (2019–2024) or as many years as data is available:

1. Buildings: Number of council-owned/managed buildings with bird netting installed

2. Bird Deaths and Trapped Birds:

Number of dead birds found in netting each year
Number of birds trapped in netting each year, broken down by species if recorded
How many trapped birds were dead versus rescued alive
For any birds found alive: what happened to them (e g released, taken to vet/rescue, handed to contractor, culled)

3. Inspections and Maintenance:

How often netting is inspected, repaired or replaced
How many reports of trapped birds the council receives each year
How often the council checks netting to ensure it is not harming birds

4. Rationale and Alternatives:

Reasons for using bird netting on council buildings
Whether alternatives were considered, and if so, which

5. Costs: Annual spending on installation, maintenance, and repair of bird netting

Response provided:

1. Two

2. Zero, N/A

3. The Council has only owned the two buildings for 12 months. Planned inspection every 12 months. Zero reports of trapped birds in last 12 months. Checks will be made every 12 months.

4. Already on buildings when buildings were purchased. The Council has renewed netting on one building as part of ongoing refit.

5. Zero as this is included within the ongoing refit

Request reference: FOI 10960

Issue date: 13.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following in relation to: Hacche Lane Bus Park, Unit 4 Pathfields EX36 3LH:

1. Please confirm the name of the individual or legal entity liable to pay non-domestic rates in respect of the Site for the period 01/05/2025 to present

2. If more than one individual/entity was liable to pay non-domestic rates in respect of this Site during the above period, please can you confirm:

2.1. The name of each individual/entity;

2.2. The period in respect of which that individual/entity was liable for the payment of non-domestic rates

Response provided:

1. Hook Properties Ltd

2. N/A

Request reference: FOI 10961

Issue date: 14.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested a breakdown of the numbers of individuals who have been referred to the Prevent Programme between 5 July 2025 and 5 November 2025:

1. How many referrals mention the name "Palestine Action"?

2. Please provide a breakdown of this by the type of concern. In other words, how many referrals were there which mention "Palestine Action" where the concern type was "Islamist Extremism" / "Extreme Right-Wing" / "No Ideology", etc

Response provided:

1. Zero

2. N/A

Request reference: FOI 10964

Issue date: 21.11.25

Request received:

The number of houses that have been built in Instow Primary School’s catchment area since 2020 and the number of planned/anticipated new builds

Response provided:

The Council’s Planning Policy team provided the list below of all housing development sites completed within Instow Primary school’s catchment area from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025. In addition, they have also included the number of known planned/anticipated new builds/conversions to housing as at 01/04/25:

Parish	Number of Homes Built from 01/04/20 to 31/03/25	Housing Under Construction at 01/04/25	Housing Start at 01/04/25	Housing Extant at 01/04/25
Instow	24	0	0	1
Westleigh	1	1	0	3
Yelland (within the Parish of Fremington	84	29	54	257
TOTAL	109	30	54	261

The applicant was also informed that it may be possible that Torridge District Council holds similar information if there is any part of the catchment that falls under their boundary and so the applicant was provided with the FOI email address for Torridge District Council

In addition to the above the applicant was advised that the Council is currently considering an outline application for up to 200 dwellings on land south of Yelland Quay, however, it is not possible to confirm the likely decision of this particular application at the time of this response. Unfortunately, they are also unable to provide any information with regard to potential unknown housing developments within the catchment area on the basis that North Devon cannot demonstrate a 5 Year Housing Land Supply (YHLS) or allocated within any future Local Plan

Request reference: FOI 10965

Issue date: 24.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested any information the Council holds relating to the Batsworthy Cross Wind Farm Community Fund, including (but not limited to):

1. Any planning obligations, Section 106 agreements, or conditions requiring the creation or payment of the Community Fund

2. Any correspondence with the wind-farm operator or Devon Community Foundation relating to the establishment, value, governance, or monitoring of the Fund

3. Any reports, summaries, or annual statements received by the Council regarding Fund payments or distribution

Response provided:

The Council’s Planning department reviewed the Section 106 agreement and associated variation (both of which are published via the Planning Tracker for application 43272*) and confirmed that they did not secure such a community fund and that the planning conditions did not, in the view of the Planning department, require such a fund. As such, the Local Planning Authority would not be involved with any administration of such a fund

*In accordance with Section 21 (information accessible by other means) of the Act, the applicant was referred to the documents tab, the relevant documents are entitled:

43272_DN_S106.pdf

43272_DN_S106_Escrow.pdf

The applicant was also referred to the Appeal Decision as published via the Planning Tracker for application 43272 on the Appeals tab: 43272_APDN_120122.pdf

The planning inspector confirmed “Planning Obligations

17. The appellant has entered into a S106 agreement, dated 6 July 2012. This makes provision for a fund that is designed to ensure that, whatever happens to the operators or operation of the site, the scheme would be decommissioned in accordance with the agreed method statement. This is necessary to protect the appearance of the countryside. It also provides for suitable contingency to be made if private water supplies were to be lost as a result of construction or decommissioning; for some of the highway improvements that are needed to protect highway safety during the construction and operation of the scheme; and, for local resourcing of services, supplies and workers during construction. Whilst this last provision does not ensure that local resourcing will be successful, it is consistent with the sustainability aims of reducing unnecessary transport and avoiding placing undue pressure on the local housing stock.”

Request reference: FOI 10966

Issue date: 24.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested, in Excel format, a breakdown of all license applications for Adult Gaming centres between 1 January 2015 and 1 November 2025, including:

• Date of application

• Date of decision

• Location of premises

• Application outcome

• Application company

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the requested information, where held by the authority in Excel, which is available upon request

Request reference: FOI 10967

Issue date: 24.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information for the calendar years of 2023, 2024 and 2025:

1. How many households in private rented properties have approached the council to report disrepair in their homes?

2. How many inspections have been completed in private rented properties by the council?

3. How many enforcement/improvement notices have been served by the council because of these inspections?

4. Were any demolition orders made by the council subsequently because of these investigations?

Response provided:

1. 2023 = 140

2024 = 77

2025 up to 31.10.25 = 76

2. 2023 = 50

2024 = 42

2025 up to 31.10.25 = 28

3. 2023 = Three

2024 = Eight

2025 up to date 31.10.25 = Nine

4. 2023 = Zero

2024 = Zero

2025 up to 31.10.25 = Zero

Request reference: FOI 10969

Issue date: 21.11.25

Request received:

1. The full name and direct official email address of the Council's current, designated Monitoring Officer

2. The full name and direct official email address of the Council's current Head of Legal Services (or equivalent senior legal officer, e g, Director of Law, Chief Solicitor)

Response provided:

The Council confirmed that Simon Fuller is the Council’s Senior Solicitor and Monitoring Officer

For his role as Senior Solicitor (Head of Legal) the email is: legalservices@northdevon.gov.uk and for his role as Monitoring Officer the email is: monitoringofficer@northdevon.gov.uk

Request reference: FOI 10970

Issue date: 21.11.25

Request received:

A digital list, database, or map showing the locations of all public litter bins and recycling bins maintained by or on behalf of the council (excluding household bins). Please provide the information in the electronic format you already hold (e g Excel, CSV, shapefile, GIS data, or depot spreadsheets)

If a full wide list is not reasonably available, please provide the information broken down by the level at which it is already held (e g by ward, district, or depot)

If precise geographic coordinates are not recorded, please provide any available location descriptors (such as street names, park names, or nearest landmarks)

Response provided:

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

Request reference: FOI 10971

Issue date: 25.11.25

Request received:

I) Does your local authority have an in-date Empty Homes Strategy?

II) Does your local authority employ a dedicated Empty Homes Officer?

III) What annual budget is allocated to addressing the issue of Empty Homes for 2025/26?

Response provided:

I) Yes, as published via the Council’s website: Empty Homes Strategy 2022, which is currently under review

II) Yes, one full time officer

III) Apart from the salary of the one full time officer, there is no allocated budget for empty homes

Request reference: FOI 10973

Issue date: 26.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the details of whom the Council contracts to collect waste

This includes, but is not limited to, household waste (recycling, general waste, etc) and commercial waste collected from businesses)

The commercial partners the Council currently uses, with their registered addresses
The commercial partners the Council has historically used, with their registered addresses. This data should begin in 2021 and finalise at the most recent period
The commercial partners who currently operate the recycling centres across the borough with their registered addresses

The applicant requested that they be informed of any changes to partners in any part of the waste process in the previous year

Response provided:

The Council confirmed that all of its domestic and trade refuse and recycling services are delivered in-house and this has been the case since 2021

Recycling centres within North Devon fall under the wider remit of Devon County Council and therefore the applicant was advised to submit their request for this information to their Information Governance team for response

Request reference: FOI 10975

Issue date: 26.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested the following information relating to Council Tax liabilities for the financial year 2024/25 in either Excel or CSV format

For clarity: this request refers to all Council Tax accounts where liability fell within the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, regardless of when the bill was issued

Please include all accounts where liability covered the whole financial year or any part of the financial year, including part-year tenancies and mid-year changes of liability

1. Council Tax enforcement actions

a. Number of summonses issued for non-payment of council tax

b. Number of Liability Orders granted by magistrates for non-payment of council tax

c. Number of cases referred to enforcement agents (bailiffs)

d. Number of enforcement letters issued by enforcement agents on behalf of the council

e. Number of enforcement visits made by enforcement agents on behalf of the council

2. Fees and charges

a. The summons fee charged

b. The Liability Order fee charged

c. A breakdown of how these fees are calculated or determined

3. Enforcement agent firms used

a. The names of all enforcement agent companies used by the council for council tax collection, recovery, and enforcement during 2024/25

4. Households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction (CTR)

a. Number of cases referred to enforcement agents where the household was in receipt of CTR

b. Number of Liability Orders granted where the household was in receipt of CTR

c. For Liability Orders involving households on CTR, a split by:

Working-age households

Pension-age households

5. Attachment of Benefits and Attachment of Earnings

a. Number of Attachment of Benefits (AoB) requests sent to DWP (e g UC or legacy benefits)

b. Total value of the debt included in AoB requests (regardless of deductions taken)

c. Number of Attachment of Earnings Orders (AoEOs) issued

d. Total value of the debt included in AoEOs

e. Number of households subject to AoEOs who were in receipt of CTR

Response provided:

1. Council Tax enforcement actions:

a) 3,178 summonses issued during 2024/2025 covering all liability periods

b) 2,994 liability orders granted during 2024/2025 covering all liability periods

c) 2,215 cases referred to enforcement agents during 2024/2025 covering all liability periods

The above information is not recorded separately for accounts where liability fell within the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, regardless of when the bill was issued and so the only way in which the Revenues team would be able to provide the information in this way would require a manual check of all records where a summons has been granted since 01.04.24 which would total 5,781 records that would need to be individually checked

It has been estimated by the Revenues team that it would take approximately 481 hours (based on five minutes per record) to provide the requested information. This task would cause serious disruption to the day to day working of the Revenues team and therefore we are unable to process this part of 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

d) 6,817 for accounts where liability fell within the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025

e) 2,490 for accounts where liability fell within the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025

2. Fees and charges:

a) £45

b) £20

c) Please refer to the attached Excel spreadsheet. The Council's fees exceed the amount charged

3. Enforcement agent firms used:

a) Dukes Enforcement Agent

4. Households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction (CTR):

This information is not recorded separately for accounts where liability fell within the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, regardless of when the bill was issued and so the only way in which the Revenues team would be able to provide the information in this way would require a manual check of all the records where a Liability Order has been granted since 1 April 2024 which would total 5,207 records that would need to be individually checked

It has been estimated by the Revenues team that it would take approximately 433 hours (based on five minutes per record) to provide the requested information. This task would cause serious disruption to the day to day working of the Revenues team and therefore we are unable to process this part of 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

5. Attachment of Benefits and Attachment of Earnings:

It has been estimated by the Revenues team that it would take approximately 433 hours (based on five minutes per record) to provide the requested information. This task would cause serious disruption to the day to day working of the Revenues team and therefore we are unable to process this part 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 of the Act, 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 as described above. If upon the consideration of this response the applicant is able to reconsider and wishes to submit a new FOI for the Council to respond to, it will endeavour to assist yjrm with this as far as practicably possible, in accordance with Section 16 of the Act

Request reference: FOI 10982

Issue date: 26.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested historic records relating to cavity wall insulation (CWI) installed in council housing stock within the North Devon Council area prior to the transfer of stock to North Devon Homes, specifically the following information:

1. The earliest recorded installation(s) of cavity wall insulation to any council-owned dwelling in the district, including the year and scheme under which the works were commissioned (e g Home Insulation Scheme, HEES, EEC etc)

2. The name(s) of the contractor(s) who carried out the original CWI installations, and any related procurement or contract documentation held

3. Any council reports, committee papers, asset management documents or programme records referring to the installation of cavity wall insulation in council housing prior to stock transfer

4. Any records held relating to quality assurance, inspections, guarantees, warranty certificates, or technical evaluations connected with these original CWI works

5. Any information relating to stock condition files or building fabric records concerning CWI that was transferred to North Devon Homes at the time of stock transfer

Response provided:

The Council confirmed to the applicant that it does not hold any of the information as requested above and is of the understanding that if it had previously held such information prior to the transfer to North Devon Homes, that this information would have also been provided to North Devon Homes, however the Council is unable to identify any recorded information that confirms this

Request reference: FOI 10986

Issue date: 26.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested whether North Devon Council has seen, or asked to see, risk assessments completed by any of the following Hunts for their Boxing or New Year's Day hunt meets:

Dulverton Farmers Hunt & Dulverton West Hunt (jointly)

Exmoor Foxhounds

Response provided:

The applicant was advised that the Council does noes not hold any of this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council's Health and Safety team confirmed that it has not seen or asked to see any risk assessments completed by any of the Hunts as per the applicant’s list above

Further to this, they advised that the only time they would request such information would be if the Council was in receipt of a Temporary Event Notice (TEN), if a hunt requested a Safety Advisory Group (SAG) meeting or where a hunt wanted to hold an event on North Devon Council owned land

They also advise that their jurisdiction only covers Dulverton West Hunt and Dulverton Farmers Hunt and so the applicant was advised to contact Somerset Council for any information they hold for Exmoor Foxhounds

Request reference: FOI 10979

Issue date: 28.11.25

Request received:

The applicant requested a dataset of all non-domestic hereditaments for which the Council is the Billing Authority and containing the following fields for each property:

1. The full liable party name for companies, LLPs, charities, partnerships, and other non-natural persons. Where the ratepayer is an individual/sole trader, replace it with a neutral placeholder such as: “REDACTED – sole trader”

2. Relief indicators (YES/NO for each):

Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Relief

Small Business Rates Relief

Supporting Small Business Rates Relief

3. VOA-formatted address as held in your billing records (including UARN/RRN if held)

4. Annual charge/annual liability for the current financial year (net of reliefs)

Response provided:

Applicant provided with the information requested in Excel format, which is available upon request. All personal data identifying sole traders within the dataset was redacted in accordance with Section 40 of the Act (personal data)