clairemiller, to random
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

With falling response rates from central Government and patchy responses from Oxford colleges, it's perhaps not been a great week for .

However, some people did successfully get a response, if this week's FOI Friday is anything to go by.

https://clairemiller.net/2024/04/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-26-4-2024-foifriday/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

A good example of a how much did that cost question.

Over £100,000 has been spent on plans to erect fencing on Werrington Fields over the last 5 years

Peterborough Council has spent £106,399 on fencing, surveys, legal advice & planning applications

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/politics/council/more-than-100k-spent-on-werrington-fields-fencing-plans-by-peterborough-council-so-far-4600572

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Academies and academy trusts are subject to the Act.

Aspirations, which runs schools across the south of England, spent £87,000 on company cars between 2021 and 2023, including Tesla Model 3 saloons, with 2022 registrations.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/academy-trust-defends-40k-teslas-for-central-team-staff/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Labour have described the varying cost of vital police equipment in neighbouring areas as “extraordinary”.

shows it costs £100 more to buy a police baton in one area, compared to the price in nearby areas.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/police-forces-cost-baton-equipment-labour-101829941.html

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

An interesting use of , where the lack of info is the story.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust found only 11 police forces were able to show how many stalking cases were charged as different crimes, e.g. malicious communications, or no further action was taken

https://worcesterobserver.co.uk/news/police-support-stalking-campaign-as-conviction-rates-and-support-for-victims-remain-poor-49426/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Buckinghamshire Council spent £1.8 million a year on one child’s care in an unregistered home, as well as shelling out more than £1 million for the care of a single child on four occasions in 2023/24, according to

https://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/politics/bucks-council-spent-ps18m-a-year-on-one-childs-care-in-unregistered-home-4602878

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Doctors have seen a 276% rise in admissions for vaping-related disorders since 2020, but a 733% rise among those who are teens or younger

That was an increase from 6 in every 100 vaping-related admissions in 2020 to 14 in 100 last year, according to

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13335481/Children-young-FOUR-hospitalised-vaping-Charities-slam-deeply-worrying-rise.html

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

The technology behind England's smart motorway network stops working on a regular basis.

Where the hard shoulder has been removed, radar & cameras are supposed to spot broken-down vehicles and close affected lanes - but shows power failed 392 times

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68848418

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

With 2,494 crimes, Heathrow saw the highest total number committed of any UK airport in 2022.

When adjusting for the number of passengers, Humberside Airport had the highest crime rate, with 9.7 crimes per 100,000 passengers, shows.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/heathrow-airport-crimes-luton-police-theft-flying-b1094106.html

clairemiller, to random
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

#FOI successes for this week:

The Echo has won a victory in its battle to reveal which Liverpool councillors haven't paid their council tax

The optical illusion cycle path is no more.

And lots of people are using FOI to get other great stories...

https://clairemiller.net/2024/04/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-5-4-2024-foifriday/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

The number of rat, bed bug and cockroach infestations reported to Swindon’s pest control service increased by 57% from 2022 to 2023.

#FOI shows domestic visits to tackle infestations of pests rose from 80 to 126.

The most common pest was rats and mice.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/24244091.rat-bed-bug-infestations-rise-swindon/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Asking police for reports rather than recorded crimes in an #FOI can give you a different story.

Gunmen opened fire in Birmingham on average once a week in 2024, with 11 weapons blasted in the same number of weeks.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/weapon-choice-among-deadly-guns-28931474

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

More than 100,000 elderly patients were left waiting over 24 hours at A&E before being admitted to hospital last year.

#FOI shows in 2019, a total of 10,344 over-65s had to wait more than 24 hours. This rose to a staggering 102,679 in 2023.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1886799/data-reveals-brits-waiting-24-hours-hospital

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Rats in maternity wards, wasps nests in imaging areas, and ants “coming through the ceiling” among the pest problems reported across the NHS over the last three years, according to #FOI.

More than 18,000 pest problems were reported over last three years.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/news/national/thousands-of-pest-problems-reported-by-nhs-hospitals-114675/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Stay informed about #FOI news and tips by following the blog: https://clairemiller.net/blog/

Or by signing up for my newsletter: https://clairemiller.net/blog/#newsletter

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Enfield Council has been sending local homeless families to live in north-east towns – or face being thrown out on to the street.

#FOI shows since last November, five families have been sent to Hartlepool, while another four have been sent to Durham.

https://enfielddispatch.co.uk/enfield-council-sending-local-homeless-families-to-live-in-hartlepool-and-durham/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

No fines have been issued to Oldham dog owners who do not pick up after their pets in the last two years.

#FOI revealed over 300 complaints about dog poo in public areas in the last two years.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/unforgivable-error-left-greater-manchester-28959711

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

#FOI shows six Thames Valley Police officers or staff were found guilty of crimes last year.

Two were found guilty of sexual assault, two were guilty of common assault, one was convicted for threatening behaviour, and one of drink driving.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24230770.thames-valley-police-officers-staff-found-guilty-crimes/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

This looks like it might be an #FOI used to follow up a personal story - to find out if there was a wider issue.

Three dogs seized by West Midlands Police died this year after being diagnosed with canine parvovirus, while 2 more became sick but survived.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/three-dogs-seized-west-midlands-28943263

clairemiller, to random
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

There seems to be somewhat of a theme to this week's #FOIFriday.

It might not be surprising, a lot of these are classic #FOI requests...

https://clairemiller.net/2024/03/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-1-3-2024-foifriday/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

#FOI shows the speed camera located on the M4's eastbound carriageway between J20 & J19 caught the highest number of drivers in 2023, detecting 17,527 drivers.

Second was the camera located on the Severn Beach rail line overbridge southbound on the M32.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/m5-m4-m32-speed-cameras-9132008

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Enforcement of the Bristol bus gate started over three years ago - but many drivers are still getting caught.

#FOI figures show 74,087 fines were issued as part of the scheme in 2023. Numbers were down from an average of over 300 a day back in 2021.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-bridge-bus-gate-seeing-9117108

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

#FOI shows in 2019, 15,227 UK drivers received an uninsured driver conviction, while this hit a staggering 51,857 last year – an increase of 251 per cent.

One in 161 drivers living in an RG postcode are uninsured and one in 100 in an SL postcode.

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/24153722.number-uninsured-drivers-berkshire-revealed/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

A lot of councils run museums and galleries, and after the missing British Museum items, it may be worth asking if they have any losses of their own.

Two Victoria Cross medals are among several items missing from museums across Essex, according to #FOI

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/victorian-crosses-missing-chelmsford-museum-9130649

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Bristol Airport is limited on the number of flights that can take off or land between 11. 30pm and 6am - 1,000 in winter and 3,000 in summer.

However, #FOI shows nearly 1,200 extra flights landing after the late-night curfew than the airport was allowed.

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/bristol-airport-accused-abusing-system-9133123

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Stay informed about #FOI news and tips by following the blog: https://clairemiller.net/blog/

Or by signing up for my newsletter: https://clairemiller.net/blog/#newsletter

thetyee, to random

The B.C. government is monitoring the impact of its $10 application fee for #FOI requests, but has no immediate plans to remove it, said recently appointed citizens’ services minister George Chow.

https://thetyee.ca/News/2024/03/04/Fee-Staying-FOIs/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial

glynmoody, to random
@glynmoody@mastodon.social avatar

The European harmonised technical standards on the safety of toys should be accessible to EU citizens - https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2024-03/cp240041en.pdf why is this even a question? (v @tjmcintyre) #standards #foi

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