clairemiller, to random
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

You sent off an #FOI request. And you've got an answer!

But then when you come to write the story, suddenly the public body is disputing what it sent you

This happens depressingly often with FOI...

More on this & successful FOI stories in thread & here: https://clairemiller.net/2024/02/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-9-2-2024-foifriday/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Stay informed about 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

Southampton City Council has forked out more than £100k over the last two years to tackle a rising number of bed bug infestations.

#FOI shows, £103,724 has been spent on clearing 473 incidents between November 2021, and November 2023.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/24094790.southampton-council-spent-100k-tackling-increasing-bed-bug-problem/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

A total of 264 buildings and pieces of land in Hertfordshire are currently unused or derelict, #FOI has revealed

The sites vary from small areas of woodland, a few roadway/pathways, and some larger sites held for future service use or future development.

https://www.thecomet.net/news/24103440.hertfordshire-264-buildings-pieces-land-unused/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Are councils using AI to make savings?

A £200,000 saving made by Derby City Council using AI was achieved through losing agency staff, #FOI has confirmed.

Last year, council chiefs said introducing AI assistants Darcie and Ali helped save the cash.

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/agency-staff-lose-jobs-derby-9084828

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

NHS hospitals are spending tens of thousands of pounds battling a surge in rat infestations.

#FOI shows the average number of times NHS trusts have called in pest control services to get rid of rats and mice has risen by 50% since 2018.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13042743/NHS-hospitals-spend-tens-thousands-pounds-fight-RAT-infestations.html

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

This was a fast turnaround.

#FOI shows 26,586 owners applied for their XL Bully-type dog to be exempt from being confiscated and destroyed under new rules that came in at the start of February.

Of these, 22,420 were successful – and 4,166 were denied.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13063219/More-22-000-XL-Bullys-avoid-Governments-crackdown-dangerous-dog-breed-owners-successfully-apply-exemptions.html

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Applications to council crisis funds for help with beds for children have soared

#FOI show in 2018/19 there were 4,316 requests – of which 2,294 were successful (53%). By 2022/23 this had risen to 17,534 applications, of which 7,227 were successful (41%)

https://www.localgov.co.uk/Crisis-support-requests-quadruple-in-five-years-FOI-reveals/58807

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Councils in the Gwent area have spent more than £3.2m on settling non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with staff who leave their employment.

#FOI shows the five local authorities in the Gwent region have settled 227 NDAs with departing employees since 2019.

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/24102001.taxpayers-gwent-stump-millions-ndas-former-council-staff/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

#FOI shows 553 children were arrested for gun crimes in England and Wales last year.

Figures for the previous year from the 21 forces that provided a number showed there were 438 children arrested, a 26% rise in the last 12 months.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13060683/hundreds-children-arrested-police-gun-crimes.html

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

An #FOI request submitted to Sussex Police by Newsquest's AI team has revealed 32 dogs were reported taken in total last year.

This included six in May and four in August.

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24091193.dozens-dogs-reported-stolen-sussex-last-year/

clairemiller, to random
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

The power of #FOI requests is you can ask for whatever information you want (you might not always get it).

The first two stories this week feature FOI used for follow-ups - to official data or to another FOI...

https://clairemiller.net/2024/02/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-23-2-2024-foifriday/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

According to NHS data, maintenance issues disrupted care of more than 2,600 hospital patients last year.

#FOI shows incidents included green algae growth in a hydrotherapy pool, sewage leaks, power failures and ceiling collapses.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-68214879

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

#FOI suggests around 140,000 pupils nationally were home educated at some point in 2022-23, a rise of 12% on the 125,000 the year before. The pupil population grew by just 0.8% over the same period.

The 12% increase is double the 6% rise the year before.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/rate-of-pupils-leaving-for-home-education-doubles/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

An #FOI about an FOI.

First PA got data on complaints about Ofsted inspectors: https://careappointments.com/care-news/england/205046/more-than-500-complaints-about-ofsted-inspectors-last-year-foi-request-reveals/

Then the Lancashire Telegraph submitted a request to find out more about complaints relating to schools in their area: https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/24127288.complaints-made-ofsted-inspections-blackburn/

clairemiller, to random
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Getting an answer - any answer - to your #FOI isn't always easy. And it might be getting harder.

Figures for both Scotland and the rest of the UK suggest few get everything they ask for.

So which stories saw success with their FOI request this week...

https://clairemiller.net/2024/02/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-16-2-2024-foifriday/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

We've covered an increased NHS staff absence due to stress, depression & anxiety, but this seems to be a widespread issue.

#FOI shows between 2018-19 and 2022-23, working days lost to mental health absences soared by 67% among police officers.

https://news.stv.tv/scotland/mental-health-absences-among-police-officers-up-67-in-four-years-figures-show

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Cops found traces of cocaine in Wrexham FC’s toilets on three occasions during their record-breaking 2022-23 season, #FOI shows.

It comes after the 2022 Boxing Day match when a fan was caught snorting powder in the toilets.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/25945891/shock-ryan-reynolds-cops-find-cocaine-wrexham-toilets/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

This one also potentially works anywhere and for different types of public bodies that run their own vehicles.

#FOI shows PSNI spent £3.7m fixing banged up vehicles since 2019.

Damage was caused by 'ramming incidents', vandalism and road crashes.

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/more-3million-spent-repairing-damaged-28617627

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

One that could be explored for different councils across the country.

#FOI shows 39,875 people with disabilities are currently waiting to be housed across Scotland.

Of those, 1,569 are disabled children under the age of 18.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24121928.abandoned-40000-disabled-scots-stuck-housing-waiting-list/

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

#FOI shows, in 2023, 706 registered sex offenders notified West Midlands Police they were changing address. This could have included some who moved more than once

Meanwhile, offenders notified officers they were intending to travel abroad on 462 occasions
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/truth-movements-sex-predators-streets-28632567

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Stay informed about 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

#FOI shows 28,379 cases of rickets and 269 cases of scurvy since 2019.

Scurvy is caused by not enough vitamin C in your diet over a long period, while rickets affects bone development in children, most commonly due to a lack of vitamin D or calcium.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/victorian-disease-warning-symptoms-rare-32109825

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

A variation on the how much did that cost question - how much was spent on the thing that didn't happen?

Plans to build two new platforms at Manchester Piccadilly were scrapped last year. An #FOI reveals the cost of developing the project was £23m.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/millions-spent-not-improving-railways-28614747

clairemiller,
@clairemiller@mstdn.social avatar

Figures are similar for UK Government departments as a whole - for July to September 2023, a similar 68% were either fully or partially withheld or just unanswered.

For 24% of #FOI requests a response is still outstanding, the highest proportion on record since figures began in 2010.

msquebanh, to britishcolumbia
@msquebanh@mastodon.sdf.org avatar

The force is the subject of new revelations after recently marred by allegations of , including tainting important investigations and potentially lying to lawyers.

Freedom Of Information () documents show that in the last decade, 14 Victoria Police officers have retired or resigned while

https://www.cheknews.ca/14-victoria-police-officers-retired-while-under-investigation-in-last-10-years-1191729

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