Direct Dial: / (01902) 696132
26 October 2012
Dear Mr Clowsley
Subject: Freedom of Information Requests:
Further to your freedom of information requests since the 23/09/12, I can confirm we have received 18 requests and we have responded to 8 of these requests within the statutory time limit.
The below is a summary of all requests submitted:
Date received / Date we RepliedWhen a planning enforcement complaint is received by yourself and enforcement officers consider it necessary to visit and inspect a private landowners site. Is S.S.D.C legally bound to provide the outcome to the landowner who has then been investigated? / 23/09/12 / 03/10/12
Would a court order be required for this authority to monitor a residential telephone line or a mobile phone number if a covert
surveillance operation was in progress against a south-staffs resident. Have there ever been any phone line monitoring of persons phone lines covertly? / 24/09/12 / 03/10/12
If a planning enforcement officer was investigating an alleged breach of planning control within the south staffs district boundary, would they require authority to cross a neighbouring council boundary in pursuance of the person of the alleged breach? / 24/09/12 / 03/10/12
When complaints are received by the environmental health departmentagainst south staffs residents. For example noise abatement,rubbish,drains and gardens etc. Is it the legal right of the individual being accused, to be made aware of the outcome of the investigation? / 26/09/12 / 03/10/12
How many new homes will be built in the bilbrook parish in the forthcoming local plan on greenbelt. How many stateholder sites at present in the bilbrook parish. / 29/09/12 / 03/10/12
Where there is an extant planning enforcement notice in force for the demolition of a struture does that notice apply only to the footprint of that structure.? / 29/09/12
Are there any planned compulsory purchases of land in the bilbrook
parish in the forthcomming local plan.? / 29/09/12 / 03/10/12
In the forth coming local plan plan will public open space sites in
thebilbrook parish reduce , increase , or remain the same.? / 02/10/12 / 18/10/12
Is there a Local Planning Enforcement Policy in place at S.S.D.C. or is a National Policy used? / 08/10/12 / 15/10/12
With reference to the 1996 local plan ,when the greenbelt boundaries were determined on site 210,what legal documents were used if any, to establish there validity. / 11/10/12
Is it permitted to have a static caravan sited in the rear curtilage of a dwellinghouse if it is used incidental to the said building. If permitted. How many units can be sited? / 12/10/12
Would a haystack formed in greenbelt on a ssdc county parish holding require planning permission / 12/10/12
When planning enforcement officers enter private land to investigate complaints and the land-owner does not permit photographs taken on said land. Does the SSDC have legal powers to over-ride that refusal, if so what legislation permits this? / 18/10/12
Is planning permission required to have 100 breeding sows on a
county parish holding in a residential area.? / 24/10/12
Within the 27 parishes in ssdc how many public open space sites are allocated but not implemented and where are they located with site numbers.? / 24/10/12
When a planning application is received by ssdc for residential
development ,what benchmark is used to decide if the site can
acheive access. ? / 24/10/12
When there was a public open space audit commisioned last was site 210 included in this audit.? / 24/10/12
Within the 27 parishes of south southfordshire how many cph of less than 1 hectare are there which can operate as a intensive livestock holding in a residential area .? / 24/10/12
We have assessed your remaining requests and believe these to be vexatious. Section 14(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 states that we are not obliged to comply with vexatious requests. The reasons why we believe the remaining requests are vexatious are outlined below:
- You have submitted 18 requests in 24 working days which is imposing a significant burden in terms of expense and distraction to the Council.
- The request of 11th October, which asks: “With reference to the 1996 local plan, when the greenbelt boundaries were determined on site 210, what legal documents were used if any, to establish there validity”. This information has already been communicated to you on several occasions both written and verbally by the Local Plans team.
- The nature of the requests appears to be reopening issues that have been disputed several times before.
- To carry on responding to these requests would divert or distract staff from their usual work.
If you are dissatisfied with the way we have handled your request, you may request a review of our decision or make a complaint by writing to: the Chief Executive, Steve Winterflood, South Staffordshire Council, Council Offices, Wolverhampton Rd, Codsall, South Staffordshire, WV8 1PX. A copy of our complaints procedure is available on our website at
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you may refer the matter to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Please be aware that the Commissioner will be unlikely to make a decision until you have been through our internal complaints procedure first. You can write to the Commissioner at:
FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
or use the online complaints form published by the Commissioner which is available at
Yours sincerely,
David Pattison
Director of Legal and Public Health Protection