Freedom of information (FOI) releases from Herefordshire Council

This is a disclosure log of Herefordshire Council's responses to freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) requests that might be of wider public interest.

If you can't find the information you're looking for, you can make a new FOI request.

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3,069 disclosures

  1. Cross-Reactivity and False Positive Safeguards in Drug Testing

    I am writing as a follow-up to my recent Freedom of Information request regarding drug testing safeguards in substance misuse services commissioned or operated by your authority.

    Since submitting that request, I have become aware of additional published evidence regarding the known limitations of immunoassay-based drug screening — the type of point-of-care test routinely used in workplace and service settings across the UK.

    Specifically, peer-reviewed literature confirms that lawful, everyday substances can produce false positive results on these devices.

    Documented sources of cross-reactivity include poppy seeds, over-the-counter CBD products, prescribed medications (including codeine, tramadol, gabapentin, and certain antidepressants), tonic water, bananas, passive or environmental exposure to cannabis smoke, and certain antihistamines — among others.

    These are not theoretical risks. They are reproducible, documented in clinical and forensic toxicology literature, and well known to laboratory professionals.

    In light of this, I am requesting the following additional information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:

    1. Is your authority (and/or its commissioned substance misuse service

    provider) aware of the cross-reactivity risks identified above? Has any assessment been made of the likelihood of false positive results from lawful sources when using immunoassay screening?

    2. Does the applicable drug and alcohol testing policy require that all positive screening results are confirmed by a second, independent analytical method — specifically GC-MS or LC-MS/MS — before any disciplinary, safeguarding, or service-access decision is made?

    3. If confirmatory testing is not routinely carried out, on what basis are positive screening results treated as definitive?

    4. Has your authority (and/or its provider) received any complaints, grievances, or representations from individuals who attributed a positive drug test result to any of the lawful sources listed above?

    If so, how many in the last three years, and what was the outcome?

    5. What guidance, if any, has been issued to staff involved in drug testing about the possibility of false positives from lawful substances, and the appropriate steps to take before acting on a screening result?

    I would prefer to receive the information electronically where possible. If any part of this request is unclear, I am happy to clarify. I understand you are required to respond within 20 working days.

    Published: 10 July 2026

  2. Use of Obitus Systems in Council Crematoria

    Freedom of Information request: Use of Obitus systems in council crematoria

    I am making this request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

    Please provide information regarding the use of Obitus systems, services, or equipment in any council-owned, council-operated, or council-managed crematoria for which your authority is responsible.

    For each crematorium, please provide:

    1. Whether Obitus systems or services are currently used.

    2. The name/location of the crematorium.

    3. The type of Obitus service used, for example music, webcast/live-streaming, visual tributes, recording, chapel media systems, or any other related service.

    4. The date Obitus was first contracted or installed.

    5. Copies of current contracts, service agreements, schedules, or purchase orders with Obitus, with any legally exempt information redacted if necessary.

    6. The annual cost paid to Obitus for each financial year from 2019/20 to the present.

    7. Any income received by the authority from families, funeral directors, or third parties for Obitus-related services over the same period.

    8. Any policy, guidance, or procedure documents relating to the use of Obitus systems at crematoria.

    9. Any recorded complaints, incidents, service failures, or technical issues involving Obitus systems from 2019/20 to the present, including the date, crematorium, brief description, and outcome.

    10. Whether any data protection impact assessment, privacy notice, or data processing agreement exists relating to Obitus services, especially webcasting, recordings, or personal data of deceased persons, mourners, or service attendees.

    Published: 10 July 2026

  3. Call for Sites Submissions – Lower Bullingham

    Re: Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Request

    I am writing to make a formal request for information under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

    Specifically, this request relates to submissions made during the council’s recent "Call for Sites" exercise (which closed for its initial tranche on 31st January 2026) for the preparation of the new Herefordshire Local Plan.

    I require details of any land submissions, candidate sites, or expressions of interest received by the council for the parcel of land immediately west of the approved Lower Bullingham Phase 1 strategic development boundary. For geographical clarity, I have attached an OS map with the specific area of land I am concerned about highlighted within a red boundary. The land sits around Grove Farm and the agricultural fields located directly to the east/northeast of postcode HR2 7RZ, bounded by the railway line to the north and Withy Brook to the east.

    Please provide the following information:

    Submission Status: Confirmation of whether any parcel(s) of land within this specific area have been submitted to the council as part of the 2025/2026 Call for Sites exercise.

    Site Details: If a site has been submitted within this zone, please provide the unique site reference number, the proposed boundary map/polygon, and the proposed primary use (e.g., residential, employment, mixed-use).

    Developer/Landowner Identity: The name of the party, agent, or developer who submitted the site for consideration.

    Public Interest & Timing Considerations

    I am aware that the council intends to publish a comprehensive Candidate Site Register in due course. However, given the immediate proximity of this specific land to my property and the significant, material impact any potential future allocation has on near-term financial and retirement planning, there is a distinct, pressing local interest in the disclosure of this specific geographic data ahead of the full county-wide register's completion.

    If you choose to apply any exceptions under Regulation 12 (such as 12(4)(d) regarding material in the course of completion), please explicitly detail your public interest test balancing exercise, showing why early disclosure of this specific parcel's status would manifest a greater public harm than the public benefit of local transparency.

    Published: 10 July 2026

  4. Traffic Calming Proposals Submitted for Eardisley since 2015

    Description of the information required:

    1) All traffic calming proposals submitted for Eardisley since 2015.

    2) Current status of each proposal.

    3) Funding applications made.

    4) Reasons for rejection.

    5) Traffic survey data held by the council.

    6) Future highways programme entries relating to Eardisley.

    Published: 10 July 2026

  5. Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) Statistics

    I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please could you provide the following data for the financial years

    2023/24,

    2024/25,

    2025/26 (or the most recent available period):

    · Total number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued

    · Total number of PCNs paid

    · Total number of PCNs outstanding, unpaid, cancelled, or written off

    · Total income (£) received from PCNs (Revenue)

    · Total value (£) of PCNs outstanding, unpaid, cancelled, or written off

    Published: 10 July 2026

  6. Drug Testing Safeguards in Substance Misuse Services

    Freedom of Information Request — Drug Testing Safeguards in Substance Misuse Services

    I am writing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

    Please could you provide the following information:

    1. Does your local authority currently provide substance misuse and/or addiction recovery services — whether delivered in-house, commissioned from external providers, or a combination of both?

    If commissioned externally, please identify the provider(s) and the contract reference(s) where possible.

    2. Whether services are delivered in-house or by an external provider, does the applicable drug and alcohol testing policy for staff working in those services include the following safeguards:

    (a) Engagement of an independent Medical Review Officer (MRO) or equivalent qualified professional to review positive drug test results before any disciplinary action is taken;

    (b) Obtaining an independent toxicological opinion when a positive result may be attributable to legal substances (such as over-the-counter CBD products, prescription medication, or dietary sources);

    (c) Offering confirmatory re-testing or independent analysis following a disputed positive result;

    (d) Referral to Occupational Health before disciplinary proceedings are initiated on the basis of a drug test result;

    (e) Maintenance of a written drug and alcohol testing policy that meets the standards recommended by the ACAS guidance on managing drug and alcohol misuse at work?

    If commissioned externally, please confirm whether these safeguards are specified in the commissioning contract or service specification, and provide the relevant clauses where possible.

    3. Has your authority received any complaints, concerns, or whistleblowing disclosures from service users, staff, or members of the public regarding the drug testing practices of substance misuse service providers (or in-house services) in the last five years?

    If so, how many and what was the general nature of those complaints?

    4. Does your authority's contract monitoring or quality assurance process include any review of drug testing procedures or outcomes — whether delivered in-house or by a commissioned provider?

    Additionally, I wish to raise the following in connection with the above request:

    Peer-reviewed literature confirms that lawful, everyday substances can produce false positive results on immunoassay-based drug screening devices — the type of point-of-care test routinely used in workplace and service settings across the UK. Documented sources of cross-reactivity include poppy seeds, over-the-counter CBD products, prescribed medications (including codeine, tramadol, gabapentin, and certain antidepressants), tonic water, bananas, passive or environmental exposure to cannabis smoke, and certain antihistamines — among others.

    In light of this, please also provide:

    5. Is your authority (and/or its commissioned substance misuse service provider) aware of the cross-reactivity risks identified above?

    Has any assessment been made of the likelihood of false positive results from lawful sources when using immunoassay screening?

    6. Does the applicable drug and alcohol testing policy require that all positive screening results are confirmed by a second, independent analytical method — specifically GC-MS or LC-MS/MS — before any disciplinary, safeguarding, or service-access decision is made?

    7. If confirmatory testing is not routinely carried out, on what basis are positive screening results treated as definitive?

    8. Has your authority (and/or its provider) received any complaints, grievances, or representations from individuals who attributed a positive drug test result to any of the lawful sources listed above?

    If so, how many in the last three years, and what was the outcome?

    9. What guidance, if any, has been issued to staff involved in drug testing about the possibility of false positives from lawful substances, and the appropriate steps to take before acting on a screening result?

    Published: 9 July 2026

  7. Artwork Owned by Council

    As a freedom on information request, provide the following information:

    1. The number of artworks owned by your local authority as of 1 April 2026 or the most recent available date.

    2. The number of artwork owned by your local authority that is on public display as of 1 April 2026 or the most recent available date

    3. For each financial year, from 2020-21 to 2025-26, the number of artworks disposed of, split by whether it was sold, donated, destroyed or other? If possible, please list the artworks sold.

    4. For each financial year, from 2020-21 to 2025-26, list the income from artworks sold?

    5. For each financial year, from 2020-21 to 2025-26, provide the number of artworks acquired (including purchases or donations, if recorded). If possible, please list the artworks acquired.

    6. If held, the most recent estimated total value of the authority’s artwork collection (if available provide the value for insurance purposes rather than assumed value).

    7.If possible within the cost restraints of this request, please provide a list of artwork owned by the council.

    Published: 9 July 2026

  8. Current and Historic Spending on Children's Playgrounds (2006-2026)

    I would like to make an FOI request regarding current and historic spending on children's playgrounds.

    If your authority was created since 2006 please provide the figures available to you. Thank you.

    1.   Please state the name of your authority.

    2.   How many public children's playgrounds were managed and maintained by your authority in:

    a)   2006

    b)   2011

    c)   2016

    d)   2021

    e)   2026

    3) What was your (i) revenue spend and (ii) capital expenditure (or a total figure if not available) on the maintenance, or improvement or development of children's playgrounds in your local authority area:

    a)   In 2005-6

    b)   In 2010-11

    c)   In 2015-6

    d)   In 2020-21

    e)   In 2025-26

    4. Please list any town or parish councils in your area who also fund maintenance, improvement or development of children's playgrounds.

    Published: 8 July 2026

  9. Support Available to Pupils who Stammer in Schools

    I am writing on behalf of Action for Stammering Children, the UK charity for children who stammer and their families, as part of a research project exploring how state funded, mainstream primary schools in England are meeting the needs of children who stammer.

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would be grateful if you could provide responses to the attached questions regarding your local authority's role in commissioning and supporting primary-aged children who stammer attending state-funded, mainstream schools in your local authority.

    We'd like to better understand the support available to pupils who stammer in schools in England.

    I would be grateful if you would provide as much detail as possible to help us better support children who stammer. Should any of our questions be better directed elsewhere, I would be grateful if you could forward it to the relevant person.

    We would appreciate a response within the statutory 20 working day timeframe.

    1. Do you currently collect any data on the number of primary aged children who stammer within mainstream state funded primary schools in the authority area?

    - Yes

    - No

    2. If yes, please provide the most recent number of mainstream state funded primary aged pupils identified as stammering or receiving support for stammering.

    3a. How is speech and language therapy delivered in the local authority-maintained primary schools in your area? Please provide information about the speech and language therapy provision available in each local authority-maintained primary school. We specifically would like to understand whether the speech and language therapy service is delivered by the NHS, independent or other providers.

    3b. What is the amount of speech and language therapy input each state funded primary school receives in hours per week?

    4. Does the council currently fund any speech and language therapy services in maintained primary schools? If yes, please describe the commissioning arrangements

    5. Do the state funded primary schools in your authority area have access to specialist support services outside the authority area for more complex cases of stammering?

    6. Does the council issue any guidance regarding classroom adjustments or inclusive practice for pupils who stammer in state funded primary schools? If yes, please specify the guidance details (this may include encouraging classroom participation, assessment arrangements etc).

    7. What assessment has the council made of any barriers to providing support for children who stammer within local authority maintained primary schools in your area?

    8. Have state funded primary schools raised any concerns or requested additional support relating to children who stammer within the last three academic years? If yes, please provide a summary of the concerns raised.

    9. Are there any planned developments, priorities or service improvements relating to support for children who stammer within state funded primary schools in your area?

    Published: 8 July 2026

  10. SEND Provision Data/EHC Plans for the Last 5 Academic Years

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following information relating to children and young people with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.

    Please provide the data in spreadsheet format where possible.

    If any part of this request exceeds the cost limit, please advise how the scope may be refined.

    For the purposes of this request:

    - Academic years run 1 September to 31 August

    - "2020/21" means 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021 (and so on for subsequent years)

    - Where "the most recent available date" is asked for, please use the latest date for which data is held

    - Where data is not held in the exact format requested, please provide the closest equivalent with a note explaining what has been provided

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    REQUEST

    Q1. For each of the last 5 academic years (2020/21 to 2024/25), please provide the number of:

    (a) EHC needs assessment requests received

    (b) EHC plans issued following assessment

    (c) EHC plans issued within the 20-week statutory timescale (including any permissible extensions)

    (d) EHC needs assessment requests refused If held, please also provide the longest number of weeks taken to issue an EHCP in each year.

    Q2. For each of the last 5 academic years, please provide:

    (a) Number of SENDIST tribunal appeals registered against the authority

    (b) Number proceeding to a full hearing

    (c) Number resolved before hearing

    (d) Number decided in favour of the parent/carer

    Q3. As of the most recent available date, please provide:

    (a) Number of full-time equivalent Educational Psychologists employed by the authority

    (b) Number of vacant Educational Psychologist posts

    Q4. If recorded, what is the current average waiting time (in weeks) for an Educational Psychologist assessment? Please specify how the waiting time is measured.

    Q5. As of the most recent available date, how many children with an EHCP are awaiting a specialist school placement arranged by the authority? Of these, how many have been waiting more than 6 months?

    Q6. As of the most recent available date:

    (a) Number of overdue EHCP annual reviews

    (b) Longest overdue annual review (in months)

    Q7. For each of the last 5 academic years, how many children with an EHCP were placed in alternative provision? If recorded, please provide the number where this placement was due to a lack of suitable school place.

    Q8. For each of the last 5 academic years, what was the total spend on SEND home-to-school transport (including any contracted provision)?

    Q9. For each of the last 5 academic years, please provide:

    (a) High Needs Block DSG allocation

    (b) Actual High Needs Block spend

    (c) Resulting surplus or deficit

    Q10. For each of the last 5 academic years, how many fixed-term exclusions were issued to pupils with an EHCP?

    Q11. For each of the last 5 academic years, please provide:

    (a) Number of SEND-related complaints received

    (b) Number escalated to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

    (c) Number upheld or partially upheld by the Ombudsman

    Published: 8 July 2026