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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2,802 disclosures

  1. Use of AI

    I am submitting an FOI request seeking to understand how public bodies are exploring or applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support service delivery. These questions are intended to gather insights into current practice, governance, and future planning. They should not be interpreted as critical; we are simply researching how public services are approaching emerging technologies. Please provide answers to the following:

    AI Use in Operations

    1. Does your organisation currently use any form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or automated systems in its operations?

    2. If yes, please list the tools or systems in use and provide a brief description of their purpose (e.g., administrative support, triage, analytics, chatbot services, etc.).

    3. If not, please state whether your organisation has explored or piloted any AI-based technologies in the past 3 years. .

    AI for Decision-Making

    4. Does your organisation use AI or algorithmic systems to support or inform decision-making in any area (e.g., resource allocation, risk assessments, case prioritisation)?

    5. If yes, please describe the type of decision-making supported and the nature of the AI’s role (e.g., advisory, automated assessment, automated decision).

    6. Please also confirm whether human oversight is applied.

    7. Does your organisation currently use chatbots or virtual assistants—AI-driven or rules-based—to support public enquiries or internal staff functions?

    8. If yes, please specify their purpose, whether they are AI-based, and when they were implemented. Policies and Governance

    9. Does your organisation have any formal policy, strategy, or guidance relating to the use of Artificial Intelligence or automated decision-making?

    10. If yes, please supply a copy or provide a link.

    11. If not, please indicate whether such a policy is in development. Data Protection and Ethics

    12. If AI systems are used, what measures or frameworks does your organisation have in place to ensure: Compliance with data protection and privacy obligations Transparency for service users Ethical or responsible use (For example, DPIAs, algorithmic impact assessments, ethical guidelines—if applicable.) Trials, Pilots, or Future Plans

    13. Has your organisation run any pilots, trials, or exploratory projects involving AI in the last 3 years, or does it plan to do so in the next 12–24 months?

    14. If yes, please provide brief details of the purpose, timeline, and status of these initiatives. Staff Training and Awareness

    15. Does your organisation provide any training, guidance, or internal communications to staff relating to AI, its use, or its implications?

    16. If yes, please describe the type of training or include documents if available. If any of the above information is already publicly accessible, please feel free to provide links instead of attachments.

    Published: 3 February 2026

  2. Yearly cost of the community connection programme

    Please provide the cost to tax=payers of the community connection programme offered by this council. Please the yearly cost from tax year 2025-2026

    Published: 2 February 2026

  3. Council tax credits

    Under the Freedom of Information Act of 2000, could you please provide me with the most up-to-date list of all incorporated companies within the authorities billing area that have a council tax credit against their account.

    Please note, I am not requesting business rates data but council tax accounts held by companies such as charities e.g housing associations and property developers etc. Could you please including the following data in the response:

    (A) The company name to which the account in credit relates to.

    (B). The value of overpayment.

    (C). The years(s) the overpayment relates to.

    (D) The property address the credit relates to.

    (E) Whether the account is a live/open account or a closed account.

    (F)The date that the data was generated. Please can you provide the most up to date data held.

    Published: 2 February 2026

  4. Roundabouts Vandalism

    For the period 1 July 2025 to 30 November 2025, please provide a single total for the period for each of the following:

    1. The total recorded spend incurred by the Council for repainting roundabouts as reactive works in response to unauthorised markings/flags/graffiti/vandalism (e.g. “flag”, “St George’s Cross”, “England flag”, “Union Jack”, “Union flag”, “painted flag”, “vandalism”, “graffiti”, “illegal signage” etc) – i.e. not routine/planned maintenance.

    2. The number of jobs/incidents in the same period where roundabouts were repainted for the reactive reason above. If – and only if – you do not explicitly record flags/graffiti/vandalism on roundabouts:

    3. Please provide items (1)–(2) for all reactive (non-routine) roundabout repainting in the period, and confirm that a more specific split is not held.

    4. If held, please include the relevant job/incident codes (and brief code descriptions) that map to reactive roundabout repainting so I can standardise across councils. Where a discrete “roundabout” category is not held, please identify cases recorded under road markings/white lining/traffic signs & lines where free-text notes or codes indicate both a roundabout (e.g. “roundabout”, “RB”, “circulatory”, “island”) and a reactive trigger such as those listed above (case-insensitive; close variants acceptable).

    If the filter above is not feasible, please provide the best available totals for reactive roundabout repainting in the period and, if held, the relevant job/incident codes used for graffiti/vandalism/illegal signage so I can categorise.

    Published: 2 February 2026

  5. Housing benefits data

    Please could you supply the following information requested under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000:

    1. The policy or procedure for checking the legitimacy of service charges where a resident is claiming benefits to cover them.

    2. The number of housing benefit or universal credit claimants whose service charges are paid directly to their landlord, including where this is a single payment incorporating rents plus service charges.

    3. The proportion of the above whose landlords are housing associations, if recorded.

    Published: 2 February 2026

  6. Potholes from Hereford Lane to The Buzzards

    HR6 9QE - Hole Lane - Potholes in the length of lane from Hereford Lane to The Buzzards I understand from Balfour Beatty that their steward has again inspected this lane and unlike in the past, has not allocated repair work. I was informed that the matter has been referred to the Asset Management Team for resurfacing to take place. When will this resurfacing work take place, please?

    Published: 30 January 2026

  7. Children Assessments

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following information in relation to children’s social care assessments held by Herefordshire County Council:

    1. The total number of social work assessments awaiting completion as at the most recent reporting date.

    2. Of these, how many were: a) unallocated to a social worker b) allocated but not completed

    3. The number of assessments outstanding beyond statutory timescales at that date.

    4. If available, a breakdown of the above figures by service area or team.

    5. Monthly backlog figures for the previous 12 months (or the longest period readily available). Please provide the information in an anonymised, aggregate format. UPDATE: I am referring to the overdue assessments at the end of each month.

    Published: 30 January 2026

  8. Traffic lights

    I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information:

    · How many traffic lights are there in your local authority as of 9th January 2026?

    · How many of these traffic lights have fixed traffic light cameras (also known as red

    · light cameras) as of 9th January 2026?

    · How many cases of cars going through red lights were recorded by the cameras on the traffic · lights in your local authority in each calendar year for the following years: 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025

    · The location of the traffic light in your local authority which recorded the most cases · of cars going through red lights in 2025, as well as the total number of cases at this location. · Please provide your answers in CSV format.

    Published: 30 January 2026

  9. Web-based community information

    1. Do you have a web-based community information, advice and guidance website for adult social care?

    2. Do you have a social care community directory of services?

    3. If yes to both or either of the above

    a) Is this developed in-house or by an external provider?

    b) If an external provider, please provide the name of the supplier?

    c) If an external provider, please provide the renewal date for the contract.

    d) What is the annual support cost for your IAG/Directory?

    4. Are there any plans to review provision in the next 12 months?

    5. Are the council considering an all-age portal that includes ASC, SEND/local offer and FIS?

    6. Please provide the name(s), email(s), and telephone number(s) of the individual responsible for the IAG/directory within your organisation Children/Young People

    1. Please provide the name(s), email(s), and telephone number(s) of the individual(s) responsible for the FIS / SEND Local Offer websites within your organisation?

    2. Are your Local Offer pages/FIS site developed in-house or externally? a. If an external provider is used.:

    a. which providers currently provide your Family Information Services directories and/or SEND Local Offer site?

    b. please confirm the value of the FIS contract and/or Local Offer site detailing implementation cost and ongoing if possible

    c. when is the contract(s) due for renewal

    3. If delivered internally, are there any plans for this to be developed by an external supplier?

    Published: 30 January 2026

  10. Scrap Metal Dealer Licensing 2025/26

    I would like to make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request for the following data for Herefordshire Council:

    1) How many scrap metal dealer sites currently have a site licence in your area/council/authority?

    2) How many scrap metal collectors (mobile) currently have a licence in your area/council/authority?

    3) When did you last share these data with the Environment Agency to enable them to add them to the Register?

    4) How much were your licences (site and collector each) in 2025?

    5) How much do you intend to charge (respectively) in 2026?

    6) How many visits to scrap metal sites have your officers undertaken in 2025?

    Published: 30 January 2026