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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2,723 disclosures

  1. Play Area next to The Child Development Centre,Ross Road, HR2 7RL

    Play Area next to The Child Development Centre, Ross Road, HR2 7RL

    Please could you let me know what the Planning Use Class for this play area is?

    It was previously F2 - Local Community Use. Has the class use changed, and if so when did it change and through what mechanism?

    I have submitted a previous freedom information request about this, however I have learnt that the response to that request was inaccurate.

    I was previously informed that A Certificate of Lawful Development for allotments changed the class use to 'agricultural'.

    However I have been informed that this is not correct. Is the planning use class still F2 - Local Community use?

    Published: 8 December 2025

  2. Use of bird netting on council buildings in the past 5 years

    I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the use of bird deterrent netting on buildings owned, managed, or maintained by the council.

    Please provide the information in an electronic format (such as an Excel spreadsheet, Word document, or PDF).

    Please provide the following information covering the past five years (from 2019 to 2024), or for as many years within that period as records are available:


    1. Number of Buildings

    a) The number of council-owned or managed buildings where bird netting is installed (please include current and, if known, past installations within the five-year period).


    2. Bird Deaths and Entanglements

    a) The number of dead birds found in bird netting each year.

    b) The number of birds found trapped or entangled in bird netting each year, broken down by species if recorded.
    c) Of those found trapped, how many were found dead and how many were rescued alive.
    d) For any birds found alive, please state what happened to them (e.g., released on site, taken to a vet, taken to a wildlife rescue, handed to a pest control contractor, or culled).


    3. Monitoring and Maintenance

    a) How often the bird netting is inspected.
    b) How often the netting is repaired or replaced.
    c) How many reports the council receives each year of trapped birds in its netting.
    d) How often the council checks that bird netting is not causing harm to birds and that it remains in good repair.


    4. Rationale and Alternatives

    a) The reasons the council uses bird netting on its buildings.
    b) Whether alternatives to bird netting were considered before installation (and if so, what alternatives were assessed).


    5. Financial Information

    a) The total amount spent by the council on bird netting installation, maintenance, and repair for each of the past five years.

    Published: 8 December 2025

  3. Trading Standards Investigations into Estate Agency businesses

    Would you please supply the following information under the Freedom of Information Act.

    1. The number of estate agency company details who had been expelled by either property redress scheme, that were passed to you by NTSELAT for checks to be carried out to ensure they were not continuing to trade after expulsion, in the past 6 years.

    2. The number of trading standards investigations carried out in relation to estate agency businesses (over and above point 1 above) in the past 6 years.

    With the data please expand using the following criteria for the above: What was the exact nature of those investigations and any outcome on a case-by-case basis and who were the alleged offending agents involved in those cases please use the following format taking note of the example below. Example 1 Date: xx/xxxx Company: ABC Agents Expelled agent investigation: Yes/No (Please indicate which is relevant) Offence/s: Breach of section xx of xxxx Act /Reg xxxx Nature of Offence: Misleading action/Omission/Money Laundering/Failure to Register for Redress Scheme: Action Taken: Warning Issued/Court Proceedings Taken (Outcome)/ Referred to Police/SFO/CMA/ Or Relevant comment The information can be provided in either Microsoft Word or Excel format.

    Published: 8 December 2025

  4. Hedge cutting & Maintenance for play parks

    1) I would like to know the exact amount of money Herefordshire Council spent in the last financial year on Running, maintaining, grass/hedge cutting and purchasing new equipment for childrens play parks in the county. If possible i would like a breakdown of what they spent on each park rather than a whole but appreciate this might not be possible. If i could also know how many parks the Council are responsible for as well please.

    2) I would also like to know if Charities are able to apply for S106 funds or is it only Council funded places. If you arent able to answer this are you able to point me in the direction of who i need to speak to.

    Published: 8 December 2025

  5. Medical agency spend breakdown for 2024/25 (until 31/10/25)

    I am writing to request a detailed breakdown of Medical Agency spend for the following periods:

    •       1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025
    •       1st April 2025 – 31st October 2025

    Please provide the data in Excel format, including the following details for each month:

    •       By grade, specialty, and sub-specialty
    •       For each hospital
    •       Split by framework and non-framework agencies

     

    Published: 4 December 2025

  6. Residential Treatment for Drugs and or Alcohol

    Under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to request the following information please:

    1. The budget for residential treatment rehab/treatment (excluding detox) for drug and or alcohol use for the years 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.

    2. The actual spend for residential treatment rehab/treatment (excluding detox) for drug and or alcohol use for the years 2022-2023, 2023-2024.

    3. Does the commissioner retain the control of the budget for Residential Rehab treatment, or do they pass this control to the community provider? I would be grateful if your response could be sent directly to me. Should any further clarity on the questions above be required please do not hesitate to contact me.

    Published: 4 December 2025

  7. Social Worker Workforce

    I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information regarding Herefordshire Council’s social worker workforce. Specifically, I would like to request the following information for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024:

    1. The number of social workers who left the council in 2024, broken down by children's and adult's services. In terms of what type of social worker, I'm referring to "just people in social worker roles", please

    2. The number of social workers who joined the council in 2024, also broken down by children's and adult's services. I would like it to include agency workers as well as direct employees, please

    3. The average time it took to fill a social worker vacancy measured from the date the role was advertised to the date the vacancy was filled.

    UPDATE: I would like information for any role that has the responsibilities of a Social Worker, please. I would like to receive this information in Excel format, please. I look forward to hearing from you within 20 working days. If you need any clarification please contact me.

    Published: 1 December 2025

  8. IR35

    I am submitting this request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This request relates to suppliers contracted by the Council to provide passenger transport services, including (but not limited to) SEN transport, school transport, adult social care transport, community transport, and any contracted taxi/minibus services. Please provide the following information:

    1. IR35 Compliance Requirements

    a) Does the Council require passenger transport suppliers to demonstrate IR35 compliance during tendering or contract award?

    b) If yes, please provide copies of any policies, guidance, standard contract terms, or supplier instructions relating to IR35 compliance.

    2. Monitoring and Audit

    a) Does the Council carry out checks or audits to ensure that passenger transport suppliers are employing staff in compliance with IR35 legislation (i.e., that workers who should be classed as employees are not operating via personal invoices or self-employed arrangements)?

    b) If such monitoring exists, please outline the process and frequency.

    3. Concerns or Reports

    a) Since 2018, has the Council received any concerns, complaints, whistleblowing reports, or alerts regarding passenger transport suppliers using staff who fall within IR35 but are not employed under PAYE?

    b) If so, please provide: - The number of such reports, - A summary of the nature of concerns (no personal data required), - Whether any investigations took place and, if so, their outcomes.

    4. Legal Position on Worker Status in Passenger Transport Please confirm the Council's current operational stance on:

    a) The use of self-employed Passenger Assistants who provide support to children or vulnerable adults while on transport,

    b) Whether suppliers are expected to employ such workers directly under PAYE to meet safeguarding, liability, and regulatory requirements.

    5. Council Stance and Internal Understanding of IR35 Please provide any recorded information that outlines the Council's stance or operational understanding of IR35 compliance in relation to contracted suppliers. This should include, where held:

    a) Internal staff guidance, briefing notes, presentations, training documents, or policy statements regarding IR35.

    b) Instructions, evaluation guidance, or procurement criteria issued to Procurement or Passenger Transport staff regarding IR35.

    c) Any written communications issued to transport suppliers referencing IR35 obligations or worker classification expectations.

    6. Legal Duty to Assess Employment Status in the Supply Chain Under the Public Sector IR35 Off-Payroll Working Rules (April 2017), public authorities are required to assess employment status for tax purposes where services are supplied through intermediaries.

    Please provide:

    a) Any recorded information acknowledging or referencing this legal duty, including internal guidance, procurement instructions, policy documents, training materials, or briefing notes.

    b) Any internal communications or memos identifying which department(s) or roles are responsible for ensuring IR35 compliance among passenger transport suppliers.

    c) Any risk assessments, internal reviews, or compliance reports relating to this duty since April 2017.

    I am not requesting personal data or legally privileged advice. I request only recorded operational information, as permitted under FOIA. If any part of this request may exceed the cost limit, please advise so I may refine the scope. I look forward to your response within 20 working days, as required.

    Published: 1 December 2025

  9. Waiting times for care packages for each of the past five years (2020-2025).

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request copies of the following:

    Waiting times for care packages:

    1) The average waiting time for eligible individuals to receive a care package following their assessment, for each of the past five years (2020-2025).

    If available, please include the longest and shortest waiting times recorded each year.

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    CLARIFICATION:

    •         What do you mean by eligible individuals?

    -By eligible individuals, I mean people who have been assessed by the local authority (or Trust, if applicable) and determined to have eligible care and support needs under the Care Act 2014 (for adults) or under the Children Act 1989 (for children’s social care, if relevant).
So, I’m referring to service users who have completed an assessment and been approved to receive a care package funded or arranged by the authority — not those awaiting assessment or deemed ineligible.

    •         What care package are you referring to?

    -By care package, I mean any formal arrangement of care and support services put in place following an eligibility assessment.
This includes, for example:

    * Homecare/domiciliary support

    * Residential or nursing care placements

    * Supported living arrangements

    * Day services or other commissioned care services.

    -If it’s difficult to provide data for all types, please prioritise homecare and residential/nursing care packages.

    •         Do you require data by Financial Year or Calendar year?

    -Calendar year

    •         What do you mean by waiting time?

    -By waiting time, I mean the time elapsed between the date an individual’s assessment determined them eligible for support and the date their care package actually started (i.e., services began being delivered).
If that data isn’t recorded precisely, please use the closest equivalent measure your system tracks (e.g., date of approval vs. first care provision).

    Published: 1 December 2025

  10. Special Educational Needs HNPCA Grant 2025-26

    Please provide me with copies of the completed assurance data return template files that your council sent to the Department for Education under the conditions of the 2025-26 HNPCA grant. If possible, please provide a copy of the completed Excel template file (.xlsx) rather than a pdf file. Please also redact any commercial sensitive data.

    Published: 28 November 2025