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This is an information request regarding benefit take-up services and income maximisation for PIP, ERA and LCWRA Please include the following information for the following years 2025/26, 2024/25, 2023/24 and 2022/23 1) Total amount paid each year to third-party providers of benefit take up, benefit entitlement analytics, low income data tracking or income maximisation services. a. This includes, but is not limited to: Policy in Practice (including the Low Income Family Tracker / "LIFT" dashboard and the Better Off Calculator), Entitledto, IncomeMax, Inbest, Lightning Reach, and Turn2us calculator licensing. 2) For each provider please provide. a) The name of the provider and the product b) The start date of the contract and the end date 3) Specify which providers provide services for PIP, ERA and LCWRA. 4) Provide the council's most recent recorded figures for additional benefit income secured for residents claiming PIP, ERA and LCWRA. (Sometimes recorded as "financial gains", "income generated", "income maximised" or "additional benefits secured") 5) Total number of households that secured additional benefit income for residents each year. b) How many additional households did the additional benefit income for PIP, ERA and LCWRA secured go to? a) If possible, provide a breakdown of households based on which benefit they received after the third party benefit take up 6) Does the council fund a welfare rights, benefits advice or income-maximisation service? (in-house or commissioned, including grants to Citizens Advice or other advice agencies) 3. If yes, please provide * the current number of full-time-equivalent staff * The council's expenditure on the service 7) The total number of residents contacted by letter, text, phone or door knocking in proactive benefit take-up campaigns. Meaning the council initiated contact by or on behalf of the council with residents identified as potentially eligible for benefits they were not claiming 1. 2. 3. Please provide council estimates if the exact number is not recorded 3. Provide the benefits that residents were targeted to sign up to 8) Total number of social security appeals (including mandatory reconsiderations and First-tier Tribunal cases) in which the council's welfare rights service, or a council-funded service, provided casework or representation in each financial year, 3. Provide the number of successful and rejected cases 9) A copy of the most recent annual report or performance report of the welfare rights/income-maximisation service, if one exists. If this is not possible to provide the information requested due to the information exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in Section 12, please provide advice and assistance, under the Section 16 obligations of the Act, as to how I can refine my request.
Published: 15 September 2026
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I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please could you inform me: 1. Whether the council has received any formal requests or applications from council tenants to be rehoused or transferred due to alleged paranormal activities, ghosts, hauntings, or unexplained supernatural occurrences in their properties. 2. If any such requests have been received, please state the total number of requests logged over the last 10 financial years (or from the earliest date records are available). 3. For any requests identified, what specific policy, procedure, or actions the council took to investigate or address the tenants' concerns and rehousing applications. If it helps to narrow down the search, aggregate or statistical data without any personal or identifying tenant details will suffice.
Published: 15 September 2026
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I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The number of sites within your authority's area that have been formally determined as "contaminated land" under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, from 1 January 2017 to the date of this request, broken down year by year. If your authority has made zero such determinations since 2017, please confirm this rather than treating it as "information not held.".
Published: 15 September 2026
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Please provide copies of all documents, statements, webpages, press releases or other substantive content concerning Northbrook House and Windale House that were previously published on the Oxford City Council website but are no longer publicly available. This includes content that has been removed, unpublished, withdrawn, archived or otherwise made inaccessible, including where the original URL remains active but the content has been removed. One example is the webpage "Statement on Northbrook House and Windale House", formerly available at: https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/1636/statement-on-northbrook-house-and-windale-house For each item, please provide: 1. A copy of the content; 2. Its original publication date; 3. The date it was removed or made unavailable; and 4. Any recorded reason for its removal. Please also provide copies of all recorded correspondence and communications concerning the decision to remove, withdraw or otherwise make unavailable Council website content relating to Northbrook House and Windale House, including emails, internal communications, instructions and decision records. If any information is exempt from disclosure, please provide the remainder and identify the exemption relied upon. The time frame to consider is the past two years.
Published: 15 September 2026
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Please can I request the following information in regards the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). 1. Are agricultural buildings exempt from CIL in your area? 2. How many new agricultural buildings have you charged since introducing CIL? Please break this down by year. 3. What has been the chargeable rate of CIL for those agricultural buildings? Please break down the amount you have collected by year. 4. How many (if any) appeals, relief or exemptions have been sought on those agricultural buildings that have been subject to CIL? How many appeals have been successful? Please break down by year. If required, the definition of agriculture in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is: “agriculture” includes horticulture, fruit growing, seed growing, dairy farming, the breeding and keeping of livestock (including any creature kept for the production of food, wool, skins or fur, or for the purpose of its use in the farming of land), the use of land as grazing land, meadow land, osier land, market gardens and nursery grounds, and the use of land for woodlands where that use is ancillary to the farming of land for other agricultural purposes, and “agricultural” shall be construed accordingly.
Published: 15 September 2026
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I am conducting research into how cleaning services are structured and managed across UK local authorities, with the aim of building a broader understanding of the different operating models used across the sector. Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would be grateful if you could provide the following information in relation to cleaning services delivered or managed by yourselves: - Approximately how many council-owned, council-operated or otherwise supported sites are currently covered by your cleaning service? - Which department, directorate or team is responsible for the management of these cleaning services? - What is the job title or role of the person with overall responsibility for cleaning operations across these sites? - Please provide a general contact email address for the relevant department or team, where this information is held. - Are cleaning services predominantly delivered by: an in-house council team, an external contractor, individual sites, or a combination of these approaches? If cleaning services are outsourced in whole or in part, please confirm the name of the current service provider or providers. If any of the information requested is already publicly available, I would be grateful if you could direct me to the relevant source.
Published: 14 September 2026
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Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide a full extract of the council's current register of licensed houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), covering licences granted under mandatory licensing and under any additional or selective licensing scheme in force. For each licensed property, please include: (1) the full property address, including postcode; (2) the licence start date and expiry date; (3) the maximum number of permitted occupants and, where recorded, the number of permitted households; (4) the licence type (mandatory or additional), where recorded; (5) the number of storeys and/or lettable rooms, where this is held on the register; and (6) the name of the licence holder as it appears on the public register (if you consider this element exempt, please withhold it and supply the remainder of the information). Most of this information forms part of the public register that licensing authorities are required to maintain under section 232 of the Housing Act 2004, so I anticipate it can be provided without engaging any exemption. If any individual element does engage an exemption, please treat each element severably and provide the remaining information.
Published: 14 September 2026
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Dear Oxford City Council, I am writing on behalf of FOUR PAWS UK to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. FOUR PAWS UK is undertaking further research into how local authorities are implementing and enforcing the licensing of dog breeders. This research builds on our previous Freedom of Information exercise and seeks to improve understanding of licensing activity, inspections and enforcement practices across local authorities. Please provide the following information for dog breeding licensing only. Unless otherwise stated, please provide information for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Where requested, please provide a snapshot as at 31 March 2026. Where your authority does not hold a particular figure, please state "not held" rather than leaving the response blank. Where figures are estimates, please identify them as estimates. Where categories overlap, please explain this in your response. Please send your response to UKCampaigns@four-paws.org.uk. 1. In which team or department does responsibility for animal activity licensing sit? For example: Environmental Health, Licensing, Legal, Trading Standards, Animal Health, or another team. 2. How many active dog breeding licences did your authority have as at 31 March 2026? If your authority records the number of licensed dog breeders separately from the number of active licences, please also provide that figure. 3. Of the active dog breeding licences as at 31 March 2026, how many were issued for: a) One year b) Two years c) Three years 4. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many new dog breeding licence applications were: a) Received b) Approved c) Refused d) Withdrawn 5. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many dog breeding licence renewal applications were: a) Received b) Approved c) Refused d) Withdrawn 6. For any refused new or renewal applications, please provide the reason for refusal. 7. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many inspections were carried out in relation to: a) New dog breeding licence applications b) Dog breeding licence renewal applications c) Interim, additional, unannounced or compliance inspections outside the grant/renewal process 8. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports did your authority receive relating to dog breeding? 9. Of these complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports, how many related to: a) Alleged or suspected unlicensed dog breeding b) Complaints or allegations about licensed dog breeders c) Other dog breeding-related concerns (for example, noise, sickness in puppy) 10. How many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports resulted in a physical visit or inspection to a site or premises? Please split, where held, between: a) Licensed dog breeders b) Alleged or suspected unlicensed dog breeders 11. How many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports were investigated but did not result in a physical visit or inspection? 12. Where complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports were investigated without a physical visit, please briefly describe the main method or methods used. For example: desktop review, online advert checks, telephone/email contact, review of licensing records, or liaison with another agency. 13. Of the complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports received, how many were recorded as: a) Founded/substantiated b) Unfounded/unsubstantiated c) No further action d) Still under investigation at 31 March 2026 14. How many alleged or suspected unlicensed breeders investigated during the period subsequently applied for a dog breeding licence? 15. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many enforcement actions were taken in relation to dog breeding following complaints, allegations, visits, inspections, grant applications or renewal applications? Please provide numbers for: a) Written warnings b) Improvement Notices c) Fixed Penalty Notices d) Licence variations e) Licence suspensions f) Licence revocations g) Prosecutions commenced h) Referrals/reports to the RSPCA, SSPCA, USPCA or another enforcement body 16. How many prosecutions relating to dog breeding were undertaken or concluded during the period, and which team recorded or led those prosecutions? For example: Licensing, Legal, Trading Standards, Environmental Health, Animal Health, or another team. 17. For each concluded prosecution, please provide, where held: a) Whether the case related to a licensed or unlicensed breeder b) Offence type c) Outcome d) Fine e) Costs awarded f) Disqualification order g) Proceeds of Crime Act/confiscation order, if applicable 18. Does your authority undertake any online proactive monitoring of puppy adverts, dog breeding adverts or social media sales activity as part of dog breeding licensing or enforcement work? If yes, please state which platforms or sources are monitored, where held. 19. How many full-time equivalent staff are involved in animal activity licensing work, and what are the job titles of officers undertaking dog breeding inspections, visits or complaint investigations? Please also state whether your authority has a dedicated animal welfare, animal health, animal licensing or equivalent officer post responsible for animal licensing and welfare work. 20. For each officer undertaking dog breeding inspections, visits or complaint investigations, please provide: a) The name of any OFQUAL-approved or other formal animal licensing training course completed b) The course provider c) A brief description of the practical element of the course, where held.
Published: 13 September 2026
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Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would be grateful if you could provide the following information relating to any and all crematoria owned, operated, or managed by the Authority. 1. Cremation Volumes Please provide: * Total number of cremations undertaken during each of the last five financial years (or calendar years if more readily available) * Current annual cremation capacity (if known) 2. Cremation Equipment For each cremator currently in operation, please provide: * Manufacturer and model (if available) * Year installed or commissioned * Fuel type: Natural Gas, Electric, Hybrid (Gas/Electric), Other (please specify) * Whether the cremator is fitted with mercury abatement equipment * Current operational status (active, standby, decommissioned, replacement planned, etc.) 3. Capital Investment and Asset Replacement Plans Please provide details of: * Any approved capital expenditure projects relating to the crematorium within the next five years * Any planned replacement or refurbishment of cremators * Any feasibility studies, business cases, or options appraisals undertaken relating to: Electric cremators, Hybrid cremators, Decarbonisation initiatives, Energy efficiency upgrades Where available, please provide the anticipated project value and expected delivery timescales 4. Procurement and Delivery Route Please provide details of: * The anticipated procurement route for any planned crematorium upgrades or replacement projects, including whether these are expected to be procured through: Open tender, Framework agreement such as RE:FIT 5, Direct award, Existing term contract, Other route (please specify) 5. Responsible Department Please identify: * The department responsible for crematorium operations * The department responsible for capital investment and procurement decisions relating to crematorium infrastructure If any part of this request is considered exempt from disclosure, please provide the remaining information and specify the exemption(s) relied upon. I would prefer the information to be supplied electronically in Excel format where available. Thank you for your assistance.
Published: 11 September 2026
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I am making a Freedom of Information request concerning 528 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 8EG. Please could you search your records for the full enforcement history relating to this property and provide details of ANY formal enforcement action taken in relation to the property, regardless of the name of the owner, landlord, managing agent or person responsible. In particular, I would like to know whether there has ever been: • An investigation concerning the property being operated as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO); • An investigation concerning an unlicensed HMO; • An HMO licence application, refusal, revocation or cancellation; • An improvement notice; • A prohibition notice; • A management order; • A civil penalty/financial penalty; • A caution; • A prosecution; • A conviction; • Proceedings before the Magistrates' Court or Crown Court; • Any planning enforcement action relating to use of the property as an HMO; • Any other formal enforcement action concerning the use or occupation of the property. Please search the records using the property address: 528 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 8EG Please also search, where held on your records, for the following names/entities in connection with this address: Inka Oshodi Oxford Apartments Ltd Ivenso Investments Ltd Five Mile View Guest House I am particularly interested in whether ANY person or company was prosecuted or otherwise formally penalised in connection with the operation or management of an HMO at this property, irrespective of who the prosecution/enforcement action was against. If there was a prosecution, please provide, where this information can lawfully be disclosed: • The name of the person/company prosecuted; • The offence(s) involved; • The date of the prosecution; • The court; • The outcome/conviction; • The fine or other penalty imposed; • The relevant enforcement/prosecution reference number; and • Copies or links to any publicly disclosable prosecution or enforcement documents. If there was enforcement action but no prosecution, please provide the type of action, date and outcome. If any part of this information is exempt from disclosure because it constitutes personal data, please provide the remaining information that can be disclosed, including anonymised information about the enforcement action and whether a prosecution/penalty took place. I would also be grateful if you could advise me which Council department holds the relevant historical HMO enforcement/prosecution records if the information is not held by the FOI team.
Published: 10 September 2026
