1. For the period 16th March – 17th July 2020 (i.e., when ICO had indicated a sympathetic approach to delay), provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt by your organisation?
165 out of 177.
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
3 out of 6.
(c) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt by your organisation?
8 out of 177.
(d) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
2 out of 6.
2. For the period 18th July – 8th October 2020 (i.e., during the ‘preparing for recovery’ phase), provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt by your organisation?
234 out of 277.
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 20 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
14 out of 16.
(c) how many responses to FOI requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt by your organisation?
41 out of 277.
(d) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued within 21 and 60 working days of receipt of the request for an internal review?
2 out of 16.
3. During the period 1st March to 30th October 2020, provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%, for these questions:
(a) how many responses to FOI requests were issued more than 60 working days after receipt of the request?
11.
(b) how many responses to FOI review requests were issued more than 60 working days after receipt of a request for an internal review?
1.
4. When FOI request or review responses were issued more than 21 working days after receipt during the period 1st March and 30th October 2020, what were the main reasons for the delay? e.g., closure of premises due to Covid-19, reallocation of resources due to Covid-19, staff shortages due to Covid-19, absence of key staff due to Covid-19, limited access to necessary systems due to Covid-19, other issue related/unrelated to Covid19.
The main reason for delay was workload. We did not categorise Covid as a reason for delay, however the issues with workload were due to staff redeployment due to COVID.
5. In relation to the FOI requests received by your organisation between 1st March and 30th October 2020, what proportion related directly to Covid-19, your organisation’s Covid-19 response or impact of the pandemic on your organisation? (Provide precise data if available e.g., 15 out of 30 requests, and if not, provide an estimate e.g., 10%)
22 out of 584.
6. On 17th July 2020 the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) launched a self-assessment Freedom of Information toolkit (FOI self-assessment toolkit | ICO) to help public authorities respond to FOI requests as they prepared to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
– Does, or has your organisation ever, use/d the toolkit? If so, please explain whether it has it had any positive outcomes.
Yes, as part of a wider successful improvement plan.
– If your organisation has not/does not make use of the toolkit, please explain why not.
Not applicable.
7. In response to Covid19, has the volume of information your organisation publishes:
– not changed
– significantly increased
– significantly decreased
– don’t know
In response to Covid 19 the volume of information published by Devon County Council has significantly increased.
8. Has your organisation taken steps to proactively publish information relating to Covid-19, your organisation’s Covid-19 response or the impact of the pandemic on your organisation? If it includes a dedicated webpage, please provide a link to the webpage.
Yes, since March 2020 Devon County Council has proactively published information on our website about COVID-19’s impact, with a dedicated page including a dashboard of statistics at Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for people and businesses in Devon. We also publish a weekly email that includes COVID-19 information. We also send COVID-19 news to staff.