FOI request (FOIR-240425982)

Cost of hotel / B&B accommodation for homeless people

Requested Thu 20 August 2020
Responded Fri 25 September 2020

For the financial years 2019-20 and 2020-21 to date:

1. How much money has the council spent in total on hotel / Bead and Breakfast accommodation for homeless people?

2. If time permits, I would be grateful for a breakdown of spending:

a. The name and address of hotel(s) used

b. The number of rooms purchased

c. The number of nights purchased

d. Any other fees / or costs incurred (e.g. food, drink, insurance etc.)

Response

1. The council's spend on emergency accommodation is reported in the budget at https://www.hastings.gov.uk/my-council/transparency/budgets

2. We do not hold a breakdown of the spend per provider etc. However can provide the following information for temporary/emergency accommodation (also includes self contained flats and houses):

a. The name and address of hotel(s) used

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information in relation to the name and address of hotels used is exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the FOIA 2000 - Health and Safety.

S38 allows public authorities to decline a request for information if it will endanger the safety of any individual.

Under S38 we are not obliged to confirm or deny if we hold the information you have requested.

S38 is also subject to public interest test where public authorities have to consider if disclosing information is outweighed in cases where the health and safety of an individual or a group of individuals is put at risk.

We have identified the following public interest factors that may be seen as encouraging the disclosure of information:

i. Transparency and accountability

We consider these factors to be generally of limited or no relevance in relation to the information in question.

Public interest factors seen as encouraging non-disclosure are, generally, the exemptions themselves.

In consideration of this matter we came to the following conclusions:

i. The safety of any individual

ii. Information, which if disclosed, could predictably be used to or would otherwise harm the safety of an individual or a group of individuals.

iii. The safety of these individuals is paramount

In weighing the factors for and against disclosure we have concluded that the likely benefit to the applicant and the wider public of disclosure is outweighed by the likely prejudice caused by such disclosure and that therefore the public interest is better served by non-disclosure.

b. number of bedrooms purchased:

2019/20 = 3599

1st April 2020 to end of July 20 = 1653

c. number of nights purchased:

2019/20 = 61565

1st April 2020 to end of July 20 = 28650

d. Food and drink is not provided.