FOI request (FOIR-402749895)

Temporary Accommodation - Nightly Rates

Requested Mon 21 February 2022
Responded  Tue 08 March 2022

1. How many properties do you currently have on Temporary Accommodation?

2. Please can you advise us on the maximum that is paid per night for a Studio, 1 Bed, 2 Bed, 3 Bed and 4 Bed?

3. Who are your largest 5 suppliers and how much do you pay them on average every month and provide the last 3 month they have invoiced you for?

4. If we were to supply accommodation on this basis, please can you give us contact names and telephone numbers of the procurement team?

Response

Q1. We currently have 417 households in Temporary Accommodation. Properties are sourced as and when needed on a nightly basis.

Q2. Accommodation is sourced as and when required on a nightly basis, cost will vary depending on the type of property and number of bedrooms, and so on. Average costs are published on our website at:

https://www.hastings.gov.uk/my-council/performance/, under the 'Housing Options' section.

Q3. Accommodation is sourced as and when required on a nightly basis, so the amount would differ from supplier to supplier. Due to vulnerability of our clients and where they are placed, we would not want to reveal who our suppliers are, therefore this request is being refused.

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

Please note that I consider the information you have requested regarding a full list of suppliers of temporary accommodation to be exempt information under Section 31(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act in that disclosure of that information would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime.

Also Section 38 - Health and Safety - Information where disclosure of information would or would be likely to endanger 1.1 The physical or mental health of an individual and 1.2 The safety of an individual.

The exemption afforded by Section 31(1)(a) and Section 38 is subject to what is known as the 'public interest test'. When applying the test in a particular case a public authority is deciding whether the public interest is better served by non-disclosure than by disclosure.

Although the Freedom of Information Act does not define 'in the public interest', there is a presumption under Freedom of Information that openness is in the public interest. In applying the public interest test a public authority will take into account the distinction that has been often made by courts between things that are in the public interest, and things that merely interest the public. Where applicants have not identified public interest considerations succinctly or accurately, the public authority has a responsibility under the Act to make their own assessment of the public interest considerations in the particular case.

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

a) furtherance of understanding and participation in the public debate of issues of the day.

b) promotion of accountability and transparency by public authorities in the decision they make and the spending of public money.

c) allowing individuals and companies to better understand decisions made by public authorities which affect their lives.

d) bringing to light information affecting public health and safety.

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:

a) that there is no evidence of a wider public (rather than individual) interest in disclosure.

b) to protect vulnerable individuals.

c) to protect the safety of an individual.

d) to protect information that would make a public authority more vulnerable to crime.

e) that the nature of such prejudice is real and substantial and that there is a real and significant risk of such prejudice.

f) that the motives behind the request (albeit not provided to us) have no relevance since disclosure would mean the information would be in the public domain.

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.

Q4. Email: temporaryaccommodation@hastings.gov.uk