Freedom of information (FOI) releases from Guildford

This is a disclosure log of Guildford 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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500 disclosures

  1. Temporary accommodation enquiry

    I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information:

    1. Use of temporary accommodation

    For each of the following calendar years – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 – please provide:

    a. The total number of temporary accommodation placements or bookings made

    b. Of these, the total number of placements or bookings made with private providers

    c. The total number of private providers of temporary accommodation that the council made payments to

    d. The total amount paid by the council to private providers of temporary accommodation

    2. Costs
    For the calendar year 2025, please provide:

    a. The average monthly cost of temporary accommodation per person, and please provide this separately for:

    · Accommodation provided by private sector providers

    · Accommodation owned or managed by the council

    b. The average monthly amount charged to residents for utilities and/or service charges in private sector temporary accommodation, where these costs are charged in addition to the accommodation cost covered by the local authority.

    3. Largest private providers


    Please provide the following information for the three private providers that received the highest total payments from the council for temporary accommodation in 2025:

    · Provider name

    · Total amount paid to each provider

    · The number of accommodation sites operated by each provider

    · A breakdown of the types of accommodation used (for example, number of hostel placements, B&B placements, nightly paid accommodation, or other categories, where recorded)

    · The average monthly charge per placement (or equivalent measure of cost) for each provider

     

    Published: 22 April 2026

  2. Housing Statistics

    If exact figures cannot be provided, please supply the nearest available data (e.g. for the latest month of data if historical data is not available) or confirm that the information is not held. Aggregate data only is requested; no personal data is sought.

     

    1. How many households living in temporary accommodation in December 2025 were ineligible/disqualified to bid for permanent housing because of rent arrears?

     

    2. How many households identified in question 1 include at least one child under the age of 18 years old?

     

    3. How many households identified in question 1 include at least one child who is aged two years-old or under?

     

    4. How many households identified in question 1 include an applicant who the council owes a duty because of domestic abuse?

     

    5. How many households living in temporary accommodation in December 2025 were re-banded/deprioritised for permanent housing because of rent arrears?

     

    6. How many households identified in question 5 include at least one child under the age of 18 years old?

     

    7. How many households identified in question 5 include at least one child who is aged two years-old or under?

     

     8. How many households identified in question 5 include an applicant who the council owes a duty because of domestic abuse?

    Published: 22 April 2026

  3. Skilled Worker Visa Sponsorship Data

    I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

     

    Please could you provide the following information for your council:

     

      1.  Whether the council currently holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence.

      2.  The number of job roles within the council currently eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.

      3.  The total number of Skilled Worker visas (or Certificates of Sponsorship) issued by the council in each of the following financial years:

     

         *   2023/2024

         *   2024/2025 (to date)

     

      4.  A breakdown of the job roles or departments for which these sponsorships were issued.

      5.  Whether there are any current or planned recruitment campaigns that include visa sponsorship.

     

    Published: 22 April 2026

  4. Disability Champion Roles

    I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information regarding any Disability Champion, Inclusivity Champion, or similarly titled roles within your council.

    Please could you provide the following information:

    1. Existence of a Disability or Inclusivity Champion Role

    a) Does your council currently have a Disability Champion, Inclusivity Champion, or Equality/Accessibility Lead role?

    b) If so, is this role: Councillor led, Officer led, or Joint/shared responsibility?

    c) If no such role formally exists, please confirm whether the council has an equivalent position with a similar remit under a different title.

    2. Responsibilities and Achievements For any role identified above, please provide:

    a) A brief description of its purpose, responsibilities, and scope of work.

    b) Details of key achievements, actions taken, or initiatives delivered by the role in the past five years.

    c) Whether the role reports to any committees, boards, working groups, or portfolio holders.

    3. Policies or Strategies Related to Disability and Inclusivity:

    Please provide information on:

    a) Any current council policies, strategies, or frameworks relating to disability access, inclusivity, equalities, or accessibility improvements.

    b) The dates these policies were adopted and/or last reviewed.

    c) Whether these policies are linked to or overseen by the Disability/ Inclusivity Champion role (if applicable).

    4. Future Plans If available:

    Please provide information on any planned or upcoming initiatives, strategies, or reviews relating to disability and inclusivity within your council.

    Published: 16 April 2026

  5. Apprenticeship Levy Account Management

    I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

    Please can you provide the following:

    1. The name, job title, and department of the individual(s) responsible for managing your organisation’s Apprenticeship Levy account.

    2. Contact details for this individual or team (email address preferred).

    3. If applicable, details of any processes or criteria your council uses when considering Apprenticeship Levy transfers to external organisations.

    Published: 16 April 2026

  6. Pride In Surrey Event 2025 Freedom of Information Formal Request

    Dear information management, please provide the following information regarding the Pride in Surrey Event at Stoke Park September 2025

    1. Risk Assessments: Copies of all recorded risk assessments or due diligence reports conducted or reviewed by the Council concerning the "Protection of Children from Harm" and the suitability of vendor marketplace displays.

    2. The "Objective Test": Any documentation, meeting minutes, or internal guidance detailing the "objective test" applied by the Council to determine the legal threshold of indecency for anatomical items displayed in public spaces at this event.

    3. Safeguarding Consultation: Records of any consultation between the Event Organisers, the Licensing Department, and the Council's Designated Safeguarding Lead (or the Surrey Children's Executive) regarding the appropriateness of anatomical representations of Peekaboo (male genital) items in family areas.

    4. Safety Advisory Group (SAG): Minutes from the SAG meetings for this event specifically relating to marketplace standards and public decency.

    5. Event Management Plan: The sections of the Event Management Plan submitted by the organisers that detail the "Marketplace Policy" or "Vendor Standards."

     

    Published: 16 April 2026

  7. Garages enquiry

    Please treat this as a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

    I’d be grateful for anything you can share on the following:

    1. Garage stock

    • How many garages does the council own or manage

    • How many are currently let, vacant, or decommissioned/awaiting redevelopment

    2. Who uses them (rough percentages)

    • Council tenants

    • Other local residents

    • Businesses

    3. Which service or team is responsible for managing garage assets?

    4. When was the last stock survey carried out?

    5. Is day to day management and maintenance handled in house?

    6. Typical monthly rent for a garage.

    7. Approximate annual income from garage lettings.

    8. Any common issues or complaints about garage sites over the past five years. (e.g. condition, security, anti social behaviour)

    9. Any recent or planned reviews or redevelopment of garage sites

    10. Any documents, if easily available, showing community engagement or wider impacts considered in these projects.

     

    Published: 14 April 2026

  8. Council Tax

    I would like to request proof of where the Resident’s Council Tax Payments are being spent.

    1- I would like to see the previous 3 years of receipts for where the council tax funding is being spent. I do not want to see percentages but proof in pounds (£s) as to where the annual council tax is being spent.

    2 - I would like to know if my council tax funds Guildford Borough Police Service, Guildford Borough Ambulance Service, Guildford Borough Waste collection and Schools. If so I would like to know as to what percentage it is distributed?

    3 - Which law, not legislation, states that council tax must be paid?

    4 - Which law states that it is a criminal offence to not pay council tax?

    5 - Please attach the copy of contract in where I agreed to pay for council tax. Please keep in mind that an ‘assumptuous agreement' does not stand up in court.

    Published: 13 April 2026

  9. Discretionary business rates relief for private schools

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I request the following information relating to discretionary business rates relief for private schools in your council area:

    1. Your Council’s policy on granting discretionary business rates relief to private schools, including relevant internal guidance documents, criteria, and any published policy documents as at the most recent financial year.

    2. How many private schools have applied to your Council for additional discretionary business rates relief following the Government’s withdrawal of the 80% mandatory business rates relief for private schools.

    3. Of those applications, how many were granted discretionary relief in part or whole (i.e., awarded amounts above the no-longer-mandated 80% relief). Please provide numbers of awards and, where available, the value of relief awarded in total and, if possible, broken down per school.

    4. How much additional business rates has your Council collected since the abolition of the mandatory 80% business rates relief for private schools (i.e., additional net business rates income received in the relevant period).

    Published: 13 April 2026

  10. Missed Household Waste Collections 2025

    I am submitting a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please provide all recorded information relating to missed household waste collections during the period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025 for the following roads:

    Frimley Road, Ash Vale.
     Walnutree Close, Guildford.

    For each missed collection, please provide:

    1. The date of the missed collection.

    2. The type of waste affected (refuse, recycling, food waste, garden waste).

    3. The reason recorded for the missed collection.

    4. Whether the collection was later completed, and if so, on what date.

    5. Any associated service reports, job logs, or internal notes relating to the missed collection.

    Published: 13 April 2026