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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539 disclosures

  1. Calisthenics parks in Surrey

    I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding outdoor fitness facilities (including calisthenics parks and outdoor gyms).

    Please provide:
    -The number of council-owned outdoor gyms or calisthenics facilities currently in operation.
    Any proposals, applications, or petitions for new outdoor fitness facilities received since January 2020.
    Of those proposals, how many were:
    a) Approved
    b) Rejected
    c) Deferred or not progressed

    -The total annual budget allocated to parks, leisure, or outdoor recreation for each financial year since 2020.
    Any specific budget allocated to outdoor fitness equipment or facilities in the same period.

    -Reasons recorded for rejecting or not progressing proposals for outdoor fitness facilities (where available).

    -Would you also be able to list the number of facilities that have closed down or been removed?

    Published: 19 May 2026

  2. FOI request: paternity leave

    I am writing to request information under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please supply the following:

     

    1. A copy of your current paternity-leave policy, including any variations depending on employee status (e.g. full-time, part-time, length of service). Please clearly state the standard entitlement (number of weeks) and the rate of pay (full pay, statutory pay, enhanced pay, etc.) across that entitlement.

     

    2. For the most recent three financial years (or calendar years) for which data is held:

    a) the number of employees who took paternity leave, and

    b) the average number of weeks taken per employee, and

    c) if available, a breakdown of take-up by type of pay (e.g. full pay vs statutory pay).

     

    3. The median (or mean) gross pay of all council employees.

     

    Published: 19 May 2026

  3. Freedom of Information Request for cats

    I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act, to ask for the following:

     

      1.  The number of stray cats collected by the Authority in the calendar year 2025.

     

      2.  The number of those stray cats that were microchipped in accordance with the regulations (The Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023).

     

      3.  The number of deceased cats collected by the Authority in the calendar year 2025.

     

      4.  The number of those deceased cats whose owners were identified from a microchip.

     

      5.  Are council tenants required to microchip their pet cats as part of their tenancy agreement? Y/N

     

      6.  The number of council tenants currently registered as owning a microchipped cat.

     

      7.  The number of 21-day enforcement notices issued for failing to microchip a cat in the calendar year 2025.

     

      8.  The number of cats handed over to the Authority for rescue or rehoming in 2025.

    Published: 19 May 2026

  4. Designated Open Spaces Developments

    Please provide a comprehensive list of all known completed developments within your authority’s area where designated open space was intended to be adopted by the council but has not, to date, been formally adopted. Please provide the following:

    Essential supporting data:

    a. Site Name/Address

    b. Developer Name

    c. Amount of commuted sum to be paid to facilitate adoption

    d. Whether the commuted sum to facilitate adoption has been paid

    Desired additional data:

    e. Planning Application Reference(s).

    f. Reasons why the Local Authority have not adopted the open space

    g. Any additional relevant information

    Published: 19 May 2026

  5. Taxi licensing

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025.

    1. Licensed drivers

    The total number of licensed:
    Taxi (hackney carriage) drivers
    Private hire drivers.

    2. Applications and licensing decisions

    The number of driver licence applications:

    * Received
    * Granted
    * Refused

    3. Suspensions and revocations

    The number of driver licences:

    * Suspended
    * Revoked

    Where recorded, please indicate how many were related to:

    * Sexual offences
    * Violent offences

    4. Safeguarding and adverse information decisions

    For the purposes of this request, “adverse information” includes: criminal convictions, police intelligence, safeguarding referrals and any other information considered relevant to the “fit and proper person” assessment

    Please provide the number of cases where a taxi or private hire driver licence was granted, or renewed, where adverse information was known to the authority at the time of the decision.

    Where possible, please also indicate:
    How many of these cases involved sexual or violent offences (convicted or otherwise, where recorded)

    If exact categorisation is not held, please provide any internal category used to record such decisions.

    5. Background checks and safeguarding systems

    Please confirm:

    a) Whether your authority uses the NR3 register when assessing applicants (Yes/No)

    b) Whether your authority subscribes to the DBS Update Service for ongoing monitoring (Yes/No)

    c) How frequently enhanced DBS checks are required for licensed drivers:

    * At application only
    * At renewal
    * Other (please specify)

    6. Private hire operators (including app-based services)

    The number of licensed private hire operators under your authority, including app-based booking platforms such as Uber, Bolt or similar services where licensed locally.

    Where available, please provide:

    * Number of operator licences granted
    * Refused
    * Suspended or revoked
    * Any enforcement action taken against operators

    Published: 19 May 2026

  6. Recycling Contamination

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am writing to request the following information relating to household kerbside recycling collected by Guildford Borough Council or on its behalf by waste management contractors.

    Please provide data for the financial year 2024/25. If 2024/25 data is not yet available, please provide the most recent 12-month period for which data is held.

    Question 1: Contamination rate:

    The contamination rate for household kerbside recycling collections, expressed as a percentage.

    The total tonnage of household kerbside recycling that was rejected, disposed of, or diverted from recycling due to contamination (If held).

    The contamination threshold at which a load is rejected (e.g. if contamination exceeds X%, the load is rejected).

    What happens to household kerbside recycling that is rejected due to contamination? E.g. Sent to landfill, incineration/energy from waste, or another disposal route (please state).

    Question 2: Cost of contamination:

    The total cost to the council of processing or disposing of contaminated household kerbside recycling for the same period (If an exact figure is not available, please provide an estimate and indicate how this was calculated).

    Question 3: Main contaminants (if recorded):

    (If held) Please provide details of the main types of contamination found in household kerbside recycling collections (for example: food waste, nappies, non-recyclable plastics, textiles, garden waste, glass in incorrect streams, etc.).

    Question 4: Processing cost differential:

    The cost per tonne to the council for processing or disposing of household kerbside recycling.

    The cost per tonne to the council for processing or disposing of general household waste (If exact figures e.g. gate fees are not available, please provide estimates or typical/average costs).

    Clarifications: "Household kerbside recycling" refers to dry mixed recycling, paper/card, plastics, metals and glass collected from households at the kerbside – excluding food waste collections, garden waste collections, and materials deposited at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) or bring banks.

     

    Published: 19 May 2026

  7. Simpler Recycling Kerbside Collection of Plastic Plant Pots

    I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding your authority’s approach to kerbside recycling collections following the introduction of Simpler Recycling requirements. Specifically, I would like to understand your authority’s position on the collection of non-black plastic plant pots as part of household recycling services. Please could you provide responses to the following:

    1. Does your authority currently collect non-black plastic plant pots for recycling at the kerbside?(Yes / No)

    2. If yes, how long has your authority been collecting non-black plastic plant pots for recycling?

    3. If no, does your authority intend to begin collecting non-black plastic plant pots? (Yes / No)

    o If yes, please provide the expected timeline for implementation.

    4. What waste collection or waste management contractor(s) does your authority use for kerbside recycling services?

     

    Published: 19 May 2026

  8. Council Spending on Graffiti Removal

    I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from Guildford Borough Council. Please may you provide me with:

    The latest information held on graffiti cleaning and budgets/spending in Guildford Borough Council for the past 2 years 2025, and budgeted for 2026 (or the most recently available data for a 2 year period). Information should include:

    1) Total number of graffiti instances reported in 2025 =

    2) Total number of graffiti instances resolved in 2025, e.g. cleaned/removed =

    3) Total council spending on graffiti removal/cleaning in 2025 (if the exact spend isn't available, how much was budgeted?) =

    4) Total council budget for graffiti removal/cleaning in 2026 =

    5) Estimated typical response time for Council to remove/clean graffiti after it is reported =

    Published: 19 May 2026

  9. Housing Statistics, FOI request

    I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding temporary accommodation placements involving households with dependent children.

     

    Please provide the following:

     

    1.      For each of the last three financial years, the number of households with dependent children placed in temporary accommodation outside your local authority area, broken down by destination local authority area.

     

    If providing data for all three years would exceed the appropriate cost limit, please provide the information for the most recent financial year available.

     

    2.      For the most recent financial year available, a breakdown of out-of-area placements in Question 1 by accommodation type (for example: B&B, hotel, hostel, HMO/shared accommodation, and self-contained accommodation), where this information is readily available in recorded form.

     

    3.      For the most recent financial year available, the number of households with dependent children placed out of area in accommodation with shared facilities (e.g. shared kitchen and/or bathroom), if recorded.

     

    4.      For the most recent financial year available, the number of households with dependent children placed in temporary accommodation within your local authority area by other local authorities, broken down by placing authority.

     

    Where this information is readily available, please also provide a breakdown of these placements by accommodation type (for example: B&B, hotel, hostel, HMO/shared accommodation, and self-contained accommodation).

     

    If a combined breakdown by both placing authority and accommodation type would exceed the cost limit, please provide the breakdown by placing authority only.

     

    In order to ensure the data is interpreted accurately, I would be grateful if you could confirm:

     

    a) Whether the figures provided represent the number of households placed, or another measure (for example, placement notifications or instances);

     

    b) Whether the figures include only placements made during the reporting period, or also placements that began in a previous period but continued into it;

     

    c) Whether the data relating to placements into your area is derived from Section 208 notifications, and whether this is considered a complete record.

     

    Published: 19 May 2026

  10. FOI request personal injury claims against council

    I am requesting this information under the Freedom of Information Act.

     

    Could you please provide data in response to the following questions:

     

      1.  What is the total number of personal injury claims recorded against your council for the last three tax years (2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25), broken down by year?

     

     

      2.  How many of those claims outlined in question 1 were submitted:

     

    ·        By employees

     

    ·        By members of the public

     

     

      3.  What was the total amount paid out by your council as the result of personal injury claims against your council for the last three tax years (2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25), broken down by year?

     

     

      4.  What were the most common types of claim recorded against your council during the last three tax years (2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25), including but not limited to the following examples:

    - Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs)

    - Accidents at Work

    - Public Liability Claims

    - Industrial Disease

    - Animal Accidents

    - Criminal Injuries

    - Travel Accidents

    - Negligence

     

    Published: 18 May 2026