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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734 disclosures

  1. Executive Correspondence and Appraisals on Ash / Aldershot Cross-Border Governance

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am requesting access to recorded information held at the executive level regarding cross-border governance, infrastructure strain, and boundary reviews affecting the Ash wards and Aldershot town boundary.

    Please provide all recorded data, internal briefings, and correspondence regarding the following four points:

      1.  Chief Executive Correspondence: All emails, letters, and meeting minutes sent or received by the Office of the Chief Executive over the last 3 years containing the keywords "boundary review", "LGBCE", "Principal Area Boundary Review", or "border realignment" specifically regarding the Ash parish or Ash wards footprint.

      2.  Cross-Border Infrastructure Impact Studies: Any joint impact assessments, briefings, or shared reports held between Rushmoor Borough Council and Guildford Borough Council regarding the strain of Ash residential developments on Aldershot’s infrastructure (including roads, highways, and public services).

      3.  Monitoring Officer Legal Briefings: Any recorded legal advice, options papers, or constitutional briefings held by the Council’s Monitoring Officer regarding boundary anomalies or the statutory test of "Community Identity" for the border areas between Surrey and Hampshire.

      4.  Member of Parliament Escalation Logs: Any recorded correspondence between the Office of the Chief Executive and the local Member of Parliament (MP) regarding constituent complaints or queries about the Ash/Aldershot boundary line over the last 24 months.

     

    Published: 23 September 2026

  2. Cancelled travel and accommodation

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following information for the 2025/26 financial year and 2026/27 financial year to date:

      1.  The total number of flights, train tickets, taxis, hotel bookings and other travel/accommodation bookings paid for by the Council which were subsequently cancelled or unused, where the Council incurred a financial cost and received no corresponding service.

      2.  The total cost to the Council of these cancelled or unused bookings.

    Published: 23 September 2026

  3. Planning information regarding High Ryde Cobham

    I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information re: High Ryde, Mays Green, Cobham:

    1.  the Delegated Report on the basis of which the Enforcement Notice (ref: EN/23/00067) was issued on 24.09.24.

    2.  the Council's Appeal Statement for the above Appeal.

    3.  The S.106 Deed dated 18.07.94 affecting the property.

    Published: 23 September 2026

  4. Local authority flag enquiry

    Under the Freedom of Information Act, please could you tell me the following:

    1. How much has your local authority has spent removing unauthorised flags that have been erected on lamp posts and other street furniture in the year August 1st, 2025-August 1st, 2026 and if known, how many flags were removed.

    If data is not available for this date range, can you give data for the last twelve months held and specify the date range.

     

    2. How much has your local authority spent on erecting Union Jack or St Georges flags from August 1st, 2025- August 1st, 2026 and if known, how many.

    If data is not available for this date range, can you give data for the last twelve months and specify the date range.

     

    3. How many complaints has your local authority received about unauthorised flags being erected on lamp posts and other street furniture in the year August 1st, 2025-August 1st, 2026 and since August 1st, 2026.

    If data is not available for this date range, can you give data for the last twelve months and specify the date range.

     

    4. If accessible within the cost limit, please also provide the same data for questions 1, 2 and 3 for the prior year in the same format.

    (For instance, if providing data in the format August 1st 2025 - August 1st 2026, please also include August 1st 2024 - August 1st 2025.)

     

    5. If there is another local authority that might also hold the same data (for instance, a higher or lower tier local authority - a county council or a distract council), please name it.

    Published: 23 September 2026

  5. Public Space CCTV System

    I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the Council's public space CCTV system. I would be grateful for responses to the following structured questions.

    To help your team return the information efficiently, I have grouped the questions into five sections. I have deliberately scoped the request narrowly, and would be happy to refine further if any part exceeds the Section 12 cost limit.

     

    1. CCTV estate

    1.1 The total number of fixed cameras operated by, or on behalf of, the Council in public spaces (excluding cameras covering council office interiors, car parks on private land, and housing-stock-only cameras).

    1.2 The total number of redeployable, mobile, or vehicle-mounted cameras operated by, or on behalf of, the Council.

    1.3 The approximate age in years of the oldest cameras currently in operation.

    1.4 The name and version of the Video Management System (VMS) or control room software currently in use (for example, Genetec Security Center, Milestone XProtect, Synectics Synergy, Cathexis CathexisVision).

     

    2. Contracts

    2.1 The names of the current suppliers for each of the following:

    a.           CCTV hardware supply.

    b.           Video Management System / control room software.

    c.           Installation, maintenance, and repair services.

     

    2.2 The contract commencement date and expiry date for each of the contracts identified in question 2.1.

    2.3 For each contract, any scheduled option to extend beyond the stated expiry, together with the maximum length of the extension.

    2.4 The procurement framework under which each contract was awarded, if any (for example, Crown Commercial Service RM6263, YPO, Procure Partnerships, NEPO, ESPO, or a direct award).

     

    3. Budget

    3.1 The total revenue expenditure on the public space CCTV service in the most recently completed financial year (2024/25), broken down where readily available into: (a) staff costs, (b) maintenance contract costs, (c) connectivity / telecommunications costs, (d) software licence costs.

    3.2 Any ring-fenced capital allocation for CCTV investment approved in the current financial year (2025/26) or planned for 2026/27.

     

    4. Operational responsibility

    4.1 The job title of the officer with day-to-day operational responsibility for the CCTV service (for example, CCTV Control Room Manager, Community Safety Manager).

    4.2 The job title of the senior responsible officer (Director or Head of Service level) for the CCTV service.

    4.3 Where disclosure is consistent with Section 40 of the Act, the names of the officers in 4.1 and 4.2.

     

    5. Recent funding

    5.1 Please confirm whether the Council received funding, applied for funding, or is a named local authority partner in any of the following schemes in the last 24 months:

    a. Home Office Safer Streets Fund (any round, including Round 5, 2023-2025).

    b. Defra Fly-tipping Intervention Grant Scheme (any round).

    c. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Pride in Place Strategy funding.

    d. UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocations where used for CCTV, community safety, or public realm surveillance.

    5.2 Where the Council received funding under any of the above, the total amount and whether any portion was, or is, ring-fenced for CCTV or related technology spend.

     

    Published: 22 September 2026

  6. Communications enquiry

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

    PART A — CORRESPONDENCE WITH RESIDENTS

    1. The total amount spent by the council on printing and posting correspondence to residents during the most recently completed financial year. A whole-organisation total is sufficient.

    2. The number of items posted to residents during the same period, if this is recorded.

    3. The total amount spent on SMS or text messaging to residents during the same period, and the number of messages sent, if these are recorded.

    PART B — THE ANNUAL CANVASS

    4. The total cost to the council of the most recently completed annual canvass, including printing, postage, staffing and any personal canvasser visits. If the canvass cost is not recorded separately from the council's general print and postage budget, please say so.

    5. For that same canvass: the number of residential properties to which a canvass communication was sent; the number that did not respond to the first communication; the number of reminder communications sent; and the number of household visits carried out.

    6. For that same canvass, the number of responses received by each route — paper, online, telephone and SMS — if this breakdown is recorded.

    PART C — WHO HOLDS THIS WORK

    7. The job title and, if the council is willing to share it, the direct contact details of the officer responsible for resident communications, customer contact strategy or digital transformation.

    8. The job title and, if the council is willing to share it, the direct contact details of the Electoral Registration Officer and of the officer who manages the annual canvass day to day.

     

    Published: 22 September 2026

  7. Community Venue Request

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am writing to formally request information regarding the digital management and booking of council-owned assets (e.g., Community Centres, Halls, Libraries, Town Halls, Sports Pitches and Pavilions).

    Please provide a response addressing the following:

    1. Name of venue(s)

    2. Number of bookable spaces

    3. Total venue income from bookings last financial year (£)

    4. What booking and management system (or software) does the Council currently use for its community venues?

    5. What is the financial arrangement for this system? (Please specify any upfront setup fees, recurring annual license/maintenance fees, and any commission or transaction-based fees charged to the Council or the end-user).

    6. When does the current contract for this system expire?

    7. Which individual within the Council is responsible for the management and oversight of this contract? (please supply name and job role)

    Published: 22 September 2026

  8. Illegal traveller sites in Guildford & Waverley.

    I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information (ref: Yellowstone Park, ( WBC) Stovvolds Hill, & Unstead ( GBC):

    Please can you supply the following, starting at base year 2024:

    1. Number of new illegal traveller Sites reported, with approximate number of caravans etc if relevant.

    2. Locations of these sites,

    3. Whether these sites owned by occupiers or not (- rough %)

    4. How many sites have received enforcement notices.

    5. What are the results to date of enforcement action i.e. how many sites are now either, compliant, or fined, or returned to original condition.

    6. Does the council check the protected status - ethnicity & legal status of those occupying the site?

    7. Can you confirm whether Surrey Police are made aware on each occasion a new site is reported?

    8. Can you confirm whether welfare checks have been made to investigate whether there are trafficking victims, & are these reported to the police/home office?

    9. What is the total cost to the council of monitoring, & enforcement action for the following financial years
    2024
    2025
    2026 – To date.

                                                                                       

    Published: 22 September 2026

  9. Grass cutting frequency

    I'm enquiring whether your grass cutting frequency for parks, verges, etc., has changed in 2025 or 2026.

    I'm interested in whether grass is being cut less in mid-summer and more in spring and autumn.

    Published: 22 September 2026

  10. Benefits Take-Up Services

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

    This is an information request regarding benefit take-up services and income maximisation for PIP, ERA and LCWRA.

    Please include the following information for the following years 2025/26, 2024/25, 2023/24 and 2022/23

    1) Total amount paid each year to third-party providers of benefit take up, benefit entitlement analytics, low income data tracking or income maximisation services.

    a. This includes but is not limited to: Policy in Practice (including the Low Income Family Tracker / "LIFT" dashboard and the Better Off Calculator), Entitledto, IncomeMax, Inbest, Lightning Reach, and Turn2us calculator licensing.

    2) For each provider please provide:

    a) The name of the provider and the product,

    b) The start date of the contract and the end date.

    3) Specify which providers provide services for PIP, ERA and LCWRA.

    4) Provide the council's most recent recorded figures for additional benefit income secured for residents claiming PIP, ERA and LCWRA. (Sometimes recorded as "financial gains", "income generated", "income maximised" or "additional benefits secured")

    5) Total number of households that secured additional benefit income for residents each year.

    a) How many additional households did the additional benefit income for PIP, ERA and LCWRA secured go to?

    b) If possible, provide a breakdown of households based on which benefit they received after the third party benefit take up

    6) Does the council fund a welfare rights, benefits advice or income-maximisation service? (in-house or commissioned, including grants to Citizens Advice or other advice agencies)

    a) If yes, please provide:

    * the current number of full-time-equivalent staff,

    * The council's expenditure on the service.

    7) The total number of residents contacted by letter, text, phone or door knocking in proactive benefit take-up campaigns. Meaning the council initiated contact by or on behalf of the council with residents identified as potentially eligible for benefits they were not claiming.

    a) Please provide council estimates if the exact number is not recorded

    b) Provide the benefits that residents were targeted to sign up to

    8) Total number of social security appeals (including mandatory reconsiderations and First-tier Tribunal cases) in which the council's welfare rights service, or a council-funded service, provided casework or representation in each financial year.

    a) Provide the number of successful and rejected cases.

    9) A copy of the most recent annual report or performance report of the welfare rights/income-maximisation service, if one exists.

    Published: 21 September 2026