Freedom of information response
SEND Team Contact Details
I am writing to you today, as it is my intention to make a freedom of information request under the freedom of information act, 2000.
As I am sure you already know, the freedom of information act 2000, grants me access to all recorded information held by any public authority, and grants you, the public authority, 20 working days to respond to my request. This being said, the date is Friday the 14th of June 2024. I eagerly await your response to this request by the 12th of July 2024 at the very latest, and I thank you for your assistance in this matter.
The information I am requesting is regarding the structure and leadership of your Special Education Needs and Disabilities teams.
I would like to know:
Firstly, how you have structured your SEND team/s, including the titles held by any employee or temporary worker within the aforementioned SEND leadership structure from Director of service all the way down to individual team managers.
The job titles I am interested in are:
- Head of Service (or equivalent)
- Service Manager (or equivalent)
- Team manager (or equivalent)
- Assistant Team Manager (or equivalent)
- Recruitment/Hiring manager (or equivalent)
The name of these titles are an example, if the specific name of the position within your organisation is different, I want to know what the name of the title is within your Local Authority and also any titles in between that I may not have mentioned depending on how your leadership structure has been internally set up.
Secondly, the full name of each individual who holds the positions that I have previously mentioned to you.
Thirdly, the work email address, and the direct dial code for each of the individuals that I have previously mentioned, as well as work mobile numbers if the individual has been given one.
Please see attached.
Unfortunately we are unable to provide in full the information you have requested. We do hold the information but an absolute exemption applies. Personal Information (Section 40,2)
Personal data of any other person (third party data) is exempt under section 40(2) if disclosure would breach one of the data protection principles. This aspect of Section 40 is an Absolute Exemption and is therefore not subject to the Public Interest Test.
The names of officers working for the Council is personal data specific to them. It is therefore subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act. Information can be withheld if its disclosure would be likely to breach one or more of the Principles of the Data Protection Act. There is no prior expectation on the part of team Managers (or other officers working below the level of Director) that their names and job titles / positions would be published into the wider public domain under FOI. A disclosure made under FOI constitutes a publication to the world at large. We believe that to disclose this would be likely to breach the first Principle of the Data Protection Act by unfairly contravening their right to privacy and confidentiality in the work place.
However, in the interests of transparency we are able to share details relating to senior officers (Director level and above). For these officers, there is already a greater expectation of openness about their role given their level of accountability for service provision and budgetary decision making.
For your information please see the following link which outlines staff details of Director and above: https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/chief-executive-directors-and-services