***Last updated 8 May 2013***
A two-month sample of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests received by Birmingham City Council recently revealed that the average request takes 10-12 hours to complete.
Using the rate of £25 per hour, as set out in the FOI fees regulations, this means the council spends between £250 and £300 on every query it receives.
In the 2012 calendar year, 1,522 requests were received – meaning the council spent somewhere between £380,500 and £456,600 answering questions in this way.
As part of the council’s commitment to transparency, assisting the media and effective use of taxpayer money, the Corporate Media Team is now making available copies of answers to frequently asked FOI requests or those on topics of current interest to journalists, where answers have previously been supplied to others.
This list will be updated on a regular basis as and when new topics become relevant.
FOI responses and other useful information
Chief Executive’s Remuneration
Chief Officer Salary Disclosure
Payments to suppliers over £500
FOI 7149 – payment terms to suppliers
Wholesale Market - Private agenda and report
Voluntary and Community Sector Funding Information
PFI Contracts
Council tax arrears
Library opening hours and staff numbers
Parking Enforcement
Children’s Centre funding from April 2011
Reduction in overseas travel costs
Fixed Asset Register
Agency spend on supply teaching staff
Debt recovery for non-payment of council tax
Celebrities engaged by Birmingham City Council 2005-11
Birmingham Council’s 2009-2010 Accounts
Census and Population Information
Office for National Statistics’ Birmingham neighbourhood statistics
Ward outlines as KML or JSON etc from MySociety
Constituency outlines as KML or JSON etc from MySociety
Boundaries from Ordnance Survey
Other datasets listed by BeVocal