Freedom of information (FOI) releases from TWBC

This is a disclosure log of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's responses to freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) requests that might be of wider public interest.

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312 disclosures

  1. Business Rates Software

    Under the Freedom of information act, could I please confirm the name of the business rates software used by yourselves

    Published: 29 April 2026

  2. Use of bailiffs to collect council tax debt in 2025/26

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we would like to request the following information. 1. Tax year 25/26: The number of times between 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority. By “private bailiffs/enforcement agents” we mean those who are self-employed or who work for private companies, including as high court enforcement officers. Please include cases where local authority employees have visited a property to enforce a warrant of control. 2. Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support / Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)

    Published: 29 April 2026

  3. Temporary accommodation placements

    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: 29 April 2026

  4. Unlawful eviction by landlords

    Please provide information on how many reports or complaints of harassment and unlawful eviction by landlords have been made to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in each of 2026 (to date), 2025 and 2024. For each complaint/report, please state: 1. How many were investigated; 2. If no investigation was carried out, the reason given (including providing a redacted copy of any email or letter to the complainant); and 3. If an investigation was carried out, the outcome of each investigation. Please confirm how many prosecutions have been brought, civil penalty notices issued, fines issued and banning notices issued in respect of harassment and unlawful eviction by landlords in the relevant periods.

    Published: 29 April 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: 28 April 2026

  6. Hairdressers and barbers

    I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relating to the regulation of hairdressers and barbers operating within the council’s area. I would be grateful if you could provide the following details: Business registration Does the council require hairdressers or barbers to register with the local authority? If so, please provide a list of businesses currently registered, including their trading name and full address (with postcode). Health and safety inspections Does the council carry out health and safety inspections of hairdressing and barbering premises? If inspections are undertaken, please supply a list of all such businesses inspected within the past five years (from April 2021 to the present), including their addresses and postcodes. Local figures Does the council hold a record of the total number of hairdressers and barbers known to be operating locally? If this number differs from the number of registered businesses, I would be grateful if you could confirm the total figure held.

    Published: 28 April 2026

  7. Council Tax payment instalments types

    Under the Freedom of Information Act, for the financial year 2026/27, please provide the following information: 1. For Direct Debit payers: 1a. the total number of households on a 10 month instalment plan for council tax 1b. the total number of households on a 12 month instalment plan for council tax 1c. the total number of households with any other cadence of payment (e.g. weekly, fortnightly, 4-weekly) 1d. the total number of households paying by Direct Debit in your council tax billing caseload this year 2. For cash payers (for 'cash' please include all non-Direct Debit accounts): 2a. the total number of households on a 10 month instalment plan for council tax 2b. the total number of households on a 12 month instalment plan for council tax 2c. the total number of households with any other cadence of payment (e.g. weekly, fortnightly, 4-weekly) 2d. the total number of households paying by cash in your council tax billing caseload this year 3. the total number of households in your council tax billing case load for this year.

    Published: 27 April 2026

  8. Use of Temp Accomodation

    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: • The total number of temporary accommodation placements or bookings made • Of these, the total number of placements or bookings made with private providers • 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

    Published: 24 April 2026

  9. Social Value Management

    Please could you inform me if you have a person responsible for managing social value? If you do, who are they are? If you do not, who is managing your social value? Please could you inform me if you are using a social value platform? If you are using a platform, which platform are you using, and when does the current contract come to an end? If you are not, how are you managing your social value?

    Published: 24 April 2026

  10. PCN's and emergency vehicles

    Please provide this information for the most recent three years available: 1. The number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for: · Bus lane contraventions · Moving traffic contraventions · Yellow box junction contraventions · No entry / restricted access contraventions 2. The number of cases where motorists stated that they entered a bus lane or committed a moving traffic contravention in order to allow an emergency vehicle to pass. 3. Of those identified in Question 2: · The number where the PCN was cancelled · The number where the PCN was upheld · The number that proceeded to appeal 4. Of those that proceeded to appeal: · The number allowed · The number refused 5. Please provide any policies, guidance, or internal documentation relating to motorists entering bus lanes or committing moving traffic contraventions in order to allow emergency vehicles to pass. 6. Please confirm whether your authority has any formal or informal policy regarding discretion where motorists enter bus lanes or commit contraventions to allow emergency vehicles to pass. 7. Please provide details of any cases where motorists successfully challenged enforcement on the basis of allowing an emergency vehicle to pass.

    Published: 22 April 2026