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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184 disclosures

  1. Primate Licensing

    Under the Freedom of Information Act, please provide:

    1. The total number of applications the council have received under the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 between 6 April 2025 and 1 November 2025 inclusive.

    2. Where applications have been received, the species of primate and the number of animals within each application.

    3. The total number of licences granted and refused.

    Published: 4 November 2025

  2. Latest HMO Licence Register

    Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and section 232(1) of the Housing Act 2004, I would like to request a copy of the most up-to-date HMO Licence Register held by the Council (covering 2025).

    As prescribed in The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) Regulations 2006, the register should include the following particulars:

    * Property address

    * Licence holder name and correspondence address

    * Manager name and address

    * Description of the property

    * Licence conditions summary

    * Licence start and expiry dates

    * Licence duration and number

    * Details of households, occupants, units, storeys, and facilities

    * Please provide the information in Excel format (.xlsx or .csv).

    Published: 4 November 2025

  3. Contracts awarded to businesses in Kent

    Dear FoI Team, Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information: 1. The total number of tenders/contracts awarded by the Council in each of the past five financial years (2019/20 to 2023/24, and if available, 2024/25 to date). 2. Of these, how many were awarded to businesses located in Kent. 3. Of these, how many were awarded to businesses domiciled in Kent (i.e. with their registered head office in Kent). If available, please also provide: • The total contract value awarded in each of the above categories. I am happy to receive this information in spreadsheet or tabular format. If any part of this request is unclear or likely to exceed the cost/time limit, please advise on how it may be refined.

    Published: 31 October 2025

  4. Energy Consumption Information

    For each site/property operated by your organisation, please provide for the financial years 2021–22, 2022–23, and 2023–24: 1. Site name and site code (or address) 2. Meter identifiers (MPAN/MPRN) where held 3. Annual electricity consumption (kWh) 4. Annual gas consumption (kWh/therms) 5. Energy supplier name, contract start/end dates, and tariff type (fixed/variable) 6. Procurement/Estates department contact: job title and corporate email address

    Published: 30 October 2025

  5. Public Clocks on Council-Owned Buildings

    1. How many buildings currently owned or maintained by the council have publicly visible external clocks? 2. For each such building: - The building name and address - Whether the clock(s) is currently functioning - Whether there is an allocated maintenance budget for the clock(s) - If not functioning, when the clock was last operational (if known) 3. Any recent (past 5 years) correspondence, reports, or assessments regarding the maintenance, repair, or removal of public clocks on council-owned or maintained buildings.

    Published: 29 October 2025

  6. Local Authority Preparedness with regard to Climate Adaptation

    To ensure that we collect data covering the key aspects of the issue, we have developed a short questionnaire comprising of 10 questions with associated tick boxes that should be relatively quick and straightforward to answer, as most require yes/no answers. If you are unable to answer any questions in the time available, please answer what you can. QUESTIONS REGARDING LOCAL AUTHORITY PREPAREDNESS WITH REGARD TO CLIMATE ADAPTATION Qu.1/. Does the council have a climate adaptation strategy? o If yes, is this rolled into the mitigation/Net Zero strategy or is it set out in the form of a separate/stand-alone document? o Please provide link to the document. Qu.2/. Has the council conducted a climate risk assessment? o If yes, please provide link to the document o If yes, was it produced using the Local Partnerships Risk Areas Matrix? o What sectors does the climate risk assessment cover?  Public buildings  Residential buildings  New developments  Schools  Care homes  Roads and other transport infrastructure  Communication networks – telecom and ITC  Energy infrastructure  Local businesses  Other – please specify Qu. 3/. Has the council also produced a local climate adaptation action plan with associated timeframe for implementing and reviewing the strategy? o If yes, please provide link to the document Qu.4/. What measures has the council put in place to withstand the climate impacts (e.g. severe heat, flooding, coastal erosion) experienced or predicted for your area? For example, by implementing: o Measures to alleviate flood risks and manage flooding o Measures to increase resilience of new building developments to climate impacts o Measures to reduce excess heat in new residential buildings o Measures to address overheating in schools, hospitals, care homes and other public buildings o Places for the public to gather in the event of a major climate disaster o Blue and green spaces o Strategies to manage climate-induced health problems o Improvements to make transport infrastructure more resilient o Nature based solutions, such a tree planting or creating wetlands o Coastal defences o SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) o Water efficiency measures o Ways of working with farmers to increase resilience of the food system and align adaptation objectives o Measures to enhance community engagement o Are there other key measures that you have taken? Please give details. Qu.5/. Does the council have access to all the necessary information, technical advice and support to deliver on adaptation planning and implementation? Qu. 6/. Has the council identified funding gaps hindering its ability to implement adaptation action planning? o Which aspects would be priorities for additional funding? Qu. 7/. Has the council identified shortfalls in its capacity, skills and experience to deliver required adaptation actions? o If yes, what is needed? Qu.8/. Is the Council aware of, and does it have the capacity to draw in, external funds for climate adaptation measures? e.g. o Combined Authority funding o Parish Council funding for small scale schemes - water butts, tree planting o Business contributions through Partnership Funding o Community Infrastructure Levy o Partnerships with third sector organisations such as Woodland Trust. Qu.9/. Did the council submit a report to ARP4? o If yes, please provide a link Qu.10/. Has the council supported the call, as articulated by the LGA, for local authorities to be given statutory duties and powers, sufficient funding and robust support to lead on climate action including adaptation? o If yes, please provide link documenting this support

    Published: 29 October 2025

  7. Social Housing Allocations

    For calendar years 2024-2025, and year start 2025 to date, please provide the following aggregate, anonymised information held by your council. 1. The total number of individuals granted refugee status, humanitarian protection, or indefinite leave to remain who were placed in the highest priority band for social housing allocation. Please separate by type (e.g., column 1 refugee status, column 2 humanitarian protection etc.) Where numbers are less than or equal to 5, please express as ≤ 5 to protect individual identities, no personal information is requested. 2. Confirmation (yes/no) that all such individuals were assessed against the council's statutory housing need criteria under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 (or equivalent legislation) and met those criteria. 3. The total number of council-owned or managed social housing properties allocated to individuals granted refugee status, humanitarian protection, or indefinite leave to remain in the highest priority band during each period. Please separate by type. Where numbers are less than or equal to 5, please express as ≤ 5 to protect individual identities, no personal information is requested. 4. The total number of social housing properties (council-owned or managed) allocated to all individuals in the highest priority band during each period. Where numbers are less than or equal to 5, please express as ≤ 5 to protect individual identities, no personal information is requested.

    Published: 29 October 2025

  8. Taxi information

    The number of taxis presently licensed with your authority. The number of licensed taxis which have CCTV or camera recording equipment installed. The number of licensed taxis which are licenses allowing them to operate across multiple authority areas. The number of complaints, reports, or issues raised regarding taxis in your authority area for the years 2018 - 2024 (This includes any form of complaint, driver or vehicle)

    Published: 29 October 2025

  9. Planning services

    Please could you answer the following questions related to your planning services.

    Development management

    * How many full-time equivalent planning staff (not including administration staff) do you have on the establishment in your “development management team” or equivalent team?

    * How many full time equivalent vacancies are there currently in your development management team?

    How many temporary staff or consultants are currently employed in your development management (or equivalent) team?

    Planning policy

    * How many full-time equivalent planning staff (not including administration staff) do you have on the establishment in your “planning policy team” or equivalent team?

    * How many full time equivalent vacancies are there currently in your planning policy team.

    How many temporary staff or consultants are currently employed in your planning policy (or equivalent) team?

    Planning enforcement

    * How many full-time equivalent planning staff (not including administration staff) do you have on the establishment in your “planning enforcement team” or equivalent team?

    * How many full time equivalent vacancies are there currently in your planning enforcement team.

    How many temporary staff or consultants are currently employed in your planning enforcement (or equivalent) team?

    Expert planning advisors

    * Does your local council have in-house expert planning advisors to deal with issues such as ecology, heritage and design?

    * Does your local council ever have to access external expert planning advice on such issues as ecology, heritage and design? If so, what areas do you have to request external advice on?

    Entry level planners

    * Do you fund entry level planning staff to undergo university courses or apprenticeships?

    * If yes, how many entry level planners have you provided such funding for in the last 5 years?

    Case loads

    What was the average annual case load that planning officers in your planning enforcement/development management teams were carrying in the financial years a) 2020/21 b) 2022/23 c) 2024/25

    Local Plan

    Does your council have an up to date local plan? If it does, when was it last formally approved?

    Published: 27 October 2025

  10. Noise Complaints

    This is a request for the following information using the FOI Act:

    For the years 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23, 2021/22 and 2020/21 respectively:

    How many noise complaints were received by your council?

    What were the top ten most common noise complaints received each year – broken down into categories?

    For example: dogs barking, construction noise, traffic noise etc.

    For the years above please can you also please reveal how many “abatement notices" were served on the person or persons making the noise?

    Published: 27 October 2025