FOI disclosure log

Dear ***** ***** M*****ik

 

Re: Freedom of Information Request.

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  We would like to offer our sincere apologies for the delay in responding to your enquiry. Your request has been considered and our response is in bold below.

 

You requested the following: 
Please provide figures for the number of complaints needed by Hackney Council Trading Standards before taking action against harmful business practices to safeguard the Public. Please provide figures for the number of complaints needed by Hackney Council Environment***** He*****th before taking action against harmful business practices to safeguard the Public. Please provide figures for the number of complaints needed by Hackney Council Planning Enforcement before taking action against harmful business practices to safeguard the Public. Please provide figures for the number of complaints received by Hackney Council Trading Standards, Environment***** He*****th and Planning Enforcement in relation to the activities of BETHEAIR LTD or any of its employees. Please provide details of any planned multi agency response to the problems caused by the business activities of BETHEAIR LTD to include steps taken to shut down unlicensed HMO properties in cooperation with other London Boroughs, steps taken over the cold c*****ling tactics, lack of He*****th and Safety necessities as well lack of necessary insurance needed by BETHEAIR LTD to employ people. Please provide details of the Police Liaison Officer attached to your Trading Standards department.

 

The Council’s Response

1. Please provide figures for the number of complaints needed by Hackney Council Trading Standards before taking action against harmful business practices to safeguard the Public. 

The Trading Standards Service is authorised to enforce the provisions of certain pieces of consumer related legislation and only investigates *****leged crimin***** breaches of the law.  Such investigations are not dependant on the number of complaints received by this service and as such, only one complaint may be required. 

Any action against a business for ‘harmful business practices’ would depend on the nature of this practice and whether any *****leged offences f*****l within the pieces of legislation enforced by Trading Standards.

 

2. Please provide figures for the number of complaints needed by Hackney Council Environment***** He*****th before taking action against harmful business practices to safeguard the Public. 

The Environment***** He*****th Team does not require a minimum number of complaints to investigate a business and often a single complaint would be sufficient to prompt an investigation, providing that the matter f*****ls within the jurisdiction of the team to investigate. 

3. Please provide figures for the number of complaints needed by Hackney Council Planning Enforcement before taking action against harmful business practices to safeguard the Public. 

The Planning Enforcement Team investigates breaches of planning control rather than "harmful business practices" *****though the latter could comprise the former in certain cases. Investigations typic*****ly require just a single complaint. Form***** enforcement action however, is only taken where the unauthorised development is contrary to the policies contained within the Hackney Development Plan, or where planning conditions are necessary for the ongoing activity to be acceptable.  

4. Please provide figures for the number of complaints received by Hackney Council Trading Standards, Environment***** He*****th and Planning Enforcement in relation to the activities of BETHEAIR LTD or any of its employees. 

No complaints have been received from the Planning Enforcement Team - Complaints are submitted regarding named addresses rather than businesses.

The Trading Standards Service received 7 complaints about BETHEAIR Limited, 7 of which are from the same individu*****. 

5. Please provide details of any planned multi agency response to the problems caused by the business activities of BETHEAIR LTD to include steps taken to shut down unlicensed HMO properties in cooperation with other London Boroughs, steps taken over the cold c*****ling tactics, lack of He*****th and Safety necessities as well lack of necessary insurance needed by BETHEAIR LTD to employ people. 

The information requested is not typic*****ly stored in this manner. To the knowledge of the Planning Enforcement Team Leader - no planned multi-agency response is planned.

6. Please provide details of the Police Liaison Officer attached to your Trading Standards department.  

The Trading Standards Service does not have a Police liaison Officer.  

 

Appe*****s & Complaints Procedure

If you are dissatisfied with this response and wish to appe*****, please write to the Information Management Team and this will be de*****t with through our Intern***** Review procedure.

Information Management Team - Governance

London Borough of Hackney

Hackney Service Centre

1 Hillman Street

London E8 1DY

[email protected]

 

Your request for an intern***** review should be submitted to us within 40 working days of receipt by you of this response. Any such request received after this time will only be considered at the discretion of the Council.

 

If you are still not satisfied following the Intern***** Review, you have a right to appe***** to the Information Commissioner at the contact details provided below.

 

Information Commissioner"s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF 

Telephone: 01625 545 700

www.ico.org.uk

 

Yours sincerely

 

Information Management Team

ICT Services
London Borough of Hackney