Castle Rushen High School saga

Summary

A request was made for correspondence between government departments regarding housing development on the Castle Rushen High School site and its impact on Castletown. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded that they do not hold the requested information.

Key Facts

• The request covered correspondence from 1st January 2023 onwards.
• The information sought related to housing growth and economic impact on Castletown via the CRHS site.
• The Department of Education, Sport and Culture confirmed they do not hold the information.
• The requester was advised to contact the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.
• The case reference number is 4411213.

Data Disclosed

• 1st January 2023
• 30 January 2025
• 24th February 2025
• 4411213
• IM4 3AS
• (01624) 685808

Original Request

From 1st January 2023, provide a copy of all correspondence between the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and Department of Enterprise and DESC and Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture relating to the potential impact on Castletown in relation to housing growth and town centre economic impact by enabling access to future housing through the CRHS site and potential housing development on the existing school site.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St Johns IM4 3AS

Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im

Our ref: 4411213 24th February 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request received 30 January 2025, which states:

"From 1st January 2023, provide a copy of all correspondence between the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and Department of Enterprise and Department of Education, Sport and Culture and Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture relating to the potential impact on Castletown in relation to housing growth and town centre economic impact by enabling access to future housing through the CRHS site and potential housing development on the existing school site."

Our response to your request is as follows:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested.

By way of advice and assistance you may wish to submit a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture who may be able to assist you.

Please quote the reference number 4411213 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.