FOI 621/25

Original request (552/25)

 

1. As of April 6, 2025, how many individuals are subject to signing the Sex Offenders Register ("subject to Notification Requirements") under the Sexual Offences Act in your force area?

 

2. Of these individuals, how many are subject to indefinite Notification Requirements?

 

3. Over the last three financial years (up until April 6, 2025), how many applications did the force receive from individuals to end an indefinite Notification Requirement?

 

4. Over the last three financial years (up until April 6, 2025), of the applications received to end an indefinite Notification Requirement, how many did the force approve?

 

Request for internal review

 

The DPO has advised that they believe this request would exceed the cost limit, as records would have to be manually reviewed to ascertain whether or not a notification requirement was indefinite. However, I do not agree that this is the case, and this seems to be supported by the fact that more than 10 other police forces within the UK, some with a significantly larger population of offenders managed than South Wales Police, have been able to provide the requested information from this identical FOI request.

 

Therefore, I believe that the exemption has been incorrectly applied in this case - perhaps by a way of mistake with regards to software capabilities - and it is my belief that this information is held by the police force and could be accessed within the cost limit, and therefore I'd ask the reviewing officer to disclose this information.

 

RESPONSE

 

Part VI of the Section 45 Code of Practice places a duty on public authorities to implement a complaints process to ensure that applicants are able to request an internal review if they are not content with an authority response.

 

An internal review has been conducted in a fair and impartial manner and after consultation with our Public Protection Department and the ViSOR team, I can provide our revised response below:

 

Question 1

 

As of the 6^th April 2025 there are 2109 subjects in the community subject to notification requirements.

 

Question 2

 

There are 962 nominal records returned subject to indefinite notification requirements. This figure includes those which are in active and reactive management.

Question 3

 

Over the last three financial years the force received 28 applications to end indefinite notification requirements.

 

Question 4

 

Over the last three financial years the force approved 10 of those 28 applications and a total of 15 (which would account for applications ongoing from before the parameters given)

 

South Wales Police is committed to protecting the public from sexual and violent offenders. We have strong partnerships that provide a robust multi agency approach to public protection. We remain focussed on ensuring that we maintain our force mission of keeping South Wales Safe.