Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. We can confirm that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service does hold some of the information you have requested.
Please see below the answers to your request.
Questions and final response:
1. Has your fire authority made any exit payments (also variously known as severance payments, redundancy payments and payoffs) to any individual, either within the local FRS or the authority itself, totalling more than £100,000 in 2018-19, 2019-20 or the current financial year to November 1st?
2. If so, please provide details e.g., 1 chief fire officer, received £150,000 in October 2020.
I can confirm that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service does hold this information. I consider the information exempt from disclosure to you under Section 41 of the Act - Information provided in confidence.
Section 41(1) Information Provided in Confidence - provides that information is exempt information if:
(a) it was obtained by the public authority from any other person (including another public authority), and
(b) the disclosure of the information to the public (otherwise than under this Act) by the public authority holding it would constitute a breach of confidence actionable by that or any other person.
The exemption is an absolute exemption and therefore this is a refusal notice in respect of your request.