FOI release

Freedom of Information Request – Jaden Francois-Esprit Legacy Fund

Case reference FOI2026/00741

Received 26 June 2026

Published 30 July 2026

Request

Please find attached my Freedom of Information request concerning the creation, funding, governance, operation and implementation of the Jaden Francois-Esprit Legacy Fund. I would be grateful if you could acknowledge safe receipt of this request and provide a reference number for your records. Requested information 1) Creation and approval of the fund Please provide: 1. The date on which the Jaden Francois-Esprit Legacy Fund was first proposed, discussed, drafted, or otherwise recorded internally. 2. The date on which the fund was formally approved. 3. Copies of any business case, proposal, briefing paper, decision paper, approval paper, meeting note, minute, submission, or internal recommendation relating to the creation of the fund. 4. The names and job titles of the individual(s), department(s), board(s), panel(s), or committee(s) who proposed, reviewed, approved, or signed off the fund. 2) Purpose and operating model Please provide: 5. Any document setting out the purpose, objectives, intended outcomes, scope, structure, or terms of reference of the Jaden Francois-Esprit Legacy Fund. 6. Any document explaining what the fund is in practical terms, including whether it is: • a cash award; • bursary; • training or development fund; • wellbeing support fund; • recognition award; • grant; • scholarship; • or any other form of initiative. 7. Any document setting out how the fund is intended to operate in practice, including what is awarded, how often, to whom, and on what basis. 3) Funding and financial information Please provide: 8. The source of funding for the Jaden Francois-Esprit Legacy Fund. 9. The amount of money allocated to the fund, whether as a one-off amount or recurring annual budget. 10. Any document showing the budget line, cost centre, internal funding approval, or financial authorisation for the fund. 11. Any document showing whether the fund is financed through: • London Fire Brigade core budget; • staff wellbeing budget; • training or development budget; • donations; • sponsorship; • charitable contribution; • external funding; • or any other source. 12. Any document showing the expected annual cost of the fund and/or any planned review of its financial sustainability. 4) Launch and implementation Please provide: 13. The date on which the fund was launched or first publicly announced internally or externally. 14. Copies of any launch briefings, internal communications, intranet articles, news items, staff communications, Yammer/Viva Engage posts, press lines, press releases, Q&A documents, or communications plans relating to the launch of the fund. 15. Copies of any event notes, launch briefings, internal launch plans, run sheets, presentation notes, or speaking notes connected to the launch of the fund. 16. Copies of any photographs, captions, event notes, or event briefings connected to the formal launch of the fund, insofar as disclosable under FOIA. 5) Eligibility, selection and governance Please provide: 17. Any document setting out the eligibility criteria, nomination criteria, assessment criteria, application process, or qualifying conditions** for the fund. 18. Any document setting out how recipients are selected, including any scoring criteria, selection criteria, panel composition, judging arrangements, or decision-making process. 19. The names and job titles of those appointed to any selection panel, judging panel, oversight group, governance group, or review panel for the fund. 20. Any policy, guidance, internal note, or governance document setting out how the fund is administered, monitored, or reviewed year to year. 21. Any document showing whether the fund is intended to be permanent, time-limited, subject to annual review, or contingent on future funding/approval. 6) Family involvement and governance It is understood that Jaden Francois-Esprit’s family have been involved in and have signed off on the fund. Please therefore provide: 22. Any recorded information showing the agreed role, scope of involvement, or terms of participation of Jaden Francois-Esprit’s family in relation to the fund, including any role in: • approving the concept or structure of the fund; • shaping its purpose or criteria; • selection or judging; • presentation or launch; • ongoing governance, review, or oversight. 23. Copies of any briefing notes, meeting notes, decision records, or internal correspondence recording the family’s involvement in the design, approval, launch, or operation of the fund. 24. Any recorded information showing what elements of the fund were approved, amended, endorsed, or commented on by the family, including the fund’s: • name; • purpose; • format; • eligibility criteria; • launch arrangements; • associated public communications; • or ongoing operation. 25. Any recorded information showing whether the family hold, or were offered, any continuing role in the annual operation, oversight, judging, presentation, or review of the fund. 7) Rationale, context and linkage to wider organisational response Please provide: 26. Any document, note, briefing, submission, or internal correspondence setting out the rationale for establishing the Jaden Francois-Esprit Legacy Fund, including the specific problem, objective, or organisational purpose it was intended to address. 27. Any recorded information linking the creation, launch, or communication of the fund to: • the death of Jaden Francois-Esprit; • the Brigade’s response to the inquest findings; • the Commissioner’s apology letter dated 19 December 2024; • the Independent Culture Review and/or related culture work; • firefighter or trainee wellbeing initiatives; • reputational, communications, stakeholder, or community engagement considerations. 28. Any internal communications or briefing documents discussing the fund as part of the Brigade’s response, legacy, reform, culture, wellbeing, or public communications strategy following Jaden Francois-Esprit’s death and the subsequent scrutiny of the organisation. 8) Search parameters / if information is withheld If any part of this request is refused or redacted, please: 29. Identify which exemption(s) are being relied upon in each instance. 30. Provide the public interest reasoning where a qualified exemption is applied. 31. Confirm, for each withheld item, the date of the document, author/sender, recipient, and a short description of the document withheld, insofar as this can be done without disclosing exempt material. 32. If any part of the request is considered too broad, please treat this email as a request for advice and assistance under section 16 FOIA, and identify the specific part said to engage section 12 before refusing the request in full. Timeframe For the avoidance of doubt, this request covers recorded information held from 1 January 2024 to the date of your searches, insofar as it relates to the Jaden Francois-Esprit Legacy Fund.

Response

The LFB has applied Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request where the cost of doing so would exceed the appropriate limit. For the London Fire Brigade, that limit is £450, equivalent to 18 hours of work at the statutory rate of £25 per hour.

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is London Fire Brigade's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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