My Ref: FS/TA/RHZ/FOI-378

Your Ref:

Date 8 July 2009

Ms Anne Greagsby

What do they know about us

By email to: [email address]

Dear Ms Greagsby,

Request for Information under Freedom of Information Act 2000

I refer to your request received on 29 June, which has been passed to me for attention. This asked for the following information:

How much does Cardiff Council spend on bottled water?

Unfortunately, our accounts do not differentiate between payments for bottled water and payments for other supplies. The information is shown on individual invoices, etc. but, given the number of transactions that take place over the course of a year, we cannot, within a reasonable time, access and examine each individual document to see if it relates to bottled water or to some other supply. Therefore, I am unable to answer your question.

I can say that the Council's main supplier of bottled water is TRM Trading Limited (Pen-y-ffin Water) and that during the year to 31 March 2009, we made payments totalling £35,377 to them. This includes provision and maintenance of cooling and dispense units as well as purchase of the water itself.

Please note that the council is converting from the use of bottled water to mains fed systems, and that the historical information supplied may not represent the present position.

In addition, the Council bought bottled water for resale in bars, restaurants and cafeterias we run in leisure centres, etc. and in staff canteens. Again, I am afraid I cannot tell you the expenditure on this as we do not itemise separately in our accounts expenditure on bottled water as opposed to other items for resale.

We supply this information based upon your original request. If this is not what you wanted or you feel we have not fully understood your request, please do not hesitate to contact me to clarify your exact requirements.

If you have any concerns or are in any way dissatisfied with the handling of your request, please contact Information Management Services, Room 111, County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, CF1 4UW.

You can find out more about the Freedom of Information Act from the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office (Wales)
Cambrian Buildings
Mount Stuart Square
Cardiff
CF10 5FL

http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=33

Telephone: 029 2044 8044

Fax: 029 2044 8045

Email: [email address]

Yours sincerely,

Rick Zaple

for City and County Treasurer

PLEASE REPLY TO: Technical Accountancy, Room 348, County Hall, Cardiff, CF10 4UW. Telephone 029 2087 2324. Fax 029 2087 2205. Email [email address]