L. Lluva 
 
   London Development Agency
 
Palestra 
 
197 Blackfriars Road
 
London SE1 8AA
[FOI #23184 email] 
T 020 7593 8000
 
F 0207593 8002
www.lda.gov.uk
[LDA request email]
 
 
        Textphone 020 7593 8001
24 May 2010 
 
FOI 440 Internal Review 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dear L. Lluva, 
 
I am writing further to our letter of 12 May 2010 regarding the Internal Review of our response 
to FOI 440 and to update you on what progress has been achieved to date. 
  
Please note that in addition to having located, printed, indexed and collated the information 
we hold relevant to your request we have now reviewed the information held, that is, minutes, 
papers and summary reports relating to the Olympic Delivery Committee (ODC) meetings 
which were produced in 2007. In reviewing this information we have considered whether any 
of the information is exempt from disclosure, including applying the public interest test and 
consulting third parties in instances where commercially sensitive information is included in 
the material, often provided under confidentiality clauses. 
 
Due to the volume of information held, to date we have been able to complete this exercise 
for the documents relating to 2007 only. We will continue to review and consider the 
information held pertaining to other years, which will follow in due course.   
 
We have provided below 2 tables listing the following information: 
 
1. Information held and provided: 
A list of documents provided, including date of meeting, document reference number and 
description, the nature of any information that has been redacted from each document 
and the exemption which applies to these redactions. Further information regarding the 
application of exemptions is provided subsequent to the tables. 
 
2. Information withheld 
A list of documents that are being withheld in full and the exemption which has been 
applied. 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Information Held and Provided: 
 
Date 
New 
Document Description 
Redactions  
Section  
 
Document 
(N/A = no 

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Reference  
redactions) 
 
07/03/07 
3694961 
Agenda of meeting 07/03/07 
Names 
S40 
 
3695242 
Minutes of meeting 11/12/06 
Names 
S40 
 
3695267 
Action Sheet of 11/12/06 
Names 
S40 
 
3702074 
Item 6.1 Health and Safety Report 
Names 
S40 
 
3702112 
Item 6.2 Olympic Land Team – 
Names 
 
Progress Update Report 
 
3702370 
Item 6.2 Appendix 1 
Names 
 
Figures  
Legal Advice 
 
3702447 
Item 6.2 Appendix 2 
N/A 
 
 
3702450 
Item 6.2 Appendix 3 
Names 
S40 
 
3702465 
Item 6.2 Appendix 4 
N/A 
 
 
3702512 
Item 6.2 Appendix 5 
Names 
S40 
 
3702682 
Item 6.2 Appendix 6 
Names 
S40 
 
3702693 
Item 6.2 Appendix 7 
N/A 
 
 
3702708 
Item 6.2 Appendix 8 
Names 
S40 
 
3702745 
Item 6.2 Appendix 9 
Names 
S40 
 
3702806 
Item 6.2 Appendix 10 
Names 
S40 
 
3703947 
Item 7.1 Acquisition of the Freehold of 
N/A 
 
30 Marshgate Lane and Relocation of 
PA Finlay & Co. 
 
 3703978 
Item 7.1 Appendix 1 
N/A 
 
 
3703987 
Item 7.1 Appendix 2 
N/A 
 
 
3704132 
Item 7.1 Appendix 3 
Names 
S40 
 
3704233 
Item 7.1 Appendix 4 
Names of 
S43 
companies, 
status of 
acquisition 
and figures  
 
3704760 
Item 7.2 Authorisation of Statutory 
Names S40 
Compensation Payments Following 
Confirmation of CPO by Secretary of 
State 
 
3704773 
Item 7.2 Appendix 1 
N/A 
 
 
3704776 
Item 7.2 Appendices 2,3,4 
Names of 
S43 
companies, 
status of 
acquisition 
and figures  
 
3704852 
Item 8.1 Update on Novation of 
Names 
S40 
Olympic Contracts 
Figures  
S43 
 
3704853 
Item 8.1 Appendix 1 
Names of 
S43 
companies, 
status of 
acquisition 
and figures  
 
3704859 
Item 8.2 Olympic Legacy – 
Names S40 
Commitment to Sustainable 
Regeneration (CSR) 
 
3704864 
Item 8.2 Appendix 1 
N/A 
 
09/07/07 
3706510 
Agenda of meeting 09/07/07 
Names 
S40 
 
3705415 
Minutes of meeting 07/03/07 
Names 
S40 
 
3705428 
Action Sheet of meeting 09/05/07 
Names 
S40 
 
3705433 
Item 6.1 Health and Safety Report 
Names 
S40 
 
6705624 
Item 6.1 Appendix 1  
Names 
S40 
 
3705630 
Item 6.1 Appendix 2 
N/A 
 
 
3705693 
Item 6.3 Olympic Opportunities – 
Names S40 
Update Report 

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3705701 
Item 6.3 Appendix 1 
N/A 
 
 
3705721 
Item 6.4 Revised Terms of Reference 
Names S40 
of the Olympic Delivery 
 
3705744 
Item 6.4 Appendix 1 
N/A 
 
 
3705776 
Item 7.1 Report Back on Olympic 
N/A 
 
Land Transactions 
10/10/07 
3706733 
Agenda of meeting 10/10/07 
Names 
S40 
 
3706947 
Item 4.1 Powerlines Undergrounding 
Legal Advice 
S42 
Compulsory Purchase Order (No.2) 
 
3706950 
Item 4.1 Appendix 1 
N/A 
 
 
3706972 
Item 4.1 Appendix 2 
Names 
S40 
 
3706982 
Item 4.1 Appendix 3 
Names 
S40 
 
3706986 
Item 4.1 Appendix 4 
 
 
 
3706809 
Item 4.2 Olympic Park Energy Centre 
Names S40 
and Community Energy Networks 
(EC&CEN) CHP System 
 
3707048 
Item 4.2 Appendix 3 
Names 
S40 
 
3707234 
Item 5.1 Olympic Land Team Progress  Names 
S40 
Report 
Figures  
S43 
22/11/07 
3707688 
Agenda of meeting 22/11/07 
Names 
S40 
 
3707722 
Minutes of meeting 09/07/07 
Names 
S40 
Legal advice 
S42 
 
3707737 
Minutes of meeting 10/10/07 
Names 
S40 
 
3707773 
Action sheet of meeting 22/11/07 
Names 
S40 
 
3707821 
Item 06 Olympic Legacy Directorate 
Names S40 
Progress Report 
 
3707893 
Item 06 Appendix 1 
Names 
S40 
 
3707903 
Item 06 Appendix 2 
Figures  
S43 
 
3708181 
Item 7 IBC/MPC 
Names 
S40 
 
3708316 
Item 7 Appendix 1 
N/A 
 
 
3710876 
Item 8 Legacy Masterplanning 
Names 
S40 
Framework: Appointment of 
Figures  
S43 
masterplanning team 
 
3710981 
Item 8 Appendix 1 
N/A 
 
 
3711017 
Item 8 Appendix 2 (part 2) 
Names 
S40 
 
3711942 
Item 8 Appendix 2 (part 2) 
N/A 
 
Board 
3681818 
Item 4.1 Summary Report of the ODC 
Names  
S40 
Report 
meeting 09/07/07  
19/07/07 
 
3682509 
Item 4.1 Appendix 1  
Names  
S40 
 
3682633 
Item 4.1 Appendix 2 
N/A 
 
 
2. Information Withheld 
 
Meeting 
Document Description 
Section  
Date 
10/10/07 
Item 4.2 Appendix 1 Ernst & Young Multi-Utility Concession 
S43 
Contract Procurement (commercial and financial review of Utilities 
Concession) 
 
Item 4.2 Appendix 2 Arup Economic Regulation of the Community 
S43 
Energy Scheme 
 
Item 4.2 Appendix 4 Legal Advice 
S42 
 
Application of Exemptions 
 
Under Section 2 of the Freedom of Information Act, the duty of a public authority to give 
access to information does not apply in respect of information which is exempt under the Act, 
applying the public interest balance, where necessary, to the application of the exemption. 
 
You will note that we have applied the following exemptions to the information requested: 

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Section 40 
Section 40 of the Act exempts personal data about a third party from disclosure if the 
disclosure would: 
 
•  breach any of the Data Protection Principles under the Data Protection Act; or 
•  cause (or would be likely to cause) substantial distress to the individual concerned. 
 
The First Data Principle requires that disclosure of personal data under the Freedom of 
Information Act must be fair. We consider the names of staff below the level of Director and 
those of third parties to be exempt from disclosure on the basis that: 
 
•  the information is personal data; 
•  disclosure of the information would be unfair to the person concerned and therefore in 
breach of the Data Protection Principles. 
 
We therefore consider that this constitutes personal data exempt from disclosure under the 
Freedom of Information Act. We have therefore redacted from the documents the names of 
staff below the level of Director or equivalent and those of any third parties. 
 
Section 42 
Section 42 of the Act exempts information that is protected by legal professional privilege, that 
is, information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained 
in legal proceedings.  
 
Legal professional privilege covers communications between lawyers and their clients (in this 
case the London Development Agency) for the dominant purposes of seeking or gaining legal 
advice and of obtaining legal advice on litigation or for lawyers to use in preparing a case. We 
have identified information which falls within this exemption, but Section 42 is a qualified 
exemption and as such is subject to the public interest test. We believe that the public interest 
in withholding this information outweighs the public interest in disclosing this information as 
the LDA commonly encounters complex issues upon which it may need to seek specialist 
legal advice. It is important that the LDA has access to full and frank legal advice and that any 
such advice obtained will be protected by legal privilege. The LDA must have the freedom to 
ask for advice in this manner and lawyers must be able to openly provide such advice with the 
knowledge that it is safeguarded. This right to take and consider legal advice is important to 
ensure the LDA can meet its legal obligations and duties and balance their complex 
demands, which must be in the greater public interest. 
 
We have therefore redacted information and in some cases withheld documents in their 
entirety which are protected by legal professional privilege and are therefore exempt under 
S42 of the Act.     
 
Section 43(2) 
Section 43(2) of the Act exempts information from disclosure if disclosure under the Act 
would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the 
public authority holding it).  
 
We consider that this exemption is relevant to some information incorporated within the 
documents requested, as shown above. This information relates to: 
 
•  contracts extant and still subject to negotiation; 
•  details of payments in relation to settlements still subject to negotiation 
• financial 
accounts; 
•  details of estimated figures relating to the value of land and property.  
•  Breakdown of project costs 
 
In general terms, if the redacted information were released to the public it would in our view 
be likely to either:  
 

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•  Weaken the commercial position of the LDA in situations involving negotiation of 
contracts and the sale of property in a competitive market, by revealing details of the 
negotiating and financial positions of the LDA, which could be of advantage to a third 
party when negotiating both ongoing and future contracts or sales.   
•  Detrimentally impact on the commercial position of businesses covered by the 
information because competitors would become privy to information, such as the 
finances and working practices of the businesses, to which they otherwise would not 
have access. 
•  Damage the Agency’s business reputation and the confidence that customers, 
suppliers and contracting parties may have in submitting tender proposals to the 
Agency.  
 
The exemption of prejudice to commercial interest is a qualified exemption. This means that 
we are required to consider whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in 
maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. We 
consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption in respect of each piece of 
redacted information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information because: 
 
•  there is a strong likelihood that commercial prejudice will be suffered by the LDA or 
third parties, as summarised above.  
•  disclosure of the information may prevent third parties from providing the LDA with 
information relating to procurement opportunities in the future, thus undermining the 
ability of the LDA to perform its functions 
 
We are therefore unable to communicate the exempt information to you and as such it has 
been redacted from the attached documents.  
 
Please accept our apologies that we have been unable to provide the information in full to 
date, but please be assured that we are doing everything possible to provide the requested 
information as soon as is reasonably possible. 
 
If you have any queries in the meantime please do not hesitate to contact us. 
  
Yours sincerely, 
 
 
 
Public Liaison Unit 
London Development Agency                       
 
 
 
 
                                                                                   
 

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Document Outline

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