Environment, Transport, Development
County Hall
Martineau Lane
Norwich
Norfolk NR1 2SG
Tel: 0344 800 8020
Fax: 01603 223219
Textphone: 0344 800 8011
Mr T Behr
Email: [email address]
Sent by email to request-44378-
www.norfolk.gov.uk
[email address]
Please ask for:
Sarah Rhoden
Your ref:
Contact number: 0344 800 8020
My ref:
BSD/SJR/FOI690
23 August 2010
Dear Mr Behr
Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Release of Information
I am writing to confirm that Norfolk County Council has now completed its search for the
information relating to driver improvement schemes that you requested on 12 August.
In accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I have now
processed your request. Each element of your request is shown in
bold below, along with
our response.
A. This is a question relating to your driver improvement schemes offered in place
of a fixed penalty speeding charge, if you have such a scheme. Please could you
provide information relating to:
A1. confirmation of its existence
We confirm that this scheme operates in Norfolk.
A2. cost of participating in this course
£70.
Continued…/
Continuation sheet to: Mr T Behr
Dated : 23 August 2010
-2-
A3. year of inception
The County Council has a contract with Norfolk Police to deliver this course on their
behalf. The contractual arrangement started in June 2008, following a competitive
tendering process. We do not hold any information about the year of inception of this
course, and you may wish to contact Norfolk Police direct to request this information.
A4. details of who administers any such scheme The Driver and Rider Development Team in the County Council’s Casualty Reduction
Section.
A5. details of who delivers the scheme
The Driver and Rider Development Team in the County Council’s Casualty Reduction
Section.
A6. details of how income is distributed, including beneficiaries of any or all
income
The £70 course fee is allocated as follows:-
• £50 – Norfolk County Council
• £15 – Norfolk Police
• £5 – Road Safety Solutions
The County Council uses it’s share of the fee to pay for the administration and operation of
the scheme. Any surplus is retained by the County Council and ring fenced for spend on
casualty reduction measures/schemes/projects in Norfolk. Norfolk Police use their share
of the fee to cover their administration costs.
B. For each accounting year since inception, please provide:
B1. numbers of people participating in the driver improvement scheme each year
including the most recent available figure;
The number of courses delivered to individuals by the County Council is as follows:-
• 1 June 2008 to 31 May 2009 – 7,100
• 1 June 2009 to 31 May 2010 – 10,709
We do not have any information on the number of courses delivered prior to June 2008,
and you may wish to contact Norfolk Police direct to request this information.
B2. an annual breakdown of income;
An annual breakdown of income is provided below
• 1 June 2008 to 31 May 2009 – 7,100 x £70 = £497,000
o Norfolk County Council allocation – 7,100 x £50 = £355,000
o Norfolk Police allocation – 7,100 x £15 = £106,500
o Road Safety Solutions allocation – 7,100 x £5 = £35,500
Continued…/
Continuation sheet to: Mr T Behr
Dated : 23 August 2010
-3-
• 1 June 2009 to 31 May 2010 – 10,709 x £70 = £749,630
o Norfolk County Council allocation – 10,709 x £50 = £535,450
o Norfolk Police allocation – 10,709 x £15 = £160,635
o Road Safety Solutions allocation – 10,709 x £53,545
We do not have any information on income for courses delivered prior to June 2008, and
you may wish to contact Norfolk Police or Road Safety Solutions direct to request this
information.
B3. details of how income is spent or distributed, with annual breakdown;
See A6 and B2 above.
4. confirmation of who receives this income, with details of where this information
is publicly accessible;
See A6 and B2 above.
5. confirmation of where this income appears in the accounts/budgets;
The County Council’s income is shown in the Council’s income and expenditure account
against the ‘Highways, Roads and Transport Services’ heading. The Council publishes it’s
statement of accounts each year on it’s website at
http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Council_and_democracy/Council_tax_and_finance/Statement_o
f_accounts/index.htm
We do not hold any information on where income appears in the accounts/budgets of
Norfolk Police or Road Safety Solutions. You may wish to contact these organisations
direct to request this information.
6. if the council receives all the income, clarification of how the local police service
is compensated for loss of income from fixed penalty fines;
See A6 above.
7. year by year cost of administering and delivering these courses;
In accordance with the FOI Act 2000 this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for this element of
your request. The reason for this refusal is set out below.
8. which department of local administration is responsible for budgets relating to
the driver improvement courses;
The Environment, Transport and Development Department.
9. copies of accounts where driver awareness course revenue and expenditure is
detailed.
In accordance with the FOI Act 2000 this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for this element of
your request. The reason for this refusal is set out below.
Continued…/
Continuation sheet to: Mr T Behr
Dated : 23 August 2010
-4-
Information about why elements of your request are refused Exemption applied – Commercial Interest
Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act provides that “information is exempt
information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the
commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it)”.
Reason why the exemption applies
The County Council currently has a contract with Norfolk Police to provide a driver
improvement scheme. This contract was awarded through a competitive tender process
and is for a fixed term. It is anticipated that Norfolk Police will carry out a further
competitive tender process to award a new contract to provide this service after the current
contract expires. It is also anticipated that the County Council would want to submit a
tender for consideration as part of this process.
On this basis, it is considered that the information you have requested is commercially
sensitive in that release of the information could impact on the Council’s ability to
effectively participate in any future competitive tendering process.
Public Interest Test Reasons
The County Council has concluded that the public interest in maintaining this exemption
outweighs the public interest in disclosure. This decision is based upon the following
reasons:
There is a strong public interest in the County Council being able to submit a competitive
tender for any future driver improvement schemes. Such schemes can form an integral
part of our casualty reduction remit and also bring revenue into the council.
The details being withheld would be key factors in the pricing of any future bid we submit.
Releasing these into the public domain would allow competitors to gain an insight into how
we may price a future bid, consequently placing us at a disadvantage in the procurement
process. This would not be in the public interest and the consequences of releasing this
specific data in this case therefore outweigh the general public interest in knowing details
of the council’s expenditure and operations.
You have the right of appeal through the Council's internal complaints procedure by setting
out the grounds of your appeal in writing to the Freedom of Information Officer at:
Freedom of Information & Data Protection Unit
The Archive Centre
Martineau Lane
Norwich NR1 2DQ
e-mail: [Norfolk County Council request email]
Telephone: 01603 222661
Continuation sheet to: Mr T Behr
Dated : 23 August 2010
-5-
It would be helpful if you could quote the reference number
FOI 690 if you need to contact
us again.
Yours sincerely
Support Manager
Encl
