Budget Cuts

Dear Mr. Jones,

I write in connection with your application for information which was
received by Merseyside Police on 07/11/2011. I note that you seek access to
the following information:

(Paraphrased) Information relating to the Force strategic options project.

This is to inform you that I can not identify any specific records /
documents that will satisfy your request based on the details you have
provided. To enable Merseyside Police to meet your request could you please
provide this office with further information. I provide some guidance that
may assist you more clearly to describe the information you require:

Application 3. The date 31st October does not have a year shown. Could you
please provide the year that you refer to?

Application 12. There is a reference to police staff posts being
advertised. Does the term refer to internal or external advertisement?

Application 16. This application is not compliant with the provisions of
section 8 Freedom of Information Act, 2000, as it does not seek information
held.
To answer the application requires data to be created and that is not a
requirement of the Act.

In relation to application, may I suggest that the application is altered
to, 'Please supply a copy of the current police staff pay grades for all
grades including senior management grades?' You could also amend
application 13 (Please note there are two applications numbered 13 and this
comment refers to the second application), to, ' How many new police staff
post have been created as part of the Strategic Options Project Budget Cuts
Project? Please show the number of post created and the grades of those
posts?

The above amendments to your application would permit you to perform the
calculation needed for the existing application 16.

After receiving your reply, your request will then be considered and you
will receive the information requested within the statutory time scale of
20 working days as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject
to the information not being exempt or containing reference to a third
party.

However, if the requested information has not been received by one month
after the above date, the Force will consider that you no longer wish to
proceed with this request and it will be treated as withdrawn.

There may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collection and provision of
the information you request. If this is the case you will be informed and
the 20 working day time scale will be suspended until we receive the
payment from you. If you chose not to make a payment then your request will
remain unanswered.

Yours faithfully,

D Jackson
Disclosure Analyst
Merseyside Police
Information Bureau
Disclosure Unit
PO BOX 59
LIVERPOOL
L69 1JD

============================================================
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.

If you have received this email in error please notify the sender as soon
as possible.

This footnote confirms that all reasonable steps have been taken to
ensure that this email message has been swept for the presence of
computer viruses.

The views expressed in this communication may not necessarily be the
views of Merseyside Police.

All communications, including telephone calls and electronic messages to
and from Merseyside Police may be subject to monitoring and recording.
============================================================

Dear Mr. Jones,

Reference No : DJ 175-11 (please quote in all correspondence)

Thank you for your application for information dated 17/11/2011, received by Merseyside Police on 18/11/2011. I note
that your are seeking information relating to:

(paraphrased) : The strategic options project and revised application numbered 1 to 14.

Your request will be dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and will now be considered.
You will receive a response within the statutory time-scale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject to the
information not being exempt nor containing a reference to a third party. In the event that we are not able to
achieve this deadline you will be informed at the earliest opportunity and given a revised time-scale.

There may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and provision of the information you have requested. If this
is the case you will be informed and the 20 working day time scale will be suspended until we receive payment from
you.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transfer to another public authority in order to answer your
query in the fullest possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

In respect of your first paragraph, I believe that you have misunderstood the information in the suspension notice,
which did not state that the Force did not hold information, but stated that specific records could not be
identified and sought clarification of your application. I thank you for the clarified applications.

Yours faithfully,

D. Jackson
Disclosure Analyst
Merseyside Police
Information Bureau
Disclosure Unit
PO Box 59,
LIVERPOOL L69 1JD
Fax: 0151 777 7099
Email : [Merseyside Police request email]

============================================================
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.

If you have received this email in error please notify the sender as soon
as possible.

This footnote confirms that all reasonable steps have been taken to
ensure that this email message has been swept for the presence of
computer viruses.

The views expressed in this communication may not necessarily be the
views of Merseyside Police.

All communications, including telephone calls and electronic messages to
and from Merseyside Police may be subject to monitoring and recording.
============================================================

Your Ref:

Our Ref: DJ 175-11

Dear Applicant,

I write in connection with your request for information, received by
Merseyside Police on 18/11/2011, concerning:

(summary of request) Information in relation to Force re-organisation and
budget reduction.

The public interest in providing a response to you is currently under
consideration.

The FOI Act obliges the Force to respond to requests promptly and in any
case no later than 20 working days after receiving your request. The
decision maker must consider firstly whether the Force can comply with
section 1(1)(a) of the Act, which is our duty to confirm whether or not the
information requested is held and secondly we must comply with section 1
(1)(b), which is the provision of such information. However, when a
qualified exemption applies either to the confirmation or denial that
information is held or the disclosure of information, the public interest
is engaged. The Act then allows the time for response to be longer than 20
working days, if the balance of such public interest is undetermined.

In this case the decision maker has not yet reached a decision on where the
balance of the public interest lies in respect of the above obligations.
It is estimated that is will take an extra 12 working days to take a
decision on where this balance lies. Therefore the Force plans to let you
have a response by 06/01/2012. If it appears that it will take longer
than this to reach a conclusion, you will be kept informed.

The specific exemption(s) which apply in relation to your request is/are;

Sections 21 and 22, Freedom of Information Act, 2000, which relate to the
publication of data, which is available and is held for future publication.
Information in relation to this subject matter is reported to the Police
Authority and is then published. Consideration is currently being given to
whether information in the format requested will thus be freely available.
The fact that the exemptions are being considered, should not be taken to
mean that the public interest will be determined to exempt the information
under the provisions identified.

The public interest test is currently taking place. Therefore, this email
acts as a refusal notice under Section 17* in that it informs you that it;

confirms that a response will not be provided within 20 working days,
provides the exemptions presently under consideration and
states (if that would otherwise be apparent) why the exemptions may
apply following public interest considerations.

*(non-provision of a response within the 20 working days as prescribed by
the Act constitutes a refusal).

As stated above it is the intention of the Force to provide you with a
respond to your application by the date stated.

Complaint information

If you are dissatisfied with the results of your application you have the
right to an internal review by writing to the

Information Governance Manager,
Merseyside Police
PO Box 59
LIVERPOOL
L69 1JD

or you may seek to appeal to the Information Commissioner who can be
contacted at:

The Office of the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
WILMSLOW
SK9 5AF

More information is available from the Information Commissioner's website

http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom...

I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Yours faithfully

D Jackson
Disclosure Analyst
Information Bureau
Merseyside Police
PO BOX 59
LIVERPOOL L69 1JD
Fax: 0151 777 7099
E-mail: [Merseyside Police request email]

============================================================
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.

If you have received this email in error please notify the sender as soon
as possible.

This footnote confirms that all reasonable steps have been taken to
ensure that this email message has been swept for the presence of
computer viruses.

The views expressed in this communication may not necessarily be the
views of Merseyside Police.

All communications, including telephone calls and electronic messages to
and from Merseyside Police may be subject to monitoring and recording.
============================================================

Subject Extension Notice - FOI Application - DJ 175/11

Your Ref:

Our Ref: DJ 175-11

Dear Applicant,

I write in connection with your request for information, received by
Merseyside Police on
18/11/2011, concerning:

(summary of request) Information in relation to Force re-organisation and
budget reduction.

The public interest in providing a response to you is currently under
consideration.

The FOI Act obliges the Force to respond to requests promptly and in any
case no later than 20
working days after receiving your request. The decision maker must consider
firstly whether the
Force can comply with section 1(1)(a) of the Act, which is our duty to
confirm whether or not the
information requested is held and secondly we must comply with section 1
(1)(b), which is the
provision of such information. However, when a qualified exemption applies
either to the
confirmation or denial that information is held or the disclosure of
information, the public
interest is engaged. The Act then allows the time for response to be longer
than 20 working days,
if the balance of such public interest is undetermined.

In this case the decision maker has not yet reached a decision on where the
balance of the public
interest lies in respect of the above obligations. It is estimated that is
will take an extra nine
working days to take a decision on where this balance lies. Therefore the
Force plans to let you
have a response by 19/01/2012. If it appears that it will take longer
than this to reach a
conclusion, you will be kept informed.

The specific exemption(s) which apply in relation to your request is/are;

Sections 21 and 22, Freedom of Information Act, 2000, which relate to the
publication of data,
which is available and is held for future publication. Information in
relation to this subject
matter is reported to the Police Authority and is then published.
Consideration is currently being
given to whether information in the format requested will thus be freely
available. The fact that
the exemptions are being considered, should not be taken to mean that the
public interest will be
determined to exempt the information under the provisions identified.

The public interest test is currently taking place. Therefore, this email
acts as a refusal notice
under Section 17* in that it informs you that it;

confirms that a response will not be provided within 20 working days,
provides the exemptions presently under consideration and
states (if that would otherwise be apparent) why the exemptions may apply
following public
interest considerations.

*(non-provision of a response within the 20 working days as prescribed by
the Act constitutes a
refusal).

As stated above it is the intention of the Force to provide you with a
respond to your
application by the date stated.

Complaint information

If you are dissatisfied with the results of your application you have the
right to an internal
review by writing to the

Information Governance Manager,
Merseyside Police
PO Box 59
LIVERPOOL
L69 1JD

or you may seek to appeal to the Information Commissioner who can be
contacted at:

The Office of the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
WILMSLOW
SK9 5AF

More information is available from the Information Commissioner's website

http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom...

I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Yours faithfully

D Jackson
Disclosure Analyst
Information Bureau
Merseyside Police
PO BOX 59
LIVERPOOL L69 1JD
Fax: 0151 777 7099
E-mail: [Merseyside Police request email]

============================================================
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.

If you have received this email in error please notify the sender as soon
as possible.

This footnote confirms that all reasonable steps have been taken to
ensure that this email message has been swept for the presence of
computer viruses.

The views expressed in this communication may not necessarily be the
views of Merseyside Police.

All communications, including telephone calls and electronic messages to
and from Merseyside Police may be subject to monitoring and recording.
============================================================

Your Ref:

Our Ref: DJ 175-11

Dear Applicant,

I write in connection with your request for information, received by
Merseyside Police on
18/11/2011, concerning:

(summary of request) Information in relation to Force re-organisation and
budget reduction.

The public interest in providing a response to you is currently under
consideration.

The FOI Act obliges the Force to respond to requests promptly and in any
case no later than 20 working days after receiving your request. The
decision maker must consider firstly whether the Force can comply with
section 1(1)(a) of the Act, which is our duty to confirm whether or not the
information requested is held and secondly we must comply with section 1
(1)(b), which is the provision of such information. However, when a
qualified exemption applies either to the confirmation or denial that
information is held or the disclosure of information, the public interest
is engaged. The Act then allows the time for response to be longer than 20
working days, if the balance of such public interest is undetermined.

In this case the decision maker has not yet reached a decision on where the
balance of the public interest lies in respect of the above obligations.
Therefore the Force plans to let you have a response by 27/01/2012. If it
appears that it will take longer than this to reach a conclusion, you will
be kept informed.

It has become necessary to review, for accuracy; some of the detailed
information sought and therefore the public interest is not served by
disclosure at this time. It is hoped that disclosure can be made by the
date shown above.

The specific exemption(s) which apply in relation to your request is/are;

Sections 21 and 22, Freedom of Information Act, 2000, which relate to the
publication of data,
which is available and is held for future publication. Information in
relation to this subject
matter is reported to the Police Authority and is then published.
Consideration is currently being given to whether information in the format
requested will thus be freely available. The fact that the exemptions are
being considered, should not be taken to mean that the public interest will
be determined to exempt the information under the provisions identified.

The public interest test is currently taking place. Therefore, this email
acts as a refusal notice
under Section 17* in that it informs you that it;

confirms that a response will not be provided within 20 working days,
provides the exemptions presently under consideration and
states (if that would otherwise be apparent) why the exemptions may apply
following public
interest considerations.

*(non-provision of a response within the 20 working days as prescribed by
the Act constitutes a refusal).

As stated above it is the intention of the Force to provide you with a
respond to your
application by the date stated.

Complaint information

If you are dissatisfied with the results of your application you have the
right to an internal
review by writing to the

Information Governance Manager,
Merseyside Police (ACU)
PO Box 59
LIVERPOOL
L69 1JD

or you may seek to appeal to the Information Commissioner who can be
contacted at:

The Office of the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
WILMSLOW
SK9 5AF

More information is available from the Information Commissioner's website

http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom...

I apologise for any inconvenience caused by this further delay in ensuring
the accuracy of the data being considered for disclosure.

Yours faithfully

D Jackson
Disclosure Analyst
Information Bureau
Merseyside Police
PO BOX 59
LIVERPOOL L69 1JD
Fax: 0151 777 7099
E-mail: [Merseyside Police request email]

============================================================
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.

If you have received this email in error please notify the sender as soon
as possible.

This footnote confirms that all reasonable steps have been taken to
ensure that this email message has been swept for the presence of
computer viruses.

The views expressed in this communication may not necessarily be the
views of Merseyside Police.

All communications, including telephone calls and electronic messages to
and from Merseyside Police may be subject to monitoring and recording.
============================================================

Your Ref:

Our Ref: DJ 175-11

Dear Applicant,

I write in connection with your request for information, received by
Merseyside Police on 18/11/2011, concerning:

(summary of request) Information in relation to Force re-organisation and
budget reduction.

The public interest in providing a response to you is currently under
consideration.

The FOI Act obliges the Force to respond to requests promptly and in any
case no later than 20 working days after receiving your request. The
decision maker must consider firstly whether the Force can comply with
section 1(1)(a) of the Act, which is our duty to confirm whether or not
the information requested is held and secondly we must comply with section
1 (1)(b), which is the provision of such information. However, when a
qualified exemption applies either to the confirmation or denial that
information is held or the disclosure of information, the public interest
is engaged. The Act then allows the time for response to be longer than 20
working days, if the balance of such public interest is undetermined.

In this case the senior decision maker has not yet reached a decision on
where the balance of the public interest lies in respect of the above
obligations. Therefore the Force plans to let you have a response by
13/02/2012. If it appears that it will take longer than this to reach a
conclusion, you will be kept informed.

It has become necessary to review, for accuracy; some of the detailed
information sought and therefore the public interest is not served by
disclosure at this time. It is hoped that disclosure can be made by the
date shown above.

The specific exemption(s) which apply in relation to your request is/are;

Sections 21 and 22, Freedom of Information Act, 2000, which relate to the
publication of data, which is available and is held for future publication.
Information in
relation to this subject matter is reported to the Police Authority and is
then published.
Consideration is currently being given to whether information in the format
requested will thus be freely available. The fact that the exemptions are
being considered, should not be taken to mean that the public interest will
be determined to exempt the information under the provisions identified.

The public interest test is currently taking place. Therefore, this email
acts as a refusal notice under Section 17* in that it informs you that it;

confirms that a response will not be provided within 20 working days,
provides the exemptions presently under consideration and
states (if that would otherwise be apparent) why the exemptions may apply
following public interest considerations.

*(non-provision of a response within the 20 working days as prescribed by
the Act constitutes a refusal).

As stated above it is the intention of the Force to provide you with a
respond to your application by the date stated.

Complaint information

If you are dissatisfied with the results of your application you have the
right to an internal review by writing to the

Information Governance Manager,
Merseyside Police (ACU)
PO Box 59
LIVERPOOL
L69 1JD

or you may seek to appeal to the Information Commissioner who can be
contacted at:

The Office of the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
WILMSLOW
SK9 5AF

More information is available from the Information Commissioner's website

http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom...

On behalf of the Force, I apologise for any inconvenience caused by this
further delay in being able to provide you with a response.

Yours faithfully

D Jackson
Disclosure Analyst
Information Bureau
Merseyside Police
PO BOX 59
LIVERPOOL L69 1JD
Fax: 0151 777 7099
E-mail: [Merseyside Police request email]

============================================================
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.

If you have received this email in error please notify the sender as soon
as possible.

This footnote confirms that all reasonable steps have been taken to
ensure that this email message has been swept for the presence of
computer viruses.

The views expressed in this communication may not necessarily be the
views of Merseyside Police.

All communications, including telephone calls and electronic messages to
and from Merseyside Police may be subject to monitoring and recording.
============================================================

Dear Applicant,

Response - FOIA Application - DJ 175/11 (please quote in all
correspondence)

I write in connection with your request for information dated, 17/11/2011,
which was received by Merseyside Police on 18/01/2011. I note that you seek
access to the following information:

(paraphrased) : Information in respect of the strategic options project.

Following receipt for your request searches were conducted within the
Merseyside Police to locate information relevant to your request. I can
confirm that the information that you requested is held by Merseyside
Police.

Extent of searches to locate information.

To locate the information relevant to your request, searches were conducted
in Information Bureau, H.R, Finance department records and in the records
of the SOP Team.

Result of searches.

The searches located some records relevant to your request.

Decision.

I have today been authorised by the senior decision maker in this case,
T/ACC Armitt, to:

disclose information related to your requests numbered 2 to 14 in full;
and
fully exempt information related to your requests numbered 1 pursuant to
the provisions of section 21, Freedom of Information Act 2000;

Your request for information, in relation to 1, has been considered and the
Force is not obliged to supply the information that you have requested.

Section 17, Freedom of Information Act, 2000, requires Merseyside Police,
when refusing to provide such information (because the information is
exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:
(a) states that fact,
(b) specifies the exemption(s) in question and
(c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption
applies.

In respect of the requests above, under the duty in section 16 of the Act,
the duty to be helpful, I have provided information, shown as additional
information which I believe will be of assistance to you.

Please find attached information relating to your request in the schedule
below.

Making a complaint or an appeal

Your attention is drawn to the sheet attached below which details your
rights of complaint.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please write
or e-mail me, on the below address, quoting the reference number above.
I apologise on behalf of the Force that this response has been subject of
some delay.

Yours faithfully

D Jackson
Disclosure Analyst
Merseyside Police
Information Bureau
Information Access Unit
PO BOX 59
LIVERPOOL L69 1JD
Fax: 0151 777 7099
E-mail: [Merseyside Police request email]

Schedule(s) of disclosed information:

(See attached file: Response Table DJ 175-11 (8NDEBP).doc)

show quoted sections