Database/s used to store Cambridge City Council Accounts

Dear Ms Evans

I acknowledge receipt of your request for information on [subject] under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In accordance with the Act we
will respond within 20 working days i.e. by Monday 7 June at the latest.

Yours sincerely

Charity Main
Accountant (Projects and Publications)
Cambridge City Council
Telephone 01223 458152
>>> Lisa Evans <[1][FOI #34878 email]> 08/05/2010
17:21 >>>
Dear Cambridge City Council,

I would like to request the following details of the database/s
used to store the details of Cambridge City Council Accounts:

(1) The name and version of the database software (eg Oracle,
mySQL, etc) used;

(2) The definitions of the tables in this database in terms of
names, columns, datatypes and relationships;

(3) The total size of the database containing this
information in terms of its memory on disk;

(4) How frequently this information is backed up and/or reloaded
into the database, and how long this process takes.

Yours faithfully,

Lisa Evans

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Dear Ms Evans

I am responding to your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000.

In response to three of your questions:

1. The name and version of the database software:

Oracle Financials E-Business Suite and Core Purchasing version 11.5.10.2
on an Oracle 9i database.

3. The total size of the database containing this information in terms of
its memory on disk:

72.45Gb

4. How frequently this information is backed up and/or reloaded into the
database and how long this process takes

The 'Live' database is backed up daily overnight. This process takes
approximately 9 hours. The System would only be restored in the event of
recovery from a disaster. Disaster recovery tests are undertaken
annually.

We do hold information falling within the terms of question 2 of your
request, but we need more time to consider your request. The Council has
not yet reached a decision on whether the balance of the public interest
is in disclosure in respect of Section 43 (Commercial Interests) of the
Freedom of Information Act. The Council is consulting with a third
party on whether the release of the information would be prejudicial to
their commercial interests. Due to the need to consider, in all the
circumstances of the case, where the balance of the public interest lies
in relation to the information that you have requested, the Council will
not be able to respond to your request in full within 20 working days. I
hope to let you have a response by Monday 5 July.

If you are not happy with the way in which your request has been dealt
with please contact Julia Minns, Head of Accounting Services. You may
also contact the Information Commissioner if you are still not happy with
the way your request has been dealt with. The Information
Commissioner’s address is:

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Charity Main
Accountant (Projects and Publications)
Cambridge City Council
Telephone 01223 458152

>>> Lisa Evans <[1][FOI #34878 email]> 08/05/2010
17:21 >>>
Dear Cambridge City Council,

I would like to request the following details of the database/s
used to store the details of Cambridge City Council Accounts:

(1) The name and version of the database software (eg Oracle,
mySQL, etc) used;

(2) The definitions of the tables in this database in terms of
names, columns, datatypes and relationships;

(3) The total size of the database containing this
information in terms of its memory on disk;

(4) How frequently this information is backed up and/or reloaded
into the database, and how long this process takes.

Yours faithfully,

Lisa Evans

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Dear Ms Evans,

I refer to your request submitted on 8 May 2010 for information concerning the database software used by Cambridge City Council.

You divided your request into four aspects. We have replied to paragraphs (1), (3) and (4) of your request on 7 June but have not, to date, replied to (2).

Your paragraph (2) asked for:

“The definitions of the tables in [the Council’s] database in terms of names, columns, datatypes and relationships.”

I have decided to withhold this information as it is exempt from disclosure by virtue of section 41, Freedom of Information Act, 2000.

Section 41 of the Freedom of Information Act provides that information is exempt from disclosure if -
it was obtained by the public authority from any other person (including another public authority), and
the disclosure of the information to the public (otherwise than under this Act) by the public authority holding it would constitute a breach of confidence actionable by that or any other person.
The City Council’s software supply agreement with Oracle obliges the City Council to treat the information requested as confidential. Supplying the information you have requested would breach the terms of the Council’s agreement with Oracle and would lay the Council open to successful legal action on the grounds of breach of confidence. We have asked Oracle whether it is willing to agree to the release of the information, but it is not. In fact, it has objected to disclosure.

In exceptional circumstances, a strong public interest may justify disclosure of information to individuals, despite a confidentiality obligation. However, I do not believe that there are exceptional circumstances in relation to your request that would override the Council’s legal obligation to Oracle. In reaching this view I have taken account of the public interest in public bodies complying with confidentiality agreements and the interests of Oracle in being able to protect proprietary information and to place reliance on the terms on which it has done business. Against this, I have taken into account the general interest in openness with regard to information held by public bodies and with regard to understanding the manner in which the City Council holds and analyses its accounts.

Oracle has also asked the Council to withhold the information on the basis of the exemption contained in section 43 of the Act, claiming that the information is Oracle’s proprietary information and that “disclosure of the information to non-licensed entities would damage Oracle’s commercial interests”.

We have not received a detailed justification from Oracle with regard to the nature of the damage it would suffer to its commercial interests. If it can establish that disclosure would cause real or significant harm to its commercial interests then I am of the view that the exemption under section 43 (1) would apply, on the basis that the detailed schema for its database amounts to a “trade secret”. I have applied these criteria:

(i) It must be information used in a trade or business. This is plainly the case here.

(ii) It is information, which, if disclosed to a competitor, would be liable to cause real (or significant) harm to the owner of the secret. We do not have sufficient information as yet to establish whether or not this is the case.

(iii) The owner must limit the dissemination of the information, or at least, not encourage or permit widespread publication. Dissemination of the information is restricted by a confidentiality agreement.

Information is also exempt from disclosure under section 43(2) of the Act 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)”. As mentioned, we do not have information from Oracle about the manner in which their commercial interests would be prejudiced.

It is at least possible that Oracle is justified in citing sections 43(1) and 43(2) as exempting the information from disclosure. If further information is received from Oracle, we will consider the application of this exemption, either in the context of a review of this request or in the context of further similar requests. We would also consider, in relation to the exemption under section 43(2), whether or not there is a countervailing public interest in disclosure. However, the City Council is not relying on either of the exemptions in section 43 at present.

You are entitled to ask for a review of this response. A request for a review should be addressed to

Antoinette Jackson,
Chief Executive,
The Guildhall,
Cambridge CB2 3QJ

(or [email address] )

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of an internal review, you are entitled to pursue an appeal to the Information Commissioner. Details of how to pursue a complaint are available on the Commissioner’s website at http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom...

Yours sincerely,

Simon Pugh
Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer
Cambridge City Council

Tel: (01223) 457401
Fax: (01223) 457409
Email: [email address]

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