Non Stop Gov software issues

Julian Todd made this Freedom of Information request to Liverpool City Council

The request was successful.

From: Julian Todd

12 February 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

At the Audit and Accounts Committee meeting on 11 February 2009 of
Liverpool City Council, the attendees were presented with the
"Internal Audit Progress Report to December 2008"[1] which said:

"The audit review of the FOI processes concluded that limited
assurance could be placed on the control environment. The scope of
the audit was affected due to problems encountered with Non Stop
Gov software and this limited the testing which could be
undertaken. A number of recommendations were made aimed at
improving the training and awareness of both the designated FOI
Champions and officers involved in dealing with requests."

Please may I have copies of:

* all documents associated with this audit review of the FOI
processes. In particular I would like to see details of what
problems were encountered with the Non Stop Gov software and the
recommendations made for improving its performance.

* records of payments made for the Non Stop Gov software and any
contracts and service level agreements signed relating to the
delivery of this product since it was introduced (probably in
February 2007).

Further notes:

In case the Council believes it has a duty to protect narrow
short-term "commercial interests" of its chosen suppliers, please
understand that it is in the public interest for Councils across
the country to have access to the most effective and robust
computer software possible in their day-to-day administration.
Experience has proven that when software issues are declared
publicly they are more likely to get fixed, since it provides
accurate advice to future potential customers and has the effect of
encouraging investment in software development and excellence
rather than in marketing and crisis management.

Yours faithfully,

Julian Todd

[1]
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/Publ...

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Liverpool City Council

13 February 2009

Dear Mr. Todd,

FOI REQUEST 52465

Many thanks for your recent communication requesting information under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000, dated 12/02/2009.

Once your request has been actioned either myself or a colleague will
respond to you.

I should be grateful if you would quote the above FOI Request No in all
future communications.

Yours sincerely

Wendy Twigge
Information Manager

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From: Glanville, Andrea
Liverpool City Council

27 February 2009

Dear Mr Todd

I refer to your request under the Freedom Of Information in which you
requested information regarding the Internal Audit report on FOI
processes.

One particular element of your request is:

Please may I have copies of: all documents associated with this audit review of the FOI processes. In particular I would like to see details of what problems were encountered with the Non Stop Gov software and the recommendations made for improving its performance.

Can you please clarify when you make reference to all documents associated with this audit review are you referring just to the Non Stop Gov software element of the review?

Regards

Andrea Glanville

Legal Services

Liverpool City Council

Municipal Buildings

Dale Street

Liverpool

L2 2DH

Telephone 0151 225 2709

Fax: 0151 225 2392

email: [1][email address]

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1. mailto:[email address]

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From: Julian Todd

4 March 2009

Dear Andrea Glanville,

Sorry for my delay. In your 27 February letter you asked for a
clarification of my 12 February request for information regarding
the Internal Audit report on FOI processes. In particular I asked
to see details of what problems were encountered with the Non Stop
Gov software and the recommendations made for improving its
performance.

Because I do not have a list of what documents are available in
this category, I have to ask for as much as you can give me of the
documents relating to the Internal Audit report of the FOI
processes.

I mentioned the Non Stop Gov issues as a guideline for what these
requested documents would include.

Yours sincerely,

Julian Todd

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From: Glanville, Andrea
Liverpool City Council

5 March 2009

Dear Mr Todd

The internal audit report you referred to the focus of the report was
based on Freedom of Information Champions within the organisation -
there is very little in relation to the NSG system, however I did ask
for a review on how the Information Team utilise the NSG system and I
thought it might be more appropriate to share this with you- do you feel
it may be more appropriate to share this with you?

Regards

Andrea Glanville
Legal Services
Liverpool City Council
Municipal Buildings
Dale Street
Liverpool
L2 2DH
Telephone 0151 225 2709
Fax: 0151 225 2392
email: [email address]

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From: Julian Todd

2 April 2009

Dear Andrea Glanville,

Thank you for your letter of 5 March 2009 in response to my Freedom
of Request for an internal report on the functioning of the Non
Stop Gov software.

You offered to send me a review on how the Information Team utilise
the NSG system.

I would be delighted to receive a copy of this.

I am sorry for the delay in my response. I have been caught out by
the sudden huge improvement in the LCC's processing of FOI requests
and will be paying closer attention in the future.

Yours sincerely,

Julian Todd

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From: Glanville, Andrea
Liverpool City Council

24 April 2009

Attachment 52465 Summary of issues 230409.doc
31K Download View as HTML

Attachment 52465 FOI and DPA project briefing Note 6 1 09 3 2.doc
332K Download View as HTML

Attachment 52465 PID V1 for FOI and DPA 2.DOC.doc
168K Download View as HTML

Dear Mr Todd

Please find attached copies of reports in relation to the review that was
conducted on the NSG system (it has now changed name to icasework - March
09). I thought it may be appropriate to provide you with a summary of
what the next steps were as a result of the review. I hope you find these
documents useful - if however you require any further information please
do not hesitate in contacting me.

I am mindful that you also asked for a copy of the contract and costings,
this had been passed to the appropriate department to respond to, I will
chase this element of the request up for you, if you no longer require it
can you let me know.

Regards

Andrea Glanville

Legal Services

Liverpool City Council

Municipal Buildings

Dale Street

Liverpool

L2 2DH

Telephone 0151 225 2709

Fax: 0151 225 2392

email: [1][email address]

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From: Hunter, Edwina
Liverpool City Council

8 May 2009

Attachment image001.jpg
4K Download

Enquiries to:
Wendy Twigge

Your Ref:

Our Ref: 52465

Mr. Julian Todd,
Email: [FOI #8064 email]

Date: 8 May 2009

Dear Mr. Todd,

YOUR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION:

I am writing to you about your request for information, made on 13 March
2009, for the following information relating to the `Internal Audit
Progress Report to December 2008':

All documents associated with this audit review of the FOI processes. In
particular I would like to see details of what problems were encountered
with the Non Stop Gov software and the recommendations made for improving
its performance;

Records of payments made for the Non Stop Gov software and any contracts
and service level agreements signed relating to the delivery of this
product since it was introduced

The Council provided information it held which would answer the first part
of your request on 24 April 2009.

I am now writing to answer the second part of your request.

The Council's position regarding this information is that does not hold
this information. The reason the Council does not hold this information is
that the Council is in a joint venture partnership with British Telecom
called Liverpool Direct Limited, under the terms of this partnership any
contracts for ICT applications such as of i-Casework/Non Stop Gov. are
between BT and Tagish. The Council does have a contract with Liverpool
Direct Limited, to provide the service, and holds information relating to
this cost. However the Contract has a confidentiality clause attached to
it and releasing this information could lead to an action against the
Council for breach of the contract. The parties to this contract have been
approached and do not agree to this information being released by
consent. Any service level agreements relating to the delivery of the
Tagish product are between BT and Tagish. These entities do not hold the
information on behalf of the Council, and are not subject to the FOI Act

The Council is therefore relying on the exemption cited at Section 41 of
the FOIA to prevent release of this information. The Council's position is
that this information can be considered to be confidential information,
and an actionable breach could occur if this information was released via
the FOIA.

The Council stresses that the risk of such an action is not hypothetical,
and that the risk of action is high in the event of disclosure.

A public interest test must be applied to the use of this section.

I have therefore considered whether the public interest in disclosing
information about the cost of the contract outweighs the public interest
in withholding this information.

The Council recognizes that there is a strong public interest in making
information such as this available for reasons of transparency and
accountability.

However the Council is not satisfied that in this instance this interest
outweighs the duty of confidence which the Council owes to the parties to
the contract; and the risk that the Council would run of having to defend
an action for breach of confidence.

The Council therefore believes that in this case, the public interest
arguments for withholding the information outweigh the public interest
arguments for disclosure; and that therefore the Council will not release
this information under the FOIA.

I appreciate that you may be disappointed by the contents of this letter.

I therefore want to let you know that the Council will consider appeals,
referrals or complaints regarding the Freedom of Information Act 2000
under the first stage of the Council's Have Your Say Scheme.

In order to access this scheme you can either complete a form on-line at
any One Stop Shop or Library in Liverpool. Alternatively you can write to
us at Liverpool Direct, Freepost, NWW 3400A, Liverpool L1 3ZZ.

If you remain dissatisfied you may also apply to the Information
Commissioner for a decision about whether the request for information has
been dealt with in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Their website is [1]www.ico.gov.uk

Their postal address and telephone numbers are:

Information Commissioner's Office,

Wycliffe House,

Water Lane,

Wilmslow,

Cheshire SK9 5AF

Fax number 01625 524 510

Telephone 01625 545745.

Yours sincerely,

Edwina Hunter

Principal Information Officer.

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1. http://www.ico.gov.uk/

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George Rydell left an annotation ( 9 May 2009)

Dear Mr Todd,

You may already be aware of this, but if not, you might like to have a look at Section 15 of the Audit Commission Act: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/ukp...

Under that provision, any elector within the city of Liverpool is permitted to view unredacted copies of all contracts, bills, invoices etc and is entitled to take copies of them during the public inspection period - the dates of which I don't think the city council have disclosed yet.

As the contract (and the HUGE sums paid to Liverpool Direct Limited) cannot be withheld under the Audit Commission Act, and could effectively be photocopied and then scanned onto the Internet by any elector from Liverpool, irrespective of a confidentiality clause, the information can still be made public - and there is nothing Liverpool Direct Limited or BT can do about it.

As the government keep telling us, 'if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear', it makes you wonder what they have to hide from the taxpayers in Liverpool.

I am not a Liverpool resident, otherwise I would be applying to access the records myself and would be wanting copies of numerous contracts and bills, however, I do have a colleague who lives in the city who has agreed to take copies of the necessary information for me if they ever release the dates of the public inspection period this year.

The best bit is Section 14(3) that makes it a criminal offence to obstruct someone from accessing the information!

Best wishes,

George.

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