This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Income & Risk assessment for ItIsOn events in public spaces (GlasGlow)'.


 
Information and Data protection Team 
 
Chief Executive’s Department 
 
Glasgow City Council  
 
City Chambers 
 
George Square 
 
Glasgow G2 1DU 
 
 
 
 
Phone: 0141 287 1055 
 
Email: xxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
 
 
 

 
Our Ref: FOI 7343418 
 
6 November 2020 
 
Send by e-mail to: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
 
 
Dear Ms Sanachan 
 
 
REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 
 
Thank you for the Freedom of Information request you sent us on  9 October 2020 
regarding the GlasGLOW events held in the Botanic Gardens.   
 
Glasgow City Council  (“the Council”)  is treating your request for this information as a 
request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (“the Act”).  
 
The Council’s response is set out beneath each of your questions in the Annex to this 
letter.   
 
 
Right of Review 
 
If you are dissatisfied with the way in which Glasgow City Council has dealt with your 
request for information, you can ask us to formally review this response.  Please note 
that for a review to take place you must lodge a written request for a review within 40 
working days of the date of this letter.  Please include the following information:  
 
•  A correspondence address;  
•  The reference quoted at the top of this letter; and 
•  The reason(s) why you are dissatisfied with the Council’s response.  
 
Please address your request to the Director of Governance and Solicitor to the Council: 
 
Director of Governance and Solicitor to the Council 
Glasgow City Council 
City Chambers 
George Square 
Glasgow G2 1DU 
 
Email: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx  
 

 
 
You will receive notice of the results of the review within 20 working days of receipt of 
your request.  
 
The notice will state the decision reached by the reviewing officer as well as details of 
how to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner if you are still dissatisfied with 
the  Council’s response.   You must request an internal review by the Council before a 
complaint can be directed to the Scottish Information Commissioner.   
 
For your information at this stage, if you do remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the 
Council’s review decision,  an appeal can be made to the Scottish Information 
Commissioner by contacting his office as follows -   
 
Address: Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, KY16 9DS.  
Email: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxx  
Telephone: 01334 464610 
 
You can also use the Scottish Information Commissioner’s online appeal service to make 
an application for a decision: www.itspublicknowledge.info/appeal  
 
If you wish to submit a complaint to the Council in relation to the manner in which it has 
handled your request for information,  you can do so  by requesting that the Council 
reviews its response.  Details of how to request a review are set out above. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
Information and Data Protection Team 
Chief Executive’s Department 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
ANNEX  
 
“Freedom of Information request – Income & Risk assessment for ItIsOn events in 
public spaces (GlasGlow) 

 
I am seeking information about (3) GlasGlow events hosted by ItIsOn in the Botanic 
Gardens in 2018, 2019 and 2020. 
 
In each of the three years GlasGlow has been permitted to operate: 

 
1)  Was a risk assessment carried out regarding impact if loud noise and artificial 
light to wildlife in the park and along the Kelvin Walkway?  If so, please provide 
these assessments.” 

 
Risk assessments are the responsibility of the event organiser.  However, we 
understand that no specific risk assessments were carried out in relation to wildlife in 
the Botanic Gardens and along the Kelvin Walkway.  Accordingly, in terms of section 
17(1) of the Act, the Council is unable to provide copy risk assessments in regard to 
wildlife.   
 
2)  “Was a risk assessment carried out regarding the environmental impact on 
residents surrounding the Botanic Gardens, including repetitive loud noise, 
artificial light, and increased air pollution due to generators running within the 
park from the event itself, as well as from food truck and other vendors situated 
within the park?  If so, please provide these assessments.” 

 
As indicated above, risk assessments are the responsibility of the event organiser.  
These should include the impact of noise and other factors on the local community.   
 
GlasGLOW risk assessments are contained within the event manual produced each 
year by Itison.  While the Council holds copies of these event manuals, we consider 
this information to be exempt from a request under section 1 of the Act because of 
the exemption contained in section 33(1)(b) of the Act.  In other words, we believe 
that disclosure of the information would, or would be likely to, substantially prejudice 
the commercial interests of Itison. 
 
Illuminated trails are staged by various event organisers, and we take the view that 
Itison’s  commercial interests could be prejudiced  substantially  by  releasing  the 
planning and operational details of their events into the public domain.  
 
While we believe the exemption contained in section 33(1)(b) of the Act applies in this 
case, we would still be obliged to release the information in response to your request 
unless the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest 
in disclosing the information. The Council acknowledges the significant public interest 
in openness and transparency and therefore recognises that any request under 
section 1 of the Act is potentially in the public interest. However in the circumstances, 
the Council considers that the information should be withheld. 
 
By way of advice and assistance, we can advise that Officers from Glasgow  City 
Council monitor the event to ensure that any potential impacts are mitigated against 
during the operation of the event.  Conditions are set on the event licence regarding 
noise, which the operator must take cognisance of.  In addition, the Council liaises 
with the event organiser on any complaints that are received from local residents.   

 

 
We can further advise that the majority of noise complaints received in 2019 related 
to the Kibble Palace.  The Kibble Palace has been removed from this year’s route.  
 
There is a reduced audience  capacity for this year’s event, with staggered arrival 
times, in accordance with Scottish Government guidance on Lumiere Trails,  which 
should help to lessen the impact on residents in the vicinity of the Botanic Gardens.   
 
 
3)  “Please provide contract details between Glasgow Life and/or Glasgow  City 
Council and ItIsOn for the GlasGlow events.” 
 
The Botanic Gardens are managed by Glasgow City Council.  Itison’s contract to 
stage the GlasGLOW events is with Glasgow City Council. 
 
We are of the view the contractual details between Glasgow City Council and Itison 
for  their  use of the Botanic Gardens  in 2018, 2019 and 2020  are  exempt from a 
request under Section 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 because 
of the exemption contained in Section 33(1)(b) of the Act, which states that information 
may be withheld if its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially 
the commercial interests of any person.     
 
Illuminated trails are staged throughout the country and we take the view that it could 
substantially prejudice the commercial interests of Glasgow City Council and Itison to 
release into the public domain contractual details of the GlasGLOW events which 
have potential benefit to other event organisers and venue providers.  
 
Whilst recognising that any request under Section 1 of the Act is potentially in the 
public interest, we have taken into consideration whether the public interest is best 
served by disclosing or withholding the information.  In the circumstances we feel that 
the specific public interest in safeguarding the legitimate commercial interests of the 
Council and the event organiser  outweighs the general public interest in openness 
and transparency. 
 
 
4)   “How much has Glasgow Life and/or Glasgow City Council been paid to permit 
ItIsOn to host GlasGlow events since 2018?” 
 
The Botanic Gardens are managed by Glasgow City Council.   It is Glasgow City 
Council and not Glasgow Life which receives payment for commercial use of the 
Botanic Gardens.   
 
We consider information about the amounts paid to Glasgow City Council by Itison for 
use of the Botanic Gardens to be  exempt from a request under Section 1 of the 
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 because of the exemption contained in 
Section 33(1)(b) of the Act.   
 
This is because, for commercial events  such as ‘GlasGLOW’, the Council sets site 
letting fees, and bond payments against damage reinstatement, on an event by event 
basis, taking into account the nature and scale of the event,  and considering in 
particular factors such as the area of the  park to be used, the event duration, the 
audience capacity  and  audience profile, and the nature and scale of infrastructure 
proposed.   
 

 

 
 
If other event organisers were to have knowledge of this  information, it could 
potentially weaken the Council’s negotiation position in relation to future events. 
 
While  we  believe that the exemption contained within section 33(1)(b) of the Act 
applies in this case, the Council would still be required to release the information in 
response to your request unless the public interest in maintaining the exemption 
outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.  However, in this case, we 
believe there is significant public interest in authorities such as the Council being able 
to conduct their business in a competitive manner.  
 
By way of advice and assistance, we can advise that income received by Glasgow 
City Council is combined to support delivery of Council services which includes 
maintenance and improvements to parks across the city.   
 
 
Copyright Notice  
 
Please note that the information provided in response to your request is, unless otherwise 
indicated, copyright © Glasgow City Council 2020.  It is supplied to you in terms of the 
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.  Any further use by you of this information 
must comply with the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as amended 
and/or the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997.   
 
In particular, any commercial use or re-use of the information provided requires the prior 
written consent of the Council.  Requests for such consent should be addressed to: 
 
Colin Edgar 
Head of Communication and Strategic Partnerships  
Glasgow City Council 
City Chambers 
Glasgow G2 1DU  
 
Email: xxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx