Oxford City Council / Oxford Direct Services - Furlough to February 2021

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Oxford City Council should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Oxford City Council,

1. How many Oxford City Council employees have been furloughed each month from March 2020 to the end of February 2021. How much Government furlough money was received each month and in total? How much was contributed each month in top ups by Oxford City Council each month and in total?

2. How many Oxford Direct Services employees have been furloughed each month from March 2020 to the end of February 2021. How much Government furlough money was received each month and in total? How much was contributed each month in top ups by Oxford City Council each month and in total?

Yours faithfully,

Pat Mastelotto

freedomofinformation, Oxford City Council

Dear Pat Mastelotto,
 
Oxford City Council – Reference: 9976
 
Thank you for your email below.  Your request was received on 19th March
2021 and you will be sent a response within 20 working days (of receipt)
in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000/ Environmental
Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), subject to the information not being
exempt or containing reference to a third party.
 
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recognises the unprecedented
challenges all are facing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
 
In particular they understand that resources, whether they are finances or
people, may be diverted away from usual compliance or information rights
work. Whilst the ICO can’t extend statutory timescales, they will not be
penalising public authorities for prioritising other areas or adapting
their usual approach during this extraordinary period.
 
Therefore while the Council will make every effort to comply with the
Statutory Requirements you may experience understandable delays when
making information rights requests during the pandemic.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
 
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
 
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
 
 
 
 

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freedomofinformation, Oxford City Council

2 Attachments

Dear Pat Mastelotto,
 
Oxford City Council – Reference: 9976
 
Further to the acknowledgement below, I can respond to your Freedom of
Information Act 2000 request received on 19th  March 2021 as follows:
 
1. How many Oxford City Council employees have been furloughed each month
from March 2020 to the end of February 2021. How much Government furlough
money was received each month and in total? How much was contributed each
month in top ups by Oxford City Council each month and in total?
 
You have already been provided in previous requests the information up to
Jan 21. The attached table has been updated to include Feb 21.
 
 
 
2.  How many Oxford Direct Services employees have been furloughed each
month from March 2020 to the end of February 2021. How much Government
furlough money was received each month and in total? How much was
contributed each month in top ups by Oxford City Council each month and in
total?
 
You have already been provided in previous requests the information up to
Dec 20. The attached table has been updated to include Feb 21
 
ODS is topping up the grant money for furloughed staff to 100%. No funding
has been contributed to Oxford Direct Services from Oxford City Council
because Oxford Direct Services (ODS) is a teckal company and whilst wholly
owned by Oxford City Council they are independently run.
 
 
 
To break this down further would require a significant amount of resource
time. Therefore, I am of the opinion, however, that retrieving the
information you require would exceed 18.5 working hours so consider
Section 12 of the FOIA to applies in this instance.
 
Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse
requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed
the appropriate limit, which for local government is set at £450. This
represents the estimated cost of one person spending 2.5 working days in
determining whether the department holds the information, locating,
retrieving and extracting the information.
 
If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are
entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s)
made.  You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either
email – [1][email address] – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford
City Council, St Aldate’s Chambers, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1DS.  After
the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask
the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf.  You may do this
by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
 
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [2][email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
 
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
 
 
 
 
_____________________________________________

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Dear freedomofinformation,

Regarding the data supplied for Oxford Direct Services, you have not supplied the amount of money each month Oxford Direct Services have had to contribute to top-up employees salary who have been furloughed.

I would also like a list of the departments of the various Oxford Direct Services staff who have been furloughed, ie, Civil Engineering, Pest Control, Property Maintenance etc.

Yours sincerely,

Pat Mastelotto

Dear Oxford City Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Oxford City Council's handling of my FOI request 'Oxford City Council / Oxford Direct Services - Furlough to February 2021'.

I would like to know the sum of money contributed by Oxford Direct Services each month for furloughed staff.

I believe you have access to this information already and it would not take in excess of 18.5 working hours to make this information available.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/o...

Yours faithfully,

Pat Mastelotto

freedomofinformation, Oxford City Council

Dear Pat Mastelotto,
 
Oxford City Council – Reference: 9976 and10065
 
Thank you for your email below. 
 
This part of your request shall be dealt with separately as part of your
internal review for FOI 9976 received on 22nd April 2021.
 
Regarding the data supplied for Oxford Direct Services, you have not
supplied the amount of money each month Oxford Direct Services have had to
contribute to top-up employees salary who have been furloughed.
 
The new question below shall be dealt as a new request Ref:10065 received
on 14th April 2021 and you will be sent a response within 20 working days
(of receipt) in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000/
Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), subject to the
information not being exempt or containing reference to a third party.
 
I would also like a list of the departments of the various Oxford Direct
Services staff who have been furloughed, ie, Civil Engineering, Pest
Control, Property Maintenance etc. 
 
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recognises the unprecedented
challenges all are facing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
 
In particular they understand that resources, whether they are finances or
people, may be diverted away from usual compliance or information rights
work. Whilst the ICO can’t extend statutory timescales, they will not be
penalising public authorities for prioritising other areas or adapting
their usual approach during this extraordinary period.
 
Therefore while the Council will make every effort to comply with the
Statutory Requirements you may experience understandable delays when
making information rights requests during the pandemic.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
 
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
 
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
 
 
 
 

show quoted sections

freedomofinformation, Oxford City Council

Dear Pat Mastelotto,
 
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10065
 
Further to the acknowledgement below, I can respond to your Freedom of
Information Act 2000 request received on 14th  April 2021 as follows:
 
I would also like a list of the departments of the various Oxford Direct
Services staff who have been furloughed, ie, Civil Engineering, Pest
Control, Property Maintenance etc. 
 
List of department are:
 
Property Maintenance
Street Scenes
Waste & Recycling
Motor Transport
Parks
Engineering
Central Team
Caretaking
Pest Control
Car Parks
 
If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are
entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s)
made.  You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either
email – [1][email address] – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford
City Council, St Aldate’s Chambers, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1DS.  After
the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask
the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf.  You may do this
by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
 
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [2][email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
 
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
 
 
 
 
_____________________________________________

show quoted sections

Dear freedomofinformation,

Please supply the number of Oxford Direct Services employees furloughed in each department on a monthly basis from March 2020 to present.

Yours sincerely,

Pat Mastelotto

freedomofinformation, Oxford City Council

Dear Pat Mastelotto,

Oxford City Council – Reference: 10134

Thank you for your email. Your request was received on 24th May 2021 and you will be sent a response within 20 working days (of receipt) in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000/ Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), subject to the information not being exempt or containing reference to a third party.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recognises the unprecedented challenges all are facing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In particular they understand that resources, whether they are finances or people, may be diverted away from usual compliance or information rights work. Whilst the ICO can’t extend statutory timescales, they will not be penalising public authorities for prioritising other areas or adapting their usual approach during this extraordinary period.

Therefore while the Council will make every effort to comply with the Statutory Requirements you may experience understandable delays when making information rights requests during the pandemic.

Yours sincerely

Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer

Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS | Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance. Get tested if you have symptoms.

show quoted sections

freedomofinformation, Oxford City Council

1 Attachment

Dear Pat Mastelotto,
 
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10134
 
Further to the acknowledgement below, I can respond to your Freedom of
Information Act 2000 request received on 24th  May 2021 as follows:
 
Please supply the number of Oxford Direct Services employees  furloughed
in each department on a monthly basis from March 2020 to present.
 
Please see the attached spreadsheet.
 
 
If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are
entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s)
made.  You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either
email – [email address] – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford
City Council, St Aldate’s Chambers, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1DS.  After
the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask
the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf.  You may do this
by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
 
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
 
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
 
 
 
 

show quoted sections

GRIFFITHS Emma, Oxford City Council

3 Attachments

Dear Mr Mastelotto,

 

I have been asked by the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Susan Sale to write
to you further to your request for an internal review of your Freedom of
Information Request (FOI 9976). I apologise for the delay in dealing with
this internal review.

 

On 19 March 2021 you made a request for information (FOI 9976) as follows:

 

“1. How many Oxford City Council employees have been furloughed each month
from March 2020 to the end of February 2021. How much Government furlough
money was received each month and in total? How much was contributed each
month in top ups by Oxford City Council each month and in total?

 

2.  How many Oxford Direct Services employees have been furloughed each
month from March 2020 to the end of February 2021. How much Government
furlough money was received each month and in total? How much was
contributed each month in top ups by Oxford City Council each month and in
total?”

 

On14 April 2021 my colleague, Kathryn Winfield responded to your request
for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:

 

“Further to the acknowledgement below, I can respond to your Freedom of
Information Act 2000 request received on 19th  March 2021 as follows:

 

1. How many Oxford City Council employees have been furloughed each month
from March 2020 to the end of February 2021. How much Government furlough
money was received each month and in total? How much was contributed each
month in top ups by Oxford City Council each month and in total?

 

You have already been provided in previous requests the information up to
Jan 21. The attached table [attached to this email] has been updated to
include Feb 21.

 

2. How many Oxford Direct Services employees have been furloughed each
month from March 2020 to the end of February 2021. How much Government
furlough money was received each month and in total? How much was
contributed each month in top ups by Oxford City Council each month and in
total?

 

You have already been provided in previous requests the information up to
Dec 20. The attached table [attached to this email] has been updated to
include Feb 21

 

ODS is topping up the grant money for furloughed staff to 100%. No funding
has been contributed to Oxford Direct Services from Oxford City Council
because Oxford Direct Services (ODS) is a teckal company and whilst wholly
owned by Oxford City Council they are independently run.

 

To break this down further would require a significant amount of resource
time. Therefore, I am of the opinion, however, that retrieving the
information you require would exceed 18.5 working hours so consider
Section 12 of the FOIA to applies in this instance.

 

Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse
requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed
the appropriate limit, which for local government is set at £450. This
represents the estimated cost of one person spending 2.5 working days in
determining whether the department holds the information, locating,
retrieving and extracting the information.

 

If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are
entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s)
made.  You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either
email – [1][email address] – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford
City Council, St Aldate’s Chambers, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1DS.  After
the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask
the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf.  You may do this
by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

 

On 22 April 2021 you wrote again to the Council as follows:

 

“I am writing to request an internal review of Oxford City Council's
handling of my FOI request 'Oxford City Council / Oxford Direct Services -
Furlough to February 2021'.

 

I would like to know the sum of money contributed by Oxford Direct
Services each month for furloughed staff.

 

I believe you have access to this information already and it would not
take in excess of 18.5 working hours to make this information available.”

 

In conducting this internal review of your FOI request FOI 9976 I have
been able to secure the further information in relation to the
contribution by Oxford Direct Services Limited (ODSLtd)to the sums paid to
furloughed staff (earning over £2,500 per month) between April 2000 and
March 2021.

CJRS Grant ODSLtd Top
Month Receipts Up
April 246,878.56 126,380.50
May  438,158.67 226,505.33
June 374,518.74 195,962.81
July 252,075.83 130,145.47
August 129,991.70 87,761.25
September  59,423.29 39,530.47
October 6,923.58 4,462.59
November 116,120.24 75,973.22
December  114,786.84 77,285.93
January 256,497.14 171,020.92
February 219,145.28 144,459.83
March 151,839.10 100,422.55
Grand 2,366,358.96
Total  1,379,910.88

 

I hope that this information is helpful.

 

If you are not satisfied with this response you may ask the Information
Commissioner to intervene on your behalf. You may do this by writing to
the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire,
SK9 5AF.

 

Yours sincerely,

Emma Griffiths

For and on behalf of Susan Sale, Head of Law & Governance and Monitoring
Officer, Oxford City Council

 

Emma Griffiths | Lawyer | Law & Governance | Oxford City Council | St
Aldate's Chambers | St Aldate’s | Oxford OX1 1DS | DX 4309 Oxford 1 |
01865 252208 (POST POINT SAC 3.8)

 

Service of documents by email is accepted at
[2][email address] only. The subject header must be
marked ‘SERVICE’.  Service by fax is not accepted.

 

Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.

Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.

 

     [3]cid:image004.png@01D3E785.A74A7E20

 

 

      

 

0016988 / 00674881

 

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