Data analytics usage

The request was partially successful.

Data Justice Lab

Dear Denbighshire Council,

We are submitting the following Freedom of Information Request for documents relating to uses of data analytics, predictive analytics, or algorithmic automated systems used for risk assessment, scoring systems or automated decision making within the jurisdiction of your authority. This could include the use of these data systems in order to draw insights from large and integrated datasets, or to influence decisions about resources, funding or service delivery. This could include, but may not be limited to, uses of predictive analytics in child welfare, health care, adult social care, fraud detection, or policing.

Specifically, we are requesting:

· Any briefing notes, reports, evaluations, or summaries concerning uses of algorithmically driven data systems. Ideally this would include information about software, hardware, operations and types of data

· Any overviews about how system outputs are produced.

· Any training manuals or materials (e.g. slides, etc.) for staff about data collection, analysis, assessment and reporting as related to the use of the systems.

. Any impact assessments

· Any data visualisation outputs connected to the systems.

· Any promotional material, presentation material, or staff educational material related to the systems.

. Any contracts relating to the systems. We argue that the release of contracts does not compromise commercial sensitivity. The full argument is provided below.*

Also, please note we are not requesting datasets or any data about individuals.

Please let us know if any information requires clarifying.

We would like to receive electronic copies of this information.

All the very best,

Data Justice Lab

Please note that we are following the Information Commissioner’s guidance on the Freedom of Information Act which specifies that requests can be made by organisations and there is no need for a named individual (pages 9-10, sections 38-39).
Source: https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

*Addressing the commercial sensitivity question:
a) Section 20 of the Department for Communities and Local Government’s ‘Local Government Transparency Code 2015’, which encourages greater transparency in the public interest, notes:

‘The Government has not seen any evidence that publishing details about contracts entered into by local authorities would prejudice procurement exercises or the interests of commercial organisations, or breach commercial confidentiality unless specific confidentiality clauses are included in contracts. Local authorities should expect to publish details of contracts newly entered into – commercial confidentiality should not, in itself, be a reason for local authorities to not follow the provisions of this Code’.

Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk... (page 9, section 20)

b) There is always the potential for a company in any area to act in bad faith, but this should not be a reason to deny access to information about how public money is spent.

c) Contract and tendering details are provided regularly by a range of government bodies in the public interest. For example, many police and fire services release contractual information through the Bluelight database ( https://www.blpd.gov.uk/foi/foi.aspx ).

d) There may be core aspects of the systems contracted that have competitive commercial value and we appreciate that such details will be redacted from any documents released. We argue that commercial interests will not be compromised by revealing other details that may be provided in contracts or related communications with contracted companies. Details that could be released include details about the existence of a system, it's purpose, the tasks being contracted, continued relationships, general descriptions, types of data being used, how this data is shared.

Denbighshire County Council

1 Attachment

FOI Acknowledgement

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 Dear Data Justice Lab,
NB - We prefer a name simply because it makes more sense on the FOI
database which contains fields for title, first name and surname.  However
we are processing the request - acknowledgement below:

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Request for Information

Thank you for your recent request for information held by Denbighshire
County Council received 20/07/2018 regarding DATA ANALYTICS USAGE. 

As set out by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 it will be our aim to
respond to your request by 17/08/2018. In some cases, however, we may be
unable to achieve this deadline. If this occurs we will advise you of the
likely timescale within which the response will be provided.

Under the Freedom of Information Act the Council may charge for
disbursement costs (e.g. photocopies, postage). However should there be
any such costs, you will be notified of this prior to the commencement of
any work.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for further advice or guidance
relating to the above.

Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg. Byddwn yn ymateb i unrhyw
ohebiaeth yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at unrhyw oedi. We welcome
correspondence in Welsh. We will respond to any correspondence in Welsh
which will not lead to a delay.

Yours sincerely

Kerry Standen
Swyddog Mynediad i Wybodaeth / Access to Information Officer Cyngor Sir
Ddinbych / Denbighshire County Council Ffon / Tel: 01824 708242
E-bost:[email address]
E-mail:[email address] Gwefan
http://www.sirddinbych.gov.uk Website http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk

 

Kerry Standen, Denbighshire County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Data Justice Lab,

Thank you for your request for information received 20/07/2018 concerning
DATA ANALYTICS USAGE. Our response is nil - no usage in the way you
describe.

If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact
me.

If you have any queries regarding this response, please do not hesitate to
contact me at the following address: Access to Information Officer,
Corporate Information Management Team, PO BOX 62, Wynnstay Road, Ruthin,
LL15 9AZ. Alternatively, if you are unhappy with the way the council has
handled your request and wish to ask for internal review, please contact
the Corporate Information Manager at the same address. If you are
subsequently not content with the outcome of the review, you have the
right to apply to the Information Commissioner whose address is Wycliffe
House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

The contents of this communication and the enclosed documents are subject
to copyright protection. It has been sent to you for your information and
you may use it for any private study and non-commercial research. The
information may also be used for the purposes of news reporting. Re-use
for commercial publication requires the permission of this Council.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for further advice or guidance
relating to the above.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Kerry Standen
Swyddog Mynediad i Wybodaeth / Access to Information Officer
Cyngor Sir Ddinbych / Denbighshire County Council
Ffon / Tel: 01824 708242
E-bost:[email address]
E-mail:[email address]
Gwefan [1]http://www.sirddinbych.gov.uk
Website [2]http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk

 

[3]cymraeg-logo2Dysgwr

 

 

Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg. Byddwn yn ymateb i unrhyw
ohebiaeth yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at unrhyw oedi.

We welcome correspondence in Welsh. We will respond to any correspondence
in Welsh which will not lead to a delay.

 

Dilyn ni ar Twitter: http://twitter.com/cyngorsDd - Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/DenbighshireCC
Ymwelwch a ni ar-lein ar http://www.sirddinbych.gov.uk - Visit us online
at http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk

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ddatgelu'r e-bost hwn [neu unrhyw ymateb iddo] dan ddarpariaethau
deddfwriaethol.
The information contained in this e-mail message and any files transmitted
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they are addressed. If you have received this e-mail in error please
notify the sender immediately. The contents of this e-mail represents the
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References

Visible links
1. http://www.sirddinbych.gov.uk/
2. http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/