£709,000 in Legal Fees In Relation To LCC's Potential LoanTto Everton Football Club

The request was refused by Liverpool City Council.

Dear Liverpool City Council,

Mayor Anderson put forward a plan - which would have seen the council loan £280m plus to Everton Football Club for their new stadium. In relation to this loan LCC paid out £709,000 in legal fees.
Liverpool Echo - 6th March 2019:
He told the ECHO: "Everton Football Club will be picking up the bill - not us."........ "But there will be no cost to Liverpool City Council."
In FOI - J Mullen / 692998/ 28th May 2019 - I asked for some basic information in relation to when EFC had paid back the £709,000 to LCC. The response was as follows:
As the City Council and representatives of EFC continue dialogue on a range of commercial matters it is considered that a number of exemptions to disclosure are engaged under Freedom of Information Act 2000, specifically relating to commercial and financial interests as set out in Section 43(2) of the above Act.
This FOI was put in one year and seven months ago, during which time EFC has secured the funding for the stadium. Therefore please supply the following information

[1] The fact that LCC was proposing to lend EFC circa £280,000 is already in the public domain - so please state how much LCC has lent EFC
[2]If LCC has not lent EFC any money, please confirm

[3] As the information relating to the legal bill of £709,000 is already in the public domain, please simply state if EFC has paid this bill yet

[4]As the information relating to the legal bill of £709,000 is already in the public domain, please simply state when EFC will be reimbursing LCC this sum of money - if EFC has not paid yet

NB I AM NOT ASKING FOR ANY COMMERCIALLY SENSITIVE INFORMATION, JUST SIMPLE RESPONSES TO INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN SINCE THE 6TH MARCH 2019

Yours faithfully,

Josie Mullen

Liverpool City Council

 
Dear Josie Mullen
 
Please note:

We would at this time advise that Liverpool City Council in common with
other public authorities is presently dealing with, responding to and
affected by the current public health emergency arising from Coronavirus.

When we have sufficient personnel to be able to deal with, and respond to,
your request we will do so in due course.

We thank you for your patience at this time whilst staff are diverted to
maintaining essential services for the residents of Liverpool during this
current public health emergency.

 
Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Thank you for your request for information that was received on 24
December 2020 concerning Dear Liverpool City Council,

Mayor Anderson put forward a plan - which would have seen the council loan
£280m plus to Everton Football Club for their new stadium. In relation to
this loan LCC paid out £709,000 in legal fees.
Liverpool Echo - 6th March 2019:
He told the ECHO: "Everton Football Club will be picking up the bill - not
us."........ "But there will be no cost to Liverpool City Council."
In FOI - J Mullen / 692998/ 28th May 2019 - I asked for some basic
information in relation to when EFC had paid back the £709,000 to LCC. The
response was as follows:
As the City Council and representatives of EFC continue dialogue on a
range of commercial matters it is considered that a number of exemptions
to disclosure are engaged under Freedom of Information Act 2000,
specifically relating to commercial and financial interests as set out in
Section 43(2) of the above Act.
This FOI was put in one year and seven months ago, during which time EFC
has secured the funding for the stadium. Therefore please supply the
following information

[1] The fact that LCC was proposing to lend EFC circa £280,000 is already
in the public domain - so please state how much LCC has lent EFC
[2]If LCC has not lent EFC any money, please confirm

[3] As the information relating to the legal bill of £709,000 is already
in the public domain, please simply state if EFC has paid this bill yet

[4]As the information relating to the legal bill of £709,000 is already in
the public domain, please simply state when EFC will be reimbursing LCC
this sum of money - if EFC has not paid yet

NB I AM NOT ASKING FOR ANY COMMERCIALLY SENSITIVE INFORMATION, JUST SIMPLE
RESPONSES TO INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN SINCE THE 6TH
MARCH 2019

Yours faithfully,

Josie Mullen...
 
We are dealing with your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 and we aim to send a response by 27 January 2021.
 
In some case, a fee may be payable. If we decide a fee is payable, we will
send you a fee notice and we will require you to pay the fee before
proceeding with your request.
 
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 may restrict the release of some or
all of the information you have requested. We will carry out an assessment
and if any exemptions apply to some or all of the information then we
might not provide that information to you. We will inform you if this is
the case and advise you of your rights to request an internal review and
to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
 
We will also advise you if we cannot provide you with the information
requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details
of how you may appeal (if appropriate).
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Information Team
Liverpool City Council
 
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Dear Liverpool City Council,
LCC is an absolute disgrace.......yet another FOI that is 4 months late......and don't blame COVID please. Could I have a response please !!!!!!!!

Yours sincerely,

Josie Mullen

Dear Liverpool City Council,
It is now 6 months since I put in this FOI. Don't think you can ignore me or FOI legislation. It is crystal clear that Everton are NEVER going to pay the £709,000 legal fees....so please respond or I'll have to tell Max

Yours sincerely,

Josie Mullen

Information Requests, Liverpool City Council

2 Attachments

Dear Josie Mullen

 

Please see attached our response to your request.

 

We thank you for your patience and understanding whilst Liverpool City
Council, in common with other public authorities has been dealing with,
responding to, and affected by the public health emergency arising from
Coronavirus which has meant that our staff have been diverted to maintain
essential services for the residents of Liverpool.

 

Regards

 

Liverpool City Council

[1][email address]

[2]LCC autosig LetsGetVaccinated

 

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