Freedom of Information
Information Compliance Office (FIB)
Rugby Police Station
Newbold Road
Rugby
Warwickshire CV21 2DH
Telephone: 01788 853864
Fax No: 01788 853781
email: xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxxxxx.xx
Date: 28th September, 2011
Dennis Fallon
request-84046 xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Dear Mr Fallon
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: F-2011-00381
I write in connection with your request for information dated
26th August, 2011 which was
received by Warwickshire Police on the same, in which you seek access to the information
concerning the costs of maintenance of safety cameras.
Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within Warwickshire Police to
locate information relevant to your request. Having liaised with the Warwickshire Camera
Enforcement Unit, I can confirm that the information is held. Please see below our
questions and the responses.
I would like to request a FOI disclosure which is basically to understand the annual money
payments to Serco and Gatso for the calibration and maintenance of cameras, staff
training, and how the speed is calculated as part of the secondary check.
Q1. How many fixed post Gatso (FPG) and Gatso Red Light(GRL)cameras were in use,
on an annual basis, by your partnership in the past three financial years?
Response: Q1. Warwickshire Police operate 15 Gatso (FPG) cameras and 2 Gatso (GRL)
cameras
Q2. For these cameras, for the past three financial years, what were the total cost
amounts paid(TCAP) for the annual calibration of these cameras, identifying the TCAP to
intermediate agents such as Serco and the company Gatsometer B.V, and the additional
amounts of V.A.T added ?
Response: Q2 Calibration costs and any repairs arising are as below
2008-2009
Annual Cost net VAT VAT
£12,957 £2,127.17
2009-2010
Annual Cost net VAT VAT
£6,261.60 £1,010.29
2010-2011
Annual Cost net VAT VAT
£14,628.67 £2,925.60
The lower figure in 2009-2010 is accounted for by some cameras being replaced with new
digital cameras which did not require calibrating in their first year as they come calibrated.
Q3 .Please confirm if the partnership have ownership of these cameras, paid in full, or any
other arrangement.
Response: Q3 The partnership own the cameras
Q4. Please confirm if the calibration contracts (CC) have been agreed for a fixed term with
break penalty clauses or negotiated annually, if the CC are inclusive of a greater contract
regarding maintenance, and who signed the contracts on behalf of the partnership.
Response: Q4 Only GATSO and SERCO can calibrate and repair the equipment there are
no contracts.
Q5. After the cameras have been returned following calibration please confirm if, apart
from the calibration certificate, Gatsometer B.V provide a report on any faults detected and
items replaced and, if so, please identify the items, including batteries, that have required
replacement.
Response: Q5 Any cameras that are identified as faulty are repaired during the calibration
process this is reflected in the costs.
Q6. After calibration, please confirm if the cameras are returned with a shutter speed of
two photographs at intervals of 0.5 seconds, and if your Camera Enforcement Officers
make any adjustments to the shutter speed or flash setting prior to reinstallation and, if so,
what are the setting adjustments?.
Response: Q6 Cameras are returned with varying shutter speeds they are then adjusted to
two exposures at an interval of 0.5 seconds.
Q7. Regarding the secondary check viewing, please advise how the viewing staff are
trained for their task, who does the training, are certificates of completion provided, and
are the staff given post training assessments or hard copy reference documentation. Is the
work of the viewing staff audited or reviewed at intervals?
Response: Q7 All initial training including secondary check viewing was carried out in
Holland with GATSO. Certificates were issued. There is no formal review of staffs work.
Q8. For FPG please confirm the distance between the calibration lines on the road which
are part of the secondary check, so that one can calculate the speed if five lines are
passed. Response: Q8 The distance between the secondary check markings on the road in
Warwickshire is 2 metres.
Appeal Rights
Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet, which details your right of appeal.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please do not hesitate to
contact this office.
Yours sincerely
Sabina Harris
Information Compliance Officer
WARWICKSHIRE POLICE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION APPEALS PROCEDURE
This appeals procedure is issued in accordance with paragraph 36 of the Lord Chancellor’s
Freedom of Information Access Code of Practice.
Appeal Notification
When a Freedom of Information (FOI) applicant, who has made a request for information, is
dissatisfied with the response received from Warwickshire Police, the FOI applicant should
inform Warwickshire Police in writing (this may be by email) of the reasons why the response
is deemed unsatisfactory.
Should a person who feels that Warwickshire Police is not complying with its Publication
Scheme, the person should inform Warwickshire Police in writing (this may be by email) of
the reasons for their dissatisfaction.
Action by Warwickshire Police
When a dissatisfaction report is received, the circumstances of the dispute will be reviewed
initially by the Decision Makers in the Freedom of Information Office.
If the Decision Makers are unable to resolve the dispute with the FOI applicant, the dispute
will be referred to a Board comprising a Head of Department and a Chief Officer. The Board
will not have been involved in the original decision making process to compile the response.
The Board will consider the dispute and will advise the FOI applicant of their decision as soon
as practicable, but within 20 working days.
Further Action by FOI Applicant
If the FOI applicant remains dissatisfied with the Warwickshire Police response, they then
have the option to refer the case to the Information Commissioner.
Freedom of Information Office 2nd March 2009