Alternative delivery models
To the information officer,
I am emailing to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. My request relates to alternative delivery models used by the council as of September 17, 2019. Specifically, can you list:
(1) All Local Authority Trading Companies owned by the authority, including the following details:
(a)The name of the company
(b)Company number
(c) Date of incorporation
(d)Services provided/purpose
(2) All Public Service Mutuals (PSM) connected to the authority, including the following details:
(a) The name of the PSM
(b) The date it was created
(c) Any other stakeholders formally involved
(d) Services provided/purpose
(3) All outsourced services, including the following details:
(a) The name of the service
(b) The date on which it was outsourced
(c) The organisation(s) that operates the contract
(d) The length of the contract
(e) The annual cost to the council of the contract
(4) All joint ventures entered into by the authority, including the following details:
(a)The name of the venture
(b)The date on which it began
(c) The other organisation(s) involved
(d) The services provided/purpose
I would like the responses in Excel format with the questions and sub-questions as column headers.
For definitions of the above terms, please see the guidance 'Alternative Delivery Models Explained' issued by the Government on 28 March 2017 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...)
If you need clarification please contact me at this email address. Under your section 16 duty to provide advice and assistance I would expect you to contact me if you find this request unmanageable in any way before the 20th working day.
I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Thank you for your time,
Gareth Davies
Our Ref: 6673
Dear Enquirer,
INFORMATION REQUEST
Thank you for your request for information which will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental
Information Regulations 2004.
In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know the likely charges before proceeding.
If you have any queries about this matter please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Kind regards
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk
Our Ref: 6673
Dear Enquirer,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST
I refer to your Freedom of Information request in relation to alternative
delivery models.
Right of Access
Section 1(1) of the Act provides any person making a request for
information to a public authority is entitled.
(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request (which Section
1(6) of the Act designates as the "duty to confirm or deny"), and
(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him.
The right is to obtain access to the information itself and not to the
document or record which contains it.
The Act creates a general right of access to information held by public
authorities subject to various exemptions.
Northumberland County Council confirms that it holds the information you
have requested, please see the following information in response.
Alternative delivery models used by the council as of September 17, 2019.
Specifically, can you list:
Q.1 All Local Authority Trading Companies owned by the authority,
including the following details:
Q.1a The name of the company
Q.1b Company number
Q.1c Date of incorporation
Q.1d Services provided/purpose
A.1 We do not own any Trading Companies.
Q.2 All Public Service Mutuals (PSM) connected to the authority, including
the following details:
Q.2a The name of the PSM
Q.2b The date it was created
Q.2c Any other stakeholders formally involved
Q.2d Services provided/purpose
A.2 We do not have any Public Service Mutuals (PSM).
Q.3 All outsourced services, including the following details:
Q.3a The name of the service
Q.3b The date on which it was outsourced
Q.3c The organisation(s) that operates the contract
Q.3d The length of the contract
Q.3e The annual cost to the council of the contract
A.3
Fire and Rescue 1:
A.3a Vehicle and equipment SLA
A.3b November 2009
A.3c Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
A.3d 5 years renewable March 2022
A.3e £346,670
Fire and Rescue 2:
A.3a Stores, fleet & operational equipment management services
A.3b 01/04/2017
A.3c Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
A.3d 4 years
A.3e £25,832
Children’s Services:
A.3a National Client Caseload Information System (NCCIS)
A.3b Contracted started in April 2012
A.3c Sunderland City Council
A.3d Renewed annually (contract is 12 months rolling)
A.3e £40,000
Neighbourhood Services:
A.3a The management of Household Waste Recovery Centres (HWRCs)
A.3b The current waste PFI contract which includes the management of HWRCs
started April 2007. Prior to this date short term contracts were in place
which also included the management of HWRCs.
A.3c SUEZ.
A.3d 35 years (until 2034/35).
A.3e It is difficult to disaggregate the costs attributable to the HWRCs
from the other waste disposal and recycling services that are provided
through the overall waste PFI Contract. However, the HWRC cost is
estimated at £1.9 million per annum.
A list of other outsourced procured services are available to view on the
Contracts Register
- [1]https://procontract.due-north.com/Contra...
[2]Contracts register - procontract.due-north.com
By clicking "Accept" or continuing to use the site, you agree to the use
of Proactis cookies and other similar technologies to enhance your
browsing experience and analyse/measure your engagement with our content.
procontract.due-north.com
This information is accessible by other means and is therefore exempt in
line with FOIA Section 21. The full detail of the refusal can be found in
the next section of this response - 'Exemptions'.
Q.4 All joint ventures entered into by the authority, including the
following details:
Q.4a The name of the venture
Q.4b The date on which it began
Q.4c The other organisation(s) involved
Q.4d The services provided/purpose
A.4. Adult Services do not have any adult social care arrangements which
resemble the models described in the enquiry, though they do commission
most hands-on care services from external providers, as do local
authorities across the country.
Please note, the Council's Annual Statement of Accounts can be found at
the link below. Note 37, related parties, Advance Northumberland, a 100%
wholly owned Council
subsidiary - [3]https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Northu...
Exemptions
The Freedom of Information Act sets out various exemptions to the right of
access.
In the present case the County Council takes the view that the information
relating to part of our response to your request (question 3 - outsourced
services) is exempt under the following provisions;
Section 21 of the Act states that a public Authority does not need to
provide information under section 1 of the Act if that information is
reasonably accessible to the applicant by other means.
The information on contracted outsourced services is available by vising
the procurement portal, a link has been provided to this in our response
above.
Notice of Refusal
Please treat this letter as a Notice of Refusal with regards to part of
the response to question 3 as the information is covered by the Section 21
Exemption.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request an internal review by writing within 2 months
from the date of this response to the Information Governance Office:
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Information Commissioner
If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a
right by Section 50 of the Act to apply to the Information Commissioner
for a decision as to whether your request has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act at:
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: [email address]
There is no charge for making an appeal.
Yours faithfully
FOI Coordinator - Central Team
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: [4]http://www.northumberland.gov.uk
References
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