Assurance review into the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s oversight of the South Tees Development Corporation and Teesworks Joint Venture
Dear Tees Valley Combined Authority,
I understand that Secretary of State Gove has ordered an assurance review into the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s oversight of the South Tees Development Corporation and Teesworks Joint Venture.
Please can you provide all emails sent from and to members of this assurance review team, with the exception of any that are sent by lawyers or others with legal privilege. Where parts of the text need to be redacted that’s fine.
Yours faithfully,
Jared Rubecki
Kindly only exclude situations where legal privilege applies or an FOI exemption applies. Therefore include emails from lawyers where legal privilege doesn’t apply.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FOI REQUEST
Dear Jared Rubecki,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Ref: 196-2023
Thank you for your correspondence received on 16/08/2023.
Your request is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If this request is for information that the Combined Authority holds, you will receive the information requested by 14/09/2023 which is within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.
However, please note the Act defines a number of exemptions that may prevent release of the requested information. There will therefore be an assessment of your request to determine if any exemptions apply to the information requested. If the information cannot be released, or only released in part, you will be informed of the reasons why, together with any rights of appeal.
If the information requested refers to a third party, they may be consulted before deciding whether it can be released.
Yours sincerely,
Governance Team
Tees Valley Combined Authority
Dear Jared Rubecki,
We regret to inform you that the response to your FOI request is delayed due to the need to consider the public interest test concerning the information requested. We apologise for the delay and will respond to the request in full on or before 12/10/2023, which is a 20 working day extension from the original deadline in line with ICO guidelines.
Yours sincerely,
Governance Team
Tees Valley Combined Authority
Dear Jared Rubecki,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Ref: 196-2023
Thank you for your correspondence received on 16/08/2023. In response to your request, we can now provide the following information.
You asked:
I understand that Secretary of State Gove has ordered an assurance review into the Tees Valley Combined Authority's oversight of the South Tees Development Corporation and Teesworks Joint Venture.
Please can you provide all emails sent from and to members of this assurance review team.
Our response:
It is the case that in May 2023, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove asked for a review into the work of the South Tees Development Corporation. It is the intention of the Independent Panel to compile a report, which it is anticipated will be published by the end of the year.
It is the view of STDC that the information requested, being emails sent from and to members of the review panel, are, at this time, exempt from disclosure under Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Act). This exemption relates to information whose disclosure would or be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of any legal person.
It is the view of STDC that release of the information would or would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of STDC in that it could predetermine the outcome of an independent review, or purport to give a view based on a narrow set of information. Any such view may affect working relationships between STDC and other parties. There is a likelihood that STDC could suffer commercial harm as a result.
In providing this response, TVCA has considered the public interest test, as it is incumbent on the Combined Authority to do so when applying Section 43(2) of the Act. The conclusion of this test is that it is in the public interest to enable the independent review to conclude its work and publish its report before any information which has fed into the process is released in piecemeal. It is in the public interest that the independent panel be able to finalise and publish its findings before any such information is released. The object of STDC is to regenerate the former Steelworks Site at Redcar (known as Teesworks) and this involves commercial relationships which could be affected by the release of the information requested.
If you have any queries or concerns please contact [email address] in the first instance.
However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been handled, you may request an internal review within 40 working days by writing to:
Group Chief Executive, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Teesside Airport Business Suite, Teesside International Airport, Darlington. DL2 1NJ.
If, after your complaint has been determined, you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Wycliffe House, Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Governance Team
Tees Valley Combined Authority
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