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make your request online? Please visit
[1]https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services...
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Reference: FOI-416555703
Date of request: 20/04/2022
Title of request: Common Good funds: assets, value and spending

Dear Ally Tibbitt,

Thank you for your completing your Freedom of Information Request.

We aim to answer all requests within 20 working days.

You will receive a response via email and an update in [1]your self-serve
account if you have one.

For information about how we handle your request please see our [2]Freedom
of Information privacy notice.

For information about your appeal rights please see [3]Freedom of
Information reviews and appeals.

Kind regards

Access to Information Team
Aberdeen City Council | Customer Development | Customer Experience |
Customer
Marischal College | Broad Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AB
[4]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC

Your personal data is very important to us. Please refer to [5]information
on why and how we use your data.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachment to it) is
confidential, protected by copyright and may be privileged. The
information contained in it should be used for its intended purposes only.
If you receive this email in error, notify the sender by reply email,
delete the received email and do not make use of, disclose or copy it.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are free
from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with
this email and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own
virus checking procedures. Unless related to Council business, the
opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and they do not
necessarily constitute those of Aberdeen City Council. Unless we expressly
say otherwise in this email or its attachments, neither this email nor its
attachments create, form part of or vary any contractual or unilateral
obligation. Aberdeen City Council's incoming and outgoing email is subject
to regular monitoring.

References

Visible links
1. https://integration.aberdeencity.gov.uk/...
2. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/your-dat...
3. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services...
4. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk /
5. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/your-dat...

Reference: FOI-416555703
Date of request: 20/04/2022
Title of request: Common Good funds: assets, value and spending
Information request:

I understand that the council must put together a Common Good Asset
register and specific account for Common Good funds.

In this context, I would be grateful if you could supply the following
information from the council:

1. The Net Asset Value of the Common Good Funds administered by the
council in these financial years:

* 2007/08

* 2012/13

* 2017/18

* 2020/21

* 2021/22 (if known)

2. The online location of all available Common Good accounts for the
council.

3. The online location of the Common Good funds asset register. If it is
not online, then please supply it in an excel format, or another machine
readable, open format. It should not be supplied in pdf format files.

4. An itemised breakdown of all debits from the Common Good account for
the last three financial years where finalised records are available,
showing the recipient, and summary purpose of each debit. This should be
supplied in Microsoft excel format, or another machine readable, open
format. It should not be supplied in pdf format files.

5. An itemised list of any Common Good assets that have been sold or
otherwise removed from the accounts in the last three financial years
where finalised records are available. This should show the revenue raised
by the sale, and details of the buyer. In the case of assets that were
otherwise removed from the Common Good fund, please provide a short
summary explanation of why they were removed. This should be supplied in
Microsoft excel format, or another machine readable, open format. It
should not be supplied in pdf format files.

6. An itemised list of any Common Good assets that have been added to the
register in the last three financial years where finalised records are
available. This should include the value of the asset and a description or
location of the asset, and the date it was added. This should be supplied
in Microsoft excel format, or another machine readable, open format. It
should not be supplied in pdf format files.

7. An itemised list of any Common Good assets that are currently leased to
other organisations, including other council departments or public sector
bodies. This list should include summary details of the start and end date
of the lease, the lease holder, and the annual revenue that is raised from
the lease. This should be supplied in Microsoft excel format, or another
machine readable, open format. It should not be supplied in pdf format
files.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Dear Ally Tibbitt,

Thank you for your information request and please accept our sincere
apologies for delay in providing the response to you. We have completed
the necessary search for the information requested. Our response is now
detailed below.

I understand that the council must put together a Common Good Asset
register and specific account for Common Good funds.

In this context, I would be grateful if you could supply the following
information from the council:

1. The Net Asset Value of the Common Good Funds administered by the
council in these financial years:

* 2007/08

* 2012/13

* 2017/18

* 2020/21

* 2021/22 (if known)

* 2007/08   £59,717K

* 2012/13   £78,165k

* 2017/18   £114,384k

* 2020/21   £127,117k

* 2021/22   £131,941k – not finalised

We are unable to provide you with information on the Net Asset Value of
the Common Good Funds administered by the council in 2021/22 as it is not
held by ACC.  In order to comply with our obligations under the terms of
Section 17 of the FOISA, we hereby give notice that this information is
not held by us. 

2. The online location of all available Common Good accounts for the
council.

[1]https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services...

Please note that Common Good accounts are included in the Aberdeen City
Council Annual Accounts and are not a separate document.

As the online location of all available Common Good accounts for the
council is otherwise accessible through the above link on our website, it
is exempt from disclosure.  In order to comply with our obligations under
the terms of Section 16 of the FOISA, we hereby give notice that we are
refusing your request under the terms of Section 25(1) - Information
Otherwise Accessible - of the FOISA.

3. The online location of the Common Good funds asset register. If it is
not online, then please supply it in an excel format, or another machine
readable, open format. It should not be supplied in pdf format files.
Please find enclosed the spreadsheet: Common Good Property Ownership 29
Apr 22. 

4. An itemised breakdown of all debits from the Common Good account for
the last three financial years where finalised records are available,
showing the recipient, and summary purpose of each debit. This should be
supplied in Microsoft excel format, or another machine readable, open
format. It should not be supplied in pdf format files.
Please find enclosed the spreadsheet: Common Good Spend 2019. 

5. An itemised list of any Common Good assets that have been sold or
otherwise removed from the accounts in the last three financial years
where finalised records are available. This should show the revenue raised
by the sale, and details of the buyer. In the case of assets that were
otherwise removed from the Common Good fund, please provide a short
summary explanation of why they were removed. This should be supplied in
Microsoft excel format, or another machine readable, open format. It
should not be supplied in pdf format files.
Please find enclosed the spreadsheet: Common Good Disposed 29 Apr 22. 

6. An itemised list of any Common Good assets that have been added to the
register in the last three financial years where finalised records are
available. This should include the value of the asset and a description or
location of the asset, and the date it was added. This should be supplied
in Microsoft excel format, or another machine readable, open format. It
should not be supplied in pdf format files.
None, we had not acquired any new CG assets. 

7. An itemised list of any Common Good assets that are currently leased to
other organisations, including other council departments or public sector
bodies. This list should include summary details of the start and end date
of the lease, the lease holder, and the annual revenue that is raised from
the lease. This should be supplied in Microsoft excel format, or another
machine readable, open format. It should not be supplied in pdf format
files.
There is a spreadsheet: Common Good Lease 29 Apr 22. We will send it to
you via a separate e-mail as it cannot be attached in here due to it’s
size.

Please note that the tenant’s name where the subjects have been leased to
an individual have been removed from the attached spreadsheet. This is
because we consider that this information is excepted from disclosure.

In making this decision Aberdeen City Council considered the following
points:

We are of the opinion that Section 38(1)(b) applies to your request as the
information in question is personal information relating to living
individuals, who can be identified from it.

Further, Section 38(2)(a)(i) applies, as we consider that disclosure of
this information would be a breach of the first Data Protection Principle
(that personal information must be processed fairly and lawfully).

We are unable to provide you with information on the rent for the common
good leases as it is exempt from disclosure.  In order to comply with our
obligations under the terms of Section 16 of the FOISA, we hereby give
notice that we are refusing this question under the terms of Section 33
(1) (b) ‐ Commercial Interests ‐ of the FOISA. 

In making this decision we considered the following points:

By disclosing the level of rental currently being paid, we could prejudice
the Councils position in relation to rent review negotiations for rents
being set going forward and the level of rentals that could be achieved on
similar properties within the portfolio for new lettings.

In releasing this information, this could directly impact on the level of
income generated from the portfolio of CG assets. These assets from part
of the Councils investment portfolio and any decrease in the level of
income achieved would impact on the level of values reflected in the
annual accounts.

ACC recognises that there is a public interest in being open and
transparent about its public money and that disclosure of this information
may be in the public interest. The information could be of interest in
terms of the total annual level of revenue being generated by the assets
held on the Common Good account.

On the other hand, the information could impact the level of rental which
could be achieved for these assets and have a direct impact on the values
which we report in the financial accounts. The Common Good Fund is used to
support services and projects that benefit communities in Aberdeen City.
It is important that the Council maximise the income generated by these
assets.

ACC is of the view that in this case, the public interest lies in
withholding the information as disclosure would prejudice ACC’s commercial
interests. As the potential impact could be detrimental to the level of
income secured under the assets held by the Common Good fund, it could
directly impact the levels of value reported within the Council’s
financial accounts and could impact the level of financial resources
available to support services and projects for the wider benefit of local
communities, therefore, we are of the view that this information should
not be disclosed.

On this basis, ACC is of the view that in all circumstances of the case,
the public interest is best met by applying Regulation 33 (1) (b).

We handled your request for information in accordance with the provisions
of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

If you are dissatisfied with the way we have handled your request or the
content of it, you are entitled to ask for an appeal. You can do this from
your [2]Aberdeen City Council self service account.

For more information on your right to review, please visit [3]Freedom of
Information Review and Appeals.

We hope this helps with your request.

Kind regards

Access to Information Team
Aberdeen City Council | Customer Development | Customer Experience |
Customer
Marischal College | Broad Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AB
[4]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC

Your personal data is very important to us. Please refer to [5]information
on why and how we use your data.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachment to it) is
confidential, protected by copyright and may be privileged. The
information contained in it should be used for its intended purposes only.
If you receive this email in error, notify the sender by reply email,
delete the received email and do not make use of, disclose or copy it.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are free
from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with
this email and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own
virus checking procedures. Unless related to Council business, the
opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and they do not
necessarily constitute those of Aberdeen City Council. Unless we expressly
say otherwise in this email or its attachments, neither this email nor its
attachments create, form part of or vary any contractual or unilateral
obligation. Aberdeen City Council's incoming and outgoing email is subject
to regular monitoring.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services...
2. https://integration.aberdeencity.gov.uk/...
3. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services...
4. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk /
5. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/your-dat...

Dear Mr Tibbitt,

Following our earlier response, please find enclosed the spreadsheet which
we could not sent due to it’s size.

Please let us know in case of any problems.

Thank you,

Salomeh

[1]ACC_Crest_for Salomeh Kheyri Rad | Access to Information Officer
mac email
Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team |
Customer Feedback |Customer

Marischal College | Business Hub 6 | 1^st Floor  | Broad
Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AB

Dial: 01224 522166

[2]www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC |
Facebook.com/AberdeenCC

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachment to it) is
confidential, protected by copyright and may be privileged. The
information contained in it should be used for its intended purposes only.
If you receive this email in error, notify the sender by reply email,
delete the received email and do not make use of, disclose or copy it.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are free
from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with
this email and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own
virus checking procedures. Unless related to Council business, the
opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and they do not
necessarily constitute those of Aberdeen City Council. Unless we expressly
say otherwise in this email or its attachments, neither this email nor its
attachments create, form part of or vary any contractual or unilateral
obligation. Aberdeen City Council's incoming and outgoing email is subject
to regular monitoring.

References

Visible links
2. http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

Did you know that the quickest way to make a request for information is to
make your request online? Please visit
[1]https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services...
to make a request.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail (including any attachment to it) is
confidential, protected by copyright and may be privileged. The
information contained in it should be used for its intended purposes only.
If you receive this email in error, notify the sender by reply email,
delete the received email and do not make use of, disclose or copy it.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are free
from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with
this email and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own
virus checking procedures. Unless related to Council business, the
opinions expressed in this email are those of the sender and they do not
necessarily constitute those of Aberdeen City Council. Unless we expressly
say otherwise in this email or its attachments, neither this email nor its
attachments create, form part of or vary any contractual or unilateral
obligation. Aberdeen City Council's incoming and outgoing email is subject
to regular monitoring.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services...

Dear Mr Tibbitt,

Please find enclosed the required spreadsheets.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Kind regards,
Salomeh

Salomeh Kheyri Rad | Access to Information Officer
Aberdeen City Council | Access to Information Team | Customer Feedback |Customer
Marischal College | Business Hub 6 | 1st Floor  | Broad Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1AB
 
Dial: 01224 522166
www.aberdeencity.gov.uk | Twitter: @AberdeenCC | Facebook.com/AberdeenCC

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