Data analytics usage

The request was successful.

Data Justice Lab

Dear Crawley Borough Council,

We are submitting the following Freedom of Information Request for documents relating to uses of data analytics, predictive analytics, or algorithmic automated systems used for risk assessment, scoring systems or automated decision making within the jurisdiction of your authority. This could include the use of these data systems in order to draw insights from large and integrated datasets, or to influence decisions about resources, funding or service delivery. This could include, but may not be limited to, uses of predictive analytics in child welfare, health care, adult social care, fraud detection, or policing.

Specifically, we are requesting:

· Any briefing notes, reports, evaluations, or summaries concerning uses of algorithmically driven data systems. Ideally this would include information about software, hardware, operations and types of data

· Any overviews about how system outputs are produced.

· Any training manuals or materials (e.g. slides, etc.) for staff about data collection, analysis, assessment and reporting as related to the use of the systems.

. Any impact assessments

· Any data visualisation outputs connected to the systems.

· Any promotional material, presentation material, or staff educational material related to the systems.

. Any contracts relating to the systems. We argue that the release of contracts does not compromise commercial sensitivity. The full argument is provided below.*

Also, please note we are not requesting datasets or any data about individuals.

Please let us know if any information requires clarifying.

We would like to receive electronic copies of this information.

All the very best,

Data Justice Lab

Please note that we are following the Information Commissioner’s guidance on the Freedom of Information Act which specifies that requests can be made by organisations and there is no need for a named individual (pages 9-10, sections 38-39).
Source: https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

*Addressing the commercial sensitivity question:
a) Section 20 of the Department for Communities and Local Government’s ‘Local Government Transparency Code 2015’, which encourages greater transparency in the public interest, notes:

‘The Government has not seen any evidence that publishing details about contracts entered into by local authorities would prejudice procurement exercises or the interests of commercial organisations, or breach commercial confidentiality unless specific confidentiality clauses are included in contracts. Local authorities should expect to publish details of contracts newly entered into – commercial confidentiality should not, in itself, be a reason for local authorities to not follow the provisions of this Code’.

Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk... (page 9, section 20)

b) There is always the potential for a company in any area to act in bad faith, but this should not be a reason to deny access to information about how public money is spent.

c) Contract and tendering details are provided regularly by a range of government bodies in the public interest. For example, many police and fire services release contractual information through the Bluelight database ( https://www.blpd.gov.uk/foi/foi.aspx ).

d) There may be core aspects of the systems contracted that have competitive commercial value and we appreciate that such details will be redacted from any documents released. We argue that commercial interests will not be compromised by revealing other details that may be provided in contracts or related communications with contracted companies. Details that could be released include details about the existence of a system, it's purpose, the tasks being contracted, continued relationships, general descriptions, types of data being used, how this data is shared.

Freedom Of Information, Crawley Borough Council

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your request for information which is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act.

You should receive the information requested within 20 working days unless the Council does not hold the information or if there is a reason for it to be withheld.

Please remember to quote the above FOI reference number in any future communications.

Kind regards,

Freedom of Information

FOI: 5989

show quoted sections

Freedom Of Information, Crawley Borough Council

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

Please see below for Crawley Borough Council’s response.

 

Regards,

 

Gillian Edwards

Audit and Risk Manager

Crawley Borough Council

 

01293 438384

[1]www.crawley.gov.uk

 

Mon to Friday 8am to 5pm

 

FOI request No: 5989

 

 

Dear Crawley Borough Council,

 

We are submitting the following Freedom of Information Request for
documents relating to uses of data analytics, predictive analytics, or
algorithmic automated systems used for risk assessment, scoring systems or
automated decision making within the jurisdiction of your authority. This
could include the use of these data systems in order to draw insights from
large and integrated datasets, or to influence decisions about resources,
funding or service delivery. This could include, but may not be limited
to, uses of predictive analytics in child welfare, health care, adult
social care, fraud detection, or policing.

 

Crawley Borough Council Response

 

For retrospective systems Crawley Borough Council uses Business Objects
and IDEA. Crawley Borough Council does not use any algorithmic predictive
analytical systems or AI.

 

 

 

 

Specifically, we are requesting:

 

·         Any briefing notes, reports, evaluations, or summaries
concerning uses of algorithmically driven data systems. Ideally this would
include information about software, hardware, operations and types of data

 

·         Any overviews about how system outputs are produced.

 

·         Any training manuals or materials (e.g. slides, etc.) for staff
about data collection, analysis, assessment and reporting as related to
the use of the systems.

 

.         Any impact assessments

 

·         Any data visualisation outputs connected to the systems.

 

·         Any promotional material, presentation material, or staff
educational material related to the systems.

 

.         Any contracts relating to the systems. We argue that the release
of contracts does not compromise commercial sensitivity. The full argument
is provided below.*

 

Also, please note we are not requesting datasets or any data about
individuals.

 

Please let us know if any information requires clarifying.

 

We would like to receive electronic copies of this information.

 

 

Please note that we are following the Information Commissioner’s guidance
on the Freedom of Information Act which specifies that requests can be
made by organisations and there is no need for a named individual (pages
9-10, sections 38-39).

Source:
[2]https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

 

*Addressing the commercial sensitivity question:

a) Section 20 of the Department for Communities and Local Government’s
‘Local Government Transparency Code 2015’, which encourages greater
transparency in the public interest, notes:

 

‘The Government has not seen any evidence that publishing details about
contracts entered into by local authorities would prejudice procurement
exercises or the interests of commercial organisations, or breach
commercial confidentiality unless specific confidentiality clauses are
included in contracts. Local authorities should expect to publish details
of contracts newly entered into – commercial confidentiality should not,
in itself, be a reason for local authorities to not follow the provisions
of this Code’.

 

Source:
[3]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk...
(page 9, section 20)

 

b) There is always the potential for a company in any area to act in bad
faith, but this should not be a reason to deny access to information about
how public money is spent.

 

c) Contract and tendering details are provided regularly by a range of
government bodies in the public interest. For example, many police and
fire services release contractual information through the Bluelight
database ( [4]https://www.blpd.gov.uk/foi/foi.aspx ).

 

d) There may be core aspects of the systems contracted that have
competitive commercial value and we appreciate that such details will be
redacted from any documents released. We argue that commercial interests
will not be compromised by revealing other details that may be provided in
contracts or related communications with contracted companies. Details
that could be released include details about the existence of a system,
it's purpose, the tasks being contracted, continued relationships, general
descriptions, types of data being used, how this data is shared.

 

Crawley Borough Council Response

 

Crawley Borough Council does not hold this information

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.crawley.gov.uk/
2. https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...
3. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk...
4. https://www.blpd.gov.uk/foi/foi.aspx