Data analytics usage

The request was partially successful.

Data Justice Lab

Dear Hartlepool 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.

Freedomofinformation, Hartlepool Council

Thank you for your email which has been received by the Council. 

If your request relates to official council held information it will be
handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or
Environmental Information Regulations 2005. We may need to contact you
for further information or clarification. If you do not hear from us,
please accept this email as acknowledgment of your request. You will
receive a final response within the next 20 working days.

If you are writing to find out what information the Council holds about
you, and wish to exercise your ‘Right to Access’ under data protection
legislation (General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act
2018) your request will be processed and responded to within one month of
receiving the request. 

If you have any queries regarding data protection, please do not hesitate
to contact us at  [1][email address] or on 01429 523087.

Following completion of a freedom of information request/ data protection
request, the information relating to the request and response will be
retained by the Council for three years.  For further information on how
the Council process your personal data in accordance with the Data
Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations, please
visit [2]www.hartlepool.gov.uk/gdpr

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Legal
Division on 01429 523087 or email
[3][email address] .

 

 

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FOI Responses, Hartlepool Council

Hi, further to your request for information, I can advise as follows;

For the purposes of section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act, the Council does not hold the requested information because the Council does not operate any data analytics, predictive analytics, or algorithmic automated systems used for risk assessment, scoring systems or automated decision making.

We hope that this information deals with your request, however if you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted to [email address] within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original request.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, www.ico.org.uk

Thanks

Elena Lilley| Legal Services Division Apprentice
Hartlepool Borough Council
Tel: (01429) 523647 | Ext: 3647
Email: [email address]

Web: hartlepool.gov.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/hartlepoolcouncil
Twitter: twitter.com/HpoolCouncil

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