Dear Mr Woods

Thank you for contacting Derbyshire County Council. I have forwarded your enquiry to the Access to Information department for reply

Kind Regards,

Fiona
Call Derbyshire Administrator,
Call Derbyshire - 08456 058 058

Please address all replies to [email address]

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Dear Mr Woods

Thank you for your below enquiry received by Derbyshire County Council on the 5th July 2011.

We will be dealing with your enquiry under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In accordance with the legislation, the deadline for responding is 20 working days from receipt of the request, this being the 2nd August 2011. However, we shall endeavour to deal with your request promptly, and if possible before this date.

Yours sincerely,

John McElvaney, Director of Legal Services
Derbyshire County Council.
01629 538337/ Internal 38337

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Dear Mr Woods

I refer to your below enquiry.

Your request was as follows (extracted):

1. Has the Council been asked to contribute money to fund the
development of the software system called Frameworki? This software
is supplied by Corelogic Ltd and is in use at the Council.

If the answer is 'yes', please answer the following questions :

2. What was the magnitude of the requested payment? I appreciate
that the precise amount might be commercially sensitive, but as a
taxpayer I have a legitimate interest in understanding whether the
Council is being asked to pay, say, £0 - £10,000; £10,000 -
£50,000; £50,000 - £100,000; £100,000 - £500,000; £500,000+

3. Has the Council agreed to pay some money to fund the future
development of this software product?

4. Is the Council still deciding whether to pay some money to fund
the future development of this software product?

If the answer to either 3 or 4 is 'yes', please answer the
following :

5. Will the Council gain some ownership of the Frameworki
Intellectual Property as a consequence of this investment?

6. Will the Council gain some ownership of Corelogic Ltd as a
consequence of this investment?

7. What professional advice did the Council take before making this
decision?

8. What governance process did the Council follow before making
this decision?

Please see below Freedom of Information Act 2000 response:

Derbyshire County Council does hold the requested information in a recorded format. However the Authority considers that the disclosure of this information would adversely affect the commercial interests of both Corelogic and the Council, and moreover that the public interest in retaining the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it for the reasons set out below. This information is therefore being withheld under s43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Disclosure of the requested information would prejudice the commercial interests of Corelogic as it would reveal the full details of Corelogic's innovatively structured deals with its public sector partners and disclosure of such information would allow an unfair insight into the intellectual property, know-how and trade secrets of Corelogic, which may then be used by their competitors to their detriment and/or to give them a competitive advantage.

Therefore disclosure of the requested information at present carries a real and significant risk of prejudice to the position of Corelogic as it could potentially prejudice its competitive position in the market, particularly in relation to future procurement exercises and/or limit the ability of the Council in future to secure the best possible terms in any such procurement exercise. Future bidders may be reluctant to disclose full information to the Council if they are concerned that such information (which may be valuable truly confidential and/or commercially sensitive information or constitute trade secrets) could be disclosed to competitors. This would affect the ability of the Council to receive value for money and to receive the most economically advantageous solutions.

At the current time, the public interest in disclosing the information is outweighed by the public interest in maintaining the exemption for the following reasons. There is a public interest in being transparent and accountable, and the need to have visible good financial decision making and share good practices and improve standards. However it is also in the public interest for tendering procedures and contractual arrangements with public bodies to be carried out on a basis which encourages as wide a response as possible, with no potential bidders being negatively influenced by concerns that their commercially valuable information could be disclosed to competitors. It is therefore considered that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in its disclosure.

I am sorry that in this instance we have been unable to comply with your request. Should you wish the outcome to be reviewed, please follow the procedure as set out below:-

Stage 1:

In the first instance, please send in your comments, and wherever possible, a copy of your request and the covering letter enclosing the information or refusing your request, to:-

Or via post to: Jenny Barnes

Access to Information Officer
Legal Services Division
Derbyshire County Council
County Hall
Matlock
DE4 3AG
Email: [email address]

Stage 2:

After completing the above procedure, if you wish to challenge the decision further, then you have a right to contact the Information Commissioner's Office as follows:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: Tel: 0303 123 1113/Fax: 01625 524510 ICO Weblink: http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

Yours sincerely,

John McElvaney, Director of Legal Services
Derbyshire County Council.
01629 538337/ Internal 38337

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Dear Mr Woods,

Thank you for contacting Derbyshire County Council.

I have forwarded your email to our Freedom of Information Department for reply.

Regards,

Tracey.
Call Derbyshire Administrator
Call Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Council
08456 058 058

Call Derbyshire - Contact Centre of the Year 2011, Good Communications Awards.

Did you know you can now borrow eBooks? Visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/ebooks for more info.

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Dear Michael,

Thank you for contacting Derbyshire County Council. I have forwarded your email onto the Freedom of Information Officer for reply.

Regards

Becky
Call Derbyshire Administrator
Call Derbyshire
08456 058 058

Call Derbyshire - Contact Centre of the Year 2011, Good Communications Awards.

Did you know you can now borrow eBooks? Visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/ebooks for more info.

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Dear Mr Woods

Please accept my apologies that your request for a review has not been complied with as of yet.

The Access to Information Officer is currently out of the office until the 27th September, and shall endeavour to deal with your request promptly upon her return.

Thank you in advance for your patience whilst this matter is being dealt with.

Yours sincerely,

John McElvaney, Director of Legal Services
Derbyshire County Council.
01629 538337/ Internal 38337

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