Eligibility for furloughing Oxford City Council staff?
Dear Oxford City Council,
On the Government website detailing eligibility for employers to claim employees wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wa...
It states:
If you receive public funding
If you have staff costs that are publicly funded (even if you’re not in the public sector), you should use that money to continue paying your staff, and not furlough your staff.
Organisations can use the scheme if they are not fully funded by public grants and they should contact their sponsor department or respective administration for further guidance.
Since Oxford City Council is publicly funded I would like to know on what grounds Oxford City Council is eligible to claim public money through the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme.
Yours faithfully,
Pat Mastelotto
Dear Pat Mastelotto,
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10066
Thank you for your email below. Your request was received on 23rd April 2021 and you will be sent a response within 20 working days (of receipt) in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000/ Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), subject to the information not being exempt or containing reference to a third party.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recognises the unprecedented challenges all are facing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In particular they understand that resources, whether they are finances or people, may be diverted away from usual compliance or information rights work. Whilst the ICO can’t extend statutory timescales, they will not be penalising public authorities for prioritising other areas or adapting their usual approach during this extraordinary period.
Therefore while the Council will make every effort to comply with the Statutory Requirements you may experience understandable delays when making information rights requests during the pandemic.
Yours sincerely
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS | Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance. Get tested if you have symptoms.
Dear Pat Mastelotto,
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10066
Further to the acknowledgement below, I can respond to your Freedom of
Information Act 2000 request received on 23rd April 2021 as follows:
Question-Since Oxford City Council is publicly funded I would like to know
on what grounds Oxford City Council is eligible to claim public money
through the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme.
The was no legal restriction preventing local authorities from using the
scheme
The decision was made by the Chief Executive on 6 April 2020.
[1]https://mycouncil.oxford.gov.uk/ieDecisi...
Oxford City Council is not fully funded by public grants
If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are
entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s)
made. You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either
email – [email address] – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford
City Council, St Aldate’s Chambers, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1DS. After
the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask
the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf. You may do this
by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [2][email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
Dear freedomofinformation,
In your reply you said: " Oxford City Council is not fully funded by public grants ".
Please list all sources of funding for Oxford City Council which are not publicly funded.
Yours sincerely,
Pat Mastelotto
Dear Pat Mastelotto,
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10135
Thank you for your email. Your request was received on 24th May 2021 and you will be sent a response within 20 working days (of receipt) in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000/ Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), subject to the information not being exempt or containing reference to a third party.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recognises the unprecedented challenges all are facing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In particular they understand that resources, whether they are finances or people, may be diverted away from usual compliance or information rights work. Whilst the ICO can’t extend statutory timescales, they will not be penalising public authorities for prioritising other areas or adapting their usual approach during this extraordinary period.
Therefore while the Council will make every effort to comply with the Statutory Requirements you may experience understandable delays when making information rights requests during the pandemic.
Yours sincerely
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS | Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance. Get tested if you have symptoms.
Dear Pat Mastelotto,
Oxford City Council – Reference: 10135
Further to the acknowledgement below, I can respond to your Freedom of
Information Act 2000 request received on 24^th May 2021 as follows:
Please list all sources of funding for Oxford City Council which are not
publicly funded.
For your information this email constitutes a refusal notice under Section
17.1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because an exemption under
Section 21 of the Act is being applied, namely the information is already
in the public domain i.e.it is published via the Council’s website.
Under section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Council is
not required to respond to requests where the information sought is
reasonably accessible by other means. Information can be found on the
Council’s website via the following links:
The budget book, this shows the gross expenditure and income by service
area:
[1]https://www.oxford.gov.uk/downloads/file...
How we are funded:
[2]https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20158/our...
Fees and charges which gives a list of those items we charge for.
[3]https://www.oxford.gov.uk/downloads/down...
If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are
entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s)
made. You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either
email – [email address] – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford
City Council, St Aldate’s Chambers, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1DS. After
the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask
the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf. You may do this
by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely
Kathryn Winfield
Information Governance Requests Officer
Kathryn Winfield | Information Governance Requests Officer | Oxford City
Council | Law and Governance | St. Aldate's Chambers | Oxford | OX1 1DS |
Email: [email address] | T: 01865 252007
My working days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Stop the virus from spreading. Keep Oxford safe.
Follow the guidance: Clean hands. Wear a face mask. Keep your distance.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
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