Employer Supported Policing (ESP)

The request was successful.

Dear City of Edinburgh Council,

I am curious to know if you have a policy that supports your staff who volunteer their free time as a Special Police Constable with Police Scotland or British Transport Police.

If you do support this, usually known as Employer Supported Policing (ESP) can you provide details on how you Support in this way? Or if you don’t support ESP is this something you will consider.

Yours faithfully,
Scott Munro

City of Edinburgh Council

Mr Scott Munro

Date: 28/09/2017

Our ref: 16366

Dear Mr Munro

Acknowledgement of Request

Subject: Employer Supported Policing (ESP)

Thank you for your request for information received on 28/09/2017. In your request you asked for the following;

I am curious to know if you have a policy that supports your staff who volunteer their free time as a Special Police Constable with Police Scotland or British Transport Police.

If you do support this, usually known as Employer Supported Policing (ESP) can you provide details on how you Support in this way? Or if you don’t support ESP is this something you will consider.

I can confirm that your request will be processed under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, Environmental Information Regulations (Scotland) 2004, or the INSPIRE (Scotland) Regulations 2009.

You will receive the information requested within 20 working days unless the Council does not hold the information, or there is a reason for it to be withheld. We will write to you in any event.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case we will let you know.

If you have any requirements regarding the format any information should be supplied in, e.g. the language to be used, audio, large print and so on, then please let me know.

If you have any queries or concerns, do not hesitate to get in touch. Please quote the reference number above in any future communications.

To promote transparency and accountability, please note it is the Council’s policy to publish all request details and responses made under the freedom of information legislation. This information will be made available through the Council’s website and will not include your personal details. The disclosure log is available at the following link: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/175....

Further information about your rights and accessing information is available on our website at: www.edinburgh.gov.uk

Yours sincerely,

Information Governance Unit
Level 2:1, Waverley Court, Edinburgh EH8 8BG Tel 0131 200 2340
[Edinburgh City Council request email] www.edinburgh.gov.uk

City of Edinburgh Council

Mr Scott Munro

[FOI #434541 email]

Our ref: 16366

Dear Mr Munro

Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 - Release of Information

Subject: Employer Supported Policing (ESP)

Thank you for your request for information of 28/09/2017 where you asked the following:

I am curious to know if you have a policy that supports your staff who volunteer their free time as a Special Police Constable with Police Scotland or British Transport Police.

If you do support this, usually known as Employer Supported Policing (ESP) can you provide details on how you Support in this way? Or if you don’t support ESP is this something you will consider.

Your request has been processed and considered under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs) and the information is provided below.

The City of Edinburgh Council has a Special Leave Policy in operation which provides guidance around leave for voluntary work, including members of the Special Constabulary. It is expected that voluntary work will be done in the employee’s own time. If a line manager can accommodate an employee taking leave to carry out voluntary work, it would be unpaid, or the employee could utilise paid annual leave, if they wished.

Employer Supported Policing (ESP) is a partnership with Police Scotland in which employees would be given paid time off to undertake their volunteer police duties and/or training. This is not something the City of Edinburgh Council currently participates in and is not something we are intending to consider in the future.

To promote transparency and accountability, please note it is the Council’s policy to publish all request details and responses made under the freedom of information legislation. This information will be made available through the Council’s website and will not include your personal details. The disclosure log is available at the following link: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/175...

Your right to seek a review

If you are unhappy with the way we have dealt with your request, you can ask us to review our actions and decisions by writing to the:

Head of Strategy & Insight
The City of Edinburgh Council,
Waverley Court Business Centre 2:1,
4, East Market Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8BG or:
Email: [email address]

Please note that your request must be in a recordable format (email, letter, audio tape etc.), and that you have 40 working days upon receipt of this letter to ask for a review. You will receive a full response to your review request within 20 working days of its receipt. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the review, you can ask the Scottish Information Commissioner to review our decision. You must submit your complaint to the Commissioner within 6 months of receiving our review response. The Commissioner can be contacted at:

The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Fax: 01334 464611
Website: www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal
Email: [email address]

Yours sincerely,

Clayton Pratt
Information Rights Officer

Information Governance Unit
Level 2:1, Waverley Court, Edinburgh EH8 8BG Tel 0131 200 2340
[Edinburgh City Council request email] www.edinburgh.gov.uk