Final accounts of the Forest of Dean Integrated Rural Development Project

The request was partially successful.

Laurence Moseley

Dear South West of England Regional Development Agency,

I wish to obtain the Final Accounts for the Integrated Rural Development Project (IRD) in the Forest of Dean. I have made several telephone calls to SWRDA but no one has so far been able to find those accounts. I have also spoken to the author of the Final Report on the project and he was unable to be of assistance. I believe that I have exhausted the usual channels.

My purposes are to try to ascertain:

1. How much of the expenditure went to individuals or organisations located in the Forest of Dean District and how much elsewhere.
2. How much of the expenditure was directly on projects and how much went to consultants, facilitators, or others who played only a supportive or facilitative role
3. What quantitative measures of a successful outcome were used in the evaluation of value-for-money
4. I would like the actual accounts rather than some broad summary headings because I will then be able to group and summarize the data to answer my own questions. That will (a) take a burden off the civil servants concerned and (b) ensure that the analysis is independent.

Reasons for the request

I am informed that the overall expenditure was of the order of £1.6 million. That was public money and the official accounts should be available for public scrutiny and analysis. There must be such accounts. If not, then a large sum was expended with no appropriate scrutiny.

New projects are under consideration or underway, and it would be desirable to learn from the Integrated Rural Development Project so that the benefits from the new projects (e.g. RDPE projects) can be maximized.

Yours faithfully,

Laurence Moseley
13th May 2010

Alison McCarthy, South West of England Regional Development Agency

Our ref: 1-96413326

Dear Mr Moseley

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your email request for information
of 13 May 2010.

We will deal with your request as quickly as possible, and in any event,
within 20 working days of receipt, in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations.

Kind regards

Alison McCarthy
Information & FOI Officer
South West RDA

Tel: +44 (0) 1392 229585
Email: [1][email address]
Web Site: [2]www.southwestrda.org.uk

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Alison McCarthy, South West of England Regional Development Agency

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Moseley

Please find attached our response to your request for information of 13
May 2010,

kind regards

Alison McCarthy
Information & FOI Officer
South West RDA

Tel: +44 (0) 1392 229585
Email: [1][email address]
Web Site: [2]www.southwestrda.org.uk

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confidential or privileged information and is intended for the named
individual only. If you are not the named addressee you should not
disseminate, distribute or copy this email. Please click on this link to
view our full email disclaimer:
[4]www.southwestrda.org.uk/legal/email_disclaimer.aspx

The South West RDA works for and promotes a modern, stronger and more
resilient economy across South West England.

Our work involves creating better jobs, successful businesses, more
prosperous cities, towns and villages within an economy that uses less
carbon and will still be thriving in 20, 50 and 100 years time.

Find out more at [5]www.southwestrda.org.uk

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5. http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/

Linda Williams,

1 Attachment

[Subject only] Unclassified: FOI request

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Laurence Moseley

Dear Linda Williams,

I have received an automated reminder from the relevant website and am accordingly writing to you.

I have received your response and am being patient until 2nd July 2010. Thank you for keeping me informed.

I am aware that difficulties have arisen because a variety of bodies have been involved over time with this issue (Countryside Commission, Defra, SWRDA, Natural England, Forest of Dean District Council, and probably others as well). However, at the root of the issue is the fact that £1.6 million of public money has been spent and at the moment the public cannot obtain the accounts to permit an independent analysis of the to be undertaken. The "independent analysis" is the critical feature.

Given the likely disbursement of the RDPE monies in the near future, the issue becomes more pertinent. In that second venture we need to learn the lessons from the IRD programme.

Yours sincerely,

Laurence Moseley
25th June 2010

Linda Williams,

3 Attachments

[Subject only] Unclassified: FOI response

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