Gritting expenses
Dear City of Edinburgh Council,
I am a 3rd year undergraduate Informatics student at the University of Edinburgh.
As part of one my classes, I and my team have been tasked with creating a product in the field of "assistive robotics". Our project idea is to create an autonomous grit dispenser that could be used on the city's streets to clear icy, slippery patches.
As part of the market research for our project, I would like to ask for a breakdown of the council's expenses on the gritting infrastructure.
Yours faithfully,
Vincenzo Incutti
Vincenzo Incutti
Our ref: 30826
Dear Vincenzo Incutti
Acknowledgement of Request
Subject: Gritting expenses
Thank you for your request for information which was received on 14/01/2021.
In your request you asked for the following;
As part of one my classes, I and my team have been tasked with creating a product in the field of "assistive robotics". Our project idea is to create an autonomous grit dispenser that could be used on the city's streets to clear icy, slippery patches.
As part of the market research for our project, I would like to ask for a breakdown of the council's expenses on the gritting infrastructure.
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. This means we have until 11/02/2021 to respond to your request.
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 is normally available through the Council’s website and will not include personal details. Unfortunately, at the moment, the disclosure log is only partly available. We hope to have this issue resolved in the near future, after which time, the full response will be accessible via the following link: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/10....
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
Vincenzo Incutti
[FOI #718141 email]
Our ref: 30826
Dear Vincenzo Incutti
Request for Clarification
Subject: Gritting Expenses
Thank you for your request for information of 14/01/2021 in which you asked the following:
In relation to a project to create an autonomous grit dispenser that could be used on the city's streets to clear icy, slippery patches, I would like to ask for a breakdown of the council's expenses on the gritting infrastructure.
Unfortunately, we cannot identify the information you have requested from the details you have provided. To help us meet your request, could you please provide the following:
Please provide further detail of the expenses you refer to. Are you looking for the cost of the grit, vehicle costs, staff costs, etc. Please also provide a date range for your request, e.g. expenses over the last financial year, etc.
On receipt of these further details, we will respond to your request within 20 working days. Please note that the statutory 20 working day deadline for responding to your request does not start until we receive the requested clarification from you.
If we do not hear from you within 40 working days, we will assume that you are no longer seeking the information you have requested and we will take no further action.
If you wish to discuss further, please get in touch. Please quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Further information about your rights and accessing information is available on our website at: www.edinburgh.gov.uk
Yours sincerely,
Iain Burden
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
Dear City of Edinburgh Council,
Thanks for your reply.
I am looking for a breakdown of all associated costs related to your gritting operations. It will be helpful if you could further break it down into the cost of gritting roads and the costs of gritting pavements/walkways
In respect to the individual elements in the breakdown, yes, I am looking for the cost of grit (and the amount of grit used), the cost of the vehicles or the tools used in the gritting process, the staffing costs, and the total number of hours taken to grit.
This is for the period from January 2020 to December 2020, inclusive. If this is not possible, then records from January 2019 to December 2019 is also sufficient.
Yours faithfully,
Vincenzo Incutti
Vincenzo Incutti
[FOI #718141 email]
Our ref: 30826
Dear Vincenzo Incutti
Request for Clarification - Receipt
Subject: Gritting Expenses
Thank you for providing clarification on the above request for information of 14/01/2021. We will respond to your request within 20 working days. Please note that the statutory 20 working day deadline for responding to your request starts upon receipt of clarification. This means we have until 16/02/2021 to respond to your request.
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 is normally available through the Council’s website and will not include personal details. Unfortunately, at the moment, the disclosure log is only partly available. We hope to have this issue resolved in the near future, after which time, the full response will be accessible via the following link: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/10....
Further information about your rights and accessing information is available on our website at: www.edinburgh.gov.uk
Yours sincerely
Iain Burden
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
Vincenzo Incutti
[1][FOI #718141 email]
Our ref: 30826
Dear Vincenzo Incutti
Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 - Partial Release of
Information
Subject: Gritting Expenses
Thank you for your request for information of 14/01/2021 and subsequent
clarification of 19/01/2021 where you asked the following:
I am looking for a breakdown of all associated costs related to your
gritting operations. It will be helpful if you could further break it down
into the cost of gritting roads and the costs of gritting
pavements/walkways.
In respect to the individual elements in the breakdown, I am looking for
the cost of grit (and the amount of grit used), the cost of the vehicles
or the tools used in the gritting process, the staffing costs, and the
total number of hours taken to grit.
This is for the period from January 2020 to December 2020, inclusive. If
this is not possible, then records from January 2019 to December 2019 is
also sufficient.
Your request has been processed under the Environmental Information
(Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs). Unfortunately, the Council is only
able to meet part of your request; this information is released to you
now. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding. This was due
to the recent pressures on the gritting service during recent severe
weather conditions.
The information we hold is recorded by financial year rather than calendar
year. We have therefore provided information for the season 2019/20 which
covers the period from 1st April 2019 to 30th March 2020. It covers the
Winter season which runs from the middle of October to the end of March in
this period.
2019/20:
Road Treatment = £1,122,483
Footpath Treatment = £500,457
Annual grit bin maintenance = £125,031
Misc. (Forecasting, third-party, maintenance, etc.) = £112,093
Total salt used – 5,022 tonnes
We cannot provide the cost of the salt as we consider this to be
commercially sensitive.
Under the terms of the legislation, a request for information can be
refused where one or more exceptions listed in the legislation apply. In
this instance, the Council is claiming the following exception to the
information that you have requested:
Regulation 10(5)(e) – Confidentiality of commercial or industrial
information
This exception applies to information where disclosure would, or would be
likely to, prejudice substantially the confidentiality of commercial or
industrial information where confidentiality is provided for to protect a
legitimate economic interest.
The cost of the salt used is sensitive commercial information forming part
of an on-going contract. If such information relating to this contract is
released it would prejudice the commercial interests of both the provider
and the Council.
I have applied the public interest test to your request and although there
is a clear public interest in the Council promoting transparency and
accountability through the disclosure of information relating to our
commercial contracts, in this instance I consider the public interest is
best served by withholding the information. As this contract is currently
in place, disclosure of commercially sensitive information would cause
substantial harm to both the Council seeking to obtain the best value for
the citizens of Edinburgh and the provider.
Please note that this letter constitutes a formal refusal notice under
regulation 13 of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations
2004.
In general, the split of costs for Labour / Plant and Transport /
Materials (Grit) is as follows:
• Labour – 30%
• Plant & Transport - 50%
• Materials - 20%
We are unable to provide the information requested broken down further to
the level you requested, because it is not held by the Council. The
Council is therefore relying on the exception under regulation 10(4)(a) of
the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
Please note that this letter constitutes a formal notice under regulation
13 of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
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 is normally
available through the Council’s website and will not include personal
details. Unfortunately, at the moment, the disclosure log is only partly
available. We hope to have this issue resolved in the near future, after
which time, the full response will be accessible via the following link:
[2]https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/10....
Your right to seek a review
I appreciate that our decision may disappoint you and I am sorry that we
have not been able to release all the information you requested on this
occasion. 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;
Information Compliance
The City of Edinburgh Council
Waverley Court Business Centre 2:1
4, East Market Street
Edinburgh
EH8 8BG or;
Email: [3][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 above 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: [4]www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal
Email: [5][email address]
Yours sincerely
Iain Burden
Information Rights Officer
Information Governance Unit
Level 2:1, Waverley Court, Edinburgh EH8 8BG Tel 0131 200 2340
[6][Edinburgh City Council request email] [7]www.edinburgh.gov.uk
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #718141 email]
2. https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/10...
3. mailto:[email address]
4. http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal
5. mailto:[email address]
6. mailto:[Edinburgh City Council request email]
7. http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/
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