Information regarding the monitoring of Contracts

The request was partially successful.

Dear Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council,

I should like to request the following information under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act . I understand that I do not have to specify particular files or documents and it is the departments responsibility to provide the information I require. But I have tried to be helpful and insert relevant material. If the monitoring has been as per the contract then this information should be at hand. If you need further clarification, please contact me by email.
Could you please furnish me with the following documents and answers to my questions with reference to the Council’s awarding of a contract for 0-19 Early Help Locality Children’s Model including Centre Services in South & Central Walsall. The contract beginning April 2018.
With reference to the following contained within the Contract Specification

Contract Management
Request 1.
Please forward a copy of the Monitoring Reports provided by CGL under the 4.2 of the contract specification. Those being:
Monthly reports for April, May and June
Quarterly report for Quarter 2 (July, August, September)

Questions :
Under Section 4.4 of the Contract Specification the Provider (CGL) should report its performance against each Key Performance Indicators (KPI) monthly.
1 How many of the KPI’s have not been met?
2 How many of the KPI’s have been amended?
3 How many of the KPI@S have been scrapped?
4 If the KPI’s have been scrapped on whose authority?
Please furnish me with copies of the KPI monthly reports from April to September
Please furnish me with a new list of amended KPI’s

Governance
Under 4.12 of the Contract Specification, the Provider will develop, maintain and support an advisory Board
Questions:
1 How many times have the Advisory Board met since April?
2. Who are the members of the Advisory Board? How many of these are parents representatives (4.14)?
3. Who is monitoring the Board in terms of its compliance with Sure tart Statutory Guidance
and Ofsted framework under ‘effectiveness of leadership, governance and management’?
4. How are the provisions of 4.13 of the Contract Specification being carried out in terms of
proactively engaging local communities?

Business Planning.
Please provide a copy of the Business Plan provided by The Provider as per Section 9.1 Contract Specification.

Financial Management
Please provide copies of the Quarterly Budget Reports as per Section 10.2 of Contract specification

Staffing
At the Scrutiny Call in of the decision to award CGL the Contract. The Cabinet spokesperson stated that there would be no changes for parents, it would be the ‘same team delivering the same services’
Questions:
1. How many of the original Children’s Centre Staff are employed by CGL?
2. How many agency staff are employed currently by CGL at Palfrey?
3. How many of the services previously delivered by Sure Start Children’s Centre continue to be delivered via CGL?

I would like the information to be emailed to me in electronic form.
If my request is denied in whole or in part I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act. I will also expect you to release all non-exempt material. I reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to charge excessive fees.
I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request. I look forward to your response within 20 working days as outlined by the statute.

Thanking you in anticipation

Regards

Mick Davies.

Yours faithfully,

Mick Davies

InformationRights, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Dear Mr Davies,

 

 

Thank you for your request for Information about the monitoring of
contracts, which was received on 31 October 2018.

 

In accordance with provisions within Freedom of Information Act 2000, the
council will respond to your request within 20 working days, saying
whether we have the information that you want, and if there will be any
charges. 

 

If, for any reason, we cannot provide you with the information, we will
tell you why. If we need to clarify your request, we will contact you
again.

 

In the meantime, if you need to contact me about your request, please do
so quoting the above reference number.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Fakhara Qanwal

 

InformationRights, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

InformationRights would like to recall the message, "YOUR FOI REQUEST - RFI1562/18 re: Information regarding the monitoring of contracts".

InformationRights, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Dear Mr Davies,

 

 

Thank you for your request for information about Contracts, which was
received on 31 October 2018.

 

In accordance with provisions within Freedom of Information Act 2000, the
council will respond to your request within 20 working days, saying
whether we have the information that you want, and if there will be any
charges. 

 

If, for any reason, we cannot provide you with the information, we will
tell you why. If we need to clarify your request, we will contact you
again.

 

In the meantime, if you need to contact me about your request, please do
so quoting the above reference number.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Fakhara Qanwal

 

Rhonda Gough, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Dear Mr. Davies,

 

 

I write to acknowledge and apologise for the delay in responding to your
request for information. As you know the council is required to respond to
all requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act and / or
the Environmental Information Regulations within 20 working days, unless a
‘qualified exception’ applies or the request is both complex and lengthy.

 

I am sorry that in this case we will not met this timescale, but would
assure you of our best intentions in this regard. I can confirm that a
full reply to your request will be sent to you  on or before 12^th
December 2018.

 

If you have any queries in regard to this process, please do not hesitate
to contact us.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Rhonda Gough,

Business Support Co-ordinator,

Children's Services,

Room 41,

2nd Floor, Council House,

Lichfield Street,

Walsall,

WS1 1TP.

 

 

Email:      [1][email address]

Tel:          01922 658351

Mobile:     07940474735

Website:  [2]www.walsall.gov.uk

 

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References

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1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.walsall.gov.uk/

Dear Rhonda Gough,

Thank you for your response which Ireceived today 23rd November.
I find it strange that my request for information will not be met until 12th December given that the majority of information I have asked for should, under the terms of the CGL contract be already with the Council. I can only surmise that the terms of the said contract have not been adhered to, but will await your response before I take the issue further.

Thank you

Yours sincerely,

Mick Davies

Dear Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'Information regarding the monitoring of Contracts'.

My original request was made on 31st October 2018 despite allowing the Council to delay my request for information beyond the statutory 20 days I am still waiting. I received correspondence informing me that the information would be with me on or before 12th December, I find the situation incredulous given the information I requested should be with the Council under the terms of the contract between the Council and CGL. Please explain why the process has taken so long.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/i...

Yours faithfully,

Mick Davies

InformationRights, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Dear Mr Davies,

 

 

Request  for Internal Review / complaint

 

Thank you for your correspondence received by us on 12 December 2018.

 

In accordance with provisions within Freedom of Information Act 2000, the
council will review the handling of your request and provide you with a
response within 20 working days or 40 working days if the case is
particularly complex. 

 

In the meantime, if you need to contact me about your request, please do
so quoting the above reference number.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Fakhara Qanwal

 

Mark Halliwell, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Re: RFI1562/18

 

Dear Mr Davies,

 

I am writing to notify you that  both your review and information response
will be forwarded to you  w/c 14/01/19.

Please accept our apologies for this delay.

 

With regards 

 

Mark Halliwell

 

Lead Assurance Officer  

Assurance Team

Resources  and Transformation Directorate

 

Phone:        01922 658923

Address:    3rd Floor, Civic Centre, Darwall Street, WS1 1TW

Email:        [1][email address]

 

Website:  [2]www.walsall.gov.uk

 

Disclaimer:The information in this message should be regarded as
confidential and is intended for the addressee only unless explicitly
stated.  If you have received this message in error it must be deleted and
the sender notified.  The views expressed in this message are personal and
not necessarily those of Walsall Council unless explicitly stated.  Please
be aware that emails sent to or received from Walsall Council may be
intercepted and read by the Council.  Interceptions will only occur to
ensure compliance with Council policies or procedures or regulatory
obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential
maintenance or support of the email system.

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.walsall.gov.uk/

InformationRights, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Davies,

 

Attached is your  response to your FOI request ( RFI1562/18)

Please accept our apologies again  for the delay in providing this
information.

 

With regards 

 

Mark Halliwell

 

Lead Assurance Officer  

Assurance Team

Resources  and Transformation Directorate

 

Phone:        01922 658923

 

Address:    3rd Floor, Civic Centre, Darwall Street, WS1 1TW

Email:        [1][email address]

 

Website:  [2]www.walsall.gov.uk

 

Disclaimer:The information in this message should be regarded as
confidential and is intended for the addressee only unless explicitly
stated.  If you have received this message in error it must be deleted and
the sender notified.  The views expressed in this message are personal and
not necessarily those of Walsall Council unless explicitly stated.  Please
be aware that emails sent to or received from Walsall Council may be
intercepted and read by the Council.  Interceptions will only occur to
ensure compliance with Council policies or procedures or regulatory
obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential
maintenance or support of the email system.

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.walsall.gov.uk/

Dear InformationRights,
Thank you for your much belated response.
I would like to seek clarification of some of the responses around your non- disclosure under the terms of Section 43 FOIA. Section 43 is of course a 'qualified' not absolute exception the relevant extract

(2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under
this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial
interests of any person (including the public authority holding
it).

Could you please explain how a request for monitoring reports would or would be likely to prejudice commercial interests within the meaning of the Act.
Could you also furnish me with the details of the of any discussion around the Public Interest criteria which you have used to prevent disclosure. Given the outcry when this contract was awarded
At what meetings of the Board were these monitoring reports discussed?

Yours sincerely,

Mick Davies

Dear InformationRights,

Still awaiting response to this clarification

Thank you for your much belated response.
I would like to seek clarification of some of the responses around your non- disclosure under the terms of Section 43 FOIA. Section 43 is of course a 'qualified' not absolute exception the relevant extract

(2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under
this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial
interests of any person (including the public authority holding
it).

Could you please explain how a request for monitoring reports would or would be likely to prejudice commercial interests within the meaning of the Act.
Could you also furnish me with the details of the of any discussion around the Public Interest criteria which you have used to prevent disclosure. Given the outcry when this contract was awarded
At what meetings of the Board were these monitoring reports discussed?

Yours sincerely,

Mick Davies

InformationRights, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Dear Mr Davies,

Please accept our apologies for the delay in coming back to you.

I can inform you that in light of your request, we are now reconsidering the application of the exemption.
It is our intention to provide a full response to the clarifications you have sought regarding the exemption applied as soon as possible once we have completed this reconsideration.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Halliwell

Lead Assurance Officer
Assurance Team
Resources and Transformation Directorate

Phone:       01922 658923

Address:    3rd Floor, Civic Centre, Darwall Street, WS1 1TW
Email:        [email address]

Website:  www.walsall.gov.uk
 
Disclaimer:The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated.  If you have received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified.  The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those of Walsall Council unless explicitly stated.  Please be aware that emails sent to or received from Walsall Council may be intercepted and read by the Council.  Interceptions will only occur to ensure compliance with Council policies or procedures or regulatory obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential maintenance or support of the email system.

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Dear InformationRights,

Thank you for your response of 7th February relating to the reconsideration of the application of an exemption.

I still await your response.

Yours sincerely,

Mick Davies

InformationRights, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Dear Mr Davies,

Please accept my apologies again for the continued delay in responding to your request.

I will ensure that you receive your response by 22/3/19 at the latest,

Regards

Mark

Mark Halliwell

Lead Assurance Officer
Assurance Team
Resources and Transformation Directorate

Phone:       01922 658923

Address:    3rd Floor, Civic Centre, Darwall Street, WS1 1TW
Email:        [email address]

Website:  www.walsall.gov.uk
 
Disclaimer:The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated.  If you have received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified.  The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those of Walsall Council unless explicitly stated.  Please be aware that emails sent to or received from Walsall Council may be intercepted and read by the Council.  Interceptions will only occur to ensure compliance with Council policies or procedures or regulatory obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential maintenance or support of the email system.

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Dear InformationRights,

Thank you for your latest belated response. It is obvious that the information that was requested on 31st October 2018 was not available under the terms of the contract between WBMC and CGL, because it had not been completed. The inordinate length of time it has taken only emphasises the view of many when the contract was awarded.

Yours sincerely,

Mick Davies

InformationRights, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

3 Attachments

Dear Mr Davies,

Please find attached the response to your request for a review of your FOI Request Ref RFI1562.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Halliwell

Lead Assurance Officer
Assurance Team
Resources and Transformation Directorate

Phone:       01922 658923

Address:    3rd Floor, Civic Centre, Darwall Street, WS1 1TW
Email:        [email address]

Website:  www.walsall.gov.uk
 
Disclaimer:The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated.  If you have received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified.  The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those of Walsall Council unless explicitly stated.  Please be aware that emails sent to or received from Walsall Council may be intercepted and read by the Council.  Interceptions will only occur to ensure compliance with Council policies or procedures or regulatory obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential maintenance or support of the email system.

show quoted sections