Is this policy about currying favour with law firms?
Jack Greenwell made this Freedom of Information request to Tees Valley Combined Authority This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear sirs
Can you send me all emails and other directions from B. Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor and his advisers, to staff at Tees Valley Combined Authority between 1.12.2017 and 1.12.2018 which detail a policy to award TVCA contracts to locally based law firms?
I want to know if these exist because I’ve read Sally Henry’s response dated 28 May 2020 to the FOI “legal spend” on this site. I also know Ben Houchen used to be a solicitor in the Tees Valley area and may well have plans to return to this career. As a result I want to see if there has been a conscious policy to curry favour with local law firms.
Yours faithfully,
Jack Greenwell
Dear Jack Greenwell,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 Ref: 38/2020
Thank you for your correspondence received on the 3rd August, 2020.
Your request is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act
2000.
Please note: On 16th March 2020 the Local Government Secretary announced
that as part of the government’s response to the coronavirus statutory
deadlines for Freedom of Information requests have been temporarily
suspended. We will continue to aim to respond to your query within 20
working days, but please be aware that this may not be possible at the
present time.
Note the Act defines a number of exemptions that may prevent release of
the requested information. There will therefore be an assessment of your
request to determine if any exemptions apply to the information requested.
If the information cannot be released, or only released in part, you will
be informed of the reasons why, together with any rights of appeal.
If the information requested refers to a third party, they may be
consulted before deciding whether it can be released.
Yours sincerely,
Sally Henry | Governance Officer
Tees Valley Combined Authority
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Dear Jack Greenwell,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Ref: 39-2020
Thank you for your correspondence received on 3^rd August.
It is not possible to provide the information you have requested as emails
older than 6 months old are not retained in accordance with TVCA data
retention policy.
If you have any queries or concerns please contact me in the first
instance.
However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has
been handled, you can submit a complaint by writing to:
Chief Executive, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Cavendish House, Teesdale
Business Park, Stockton on Tees, TS17 6QY.
If, after your complaint has been determined, you remain dissatisfied with
the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to
the Information Commissioner at:
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Telephone: 0303 123 1113: Website:
[1]www.ico.gov.uk.
The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Sally Henry | Governance Officer
Tees Valley Combined Authority
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S.Watkins left an annotation ()
So the information was never provided in response to this fair request?