London Borough of Culture
Dear Greater London Authority,
Please provide copies of the bids submitted in the latest round that closed in November 2023.
Please provide the details of the members of the panel who will make the decision.
Please provide the criteria for the assessment of the award.
Yours faithfully,
Ms M Jennings
From: [FOI #1080579 email]
To: [Greater London Authority request email]
Subject: Freedom of Information request - London Borough of Culture
Thank you for contacting us about the work of the Mayor and/or City Hall.
We aim to respond to written communication as quickly as possible and
within 20 working days.
However, please note that we may not reply to correspondence we consider:
• Is addressed to another party and where the Mayor has been copied-in for
information only.
• Contains comments that do not require a response.
• Includes unsolicited job applications or CVs.
• Is trying to sell or market a product.
• To be vexatious or contains abusive or discriminatory language.
In addition, we will not respond where we specifically state that we are
unable to enter into correspondence (for example, when inviting responses
to consultation documents).
If you have written to request the release of information under the
Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) or Environmental Information Regulations
(EIR), please take this message as confirmation your request has been
received. We will aim to provide a response within the statutory 20
working day deadline.
Further information on our service standards, is available on our website
at: [1]http://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/contac....
Thank you again for writing.
Yours sincerely,
Public Liaison Unit
References
Visible links
1. http://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/contac...
Dear Ms Jennings
Please find attached response in relation to your request fo information.
Yours sincerely
Information Governance Officer
Greater London Authority
Dear Greater London Authority,
Please provide copies of the bids submitted in the latest round that
closed in November 2023.
Please provide the details of the members of the panel who will make the
decision.
Please provide the criteria for the assessment of the award.
Yours faithfully,
Ms M Jennings
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #1080579 email]
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References
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Dear Greater London Authority,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Greater London Authority's handling of my FOI request 'London Borough of Culture'. I do not believe my request has been correctly handled.
1/ Request for copies of bids submitted.
As you may be aware, ICO guidance states that when applying a Section 43 exemption, an authority "must show that because [the information] is commercially sensitive, disclosure would be, or would be likely to be, prejudicial to the commercial activities of a person (an individual, a company, the public authority itself or any other legal entity)". This response does not appear to have included such details, so I am requesting that you conduct an internal review, and, if the exemption is upheld, show how the release would be prejudicial to commercial activities, and of whom.
You have cited the likelihood of prejudice to a third party's commercial interests. As you may be aware, ICO guidance states "When a public authority wants to withhold information on the basis that to disclose the information would or would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of a third party, it must have evidence that this does in fact represent the concerns of that third party. It is not sufficient for the public authority to speculate on the prejudice which may be caused to the third party by the disclosure." Please review this decision, and, if the exemption is upheld, demonstrate stronger evidence that this disclosure 'would, or would be likely to' prejudice the concerns of the third party.
You have cited the likelihood of prejudice to a third party's concerns, but you have not consulted this third party. As you may be aware, ICO guidance states "When a public authority wants to withhold information on the basis that to disclose the information would or would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of a third party, it must have evidence that this does in fact represent the concerns of that third party. It is not sufficient for the public authority to speculate on the prejudice which may be caused to the third party by the disclosure."
As you may be aware, ICO guidance states that the authority is obliged to conduct a public interest test when applying a Section 43 exemption (see https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...).
I am requesting an internal review of my request. If the exemption is upheld, please provide details of the public interest test and how its conclusion was arrived at.
2/ Please provide the details of the members of the panel who will make their recommendation.
As interview with panel members have already taken place it is difficult to understand how panel members could be lobbied.
3/ Please provide the criteria for the assessment of the award.
The link provided gives general information about the process of making a bid but no assessment criteria could be found. No explanation is given for failing to share the assessment criteria which must have been in the hands of the panel members.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/l...
Yours faithfully,
Ms M Jennings
From: [FOI #1080579 email]
To: [Greater London Authority request email]
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - London
Borough of Culture
Thank you for contacting us about the work of the Mayor and/or City Hall.
We aim to respond to written communication as quickly as possible and
within 20 working days.
However, please note that we may not reply to correspondence we consider:
• Is addressed to another party and where the Mayor has been copied-in for
information only.
• Contains comments that do not require a response.
• Includes unsolicited job applications or CVs.
• Is trying to sell or market a product.
• To be vexatious or contains abusive or discriminatory language.
In addition, we will not respond where we specifically state that we are
unable to enter into correspondence (for example, when inviting responses
to consultation documents).
If you have written to request the release of information under the
Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) or Environmental Information Regulations
(EIR), please take this message as confirmation your request has been
received. We will aim to provide a response within the statutory 20
working day deadline.
Further information on our service standards, is available on our website
at: [1]http://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/contac....
Thank you again for writing.
Yours sincerely,
Public Liaison Unit
References
Visible links
1. http://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/contac...
Dear Ms Jennings
Please find attached response in relation to your request for an internal
review.
Yours sincerely
Information Governance Officer
Dear Greater London Authority,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information
reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Greater London Authority's
handling of my FOI request 'London Borough of Culture'. I do not believe
my request has been correctly handled.
1/ Request for copies of bids submitted.
As you may be aware, ICO guidance states that when applying a Section 43
exemption, an authority "must show that because [the information] is
commercially sensitive, disclosure would be, or would be likely to be,
prejudicial to the commercial activities of a person (an individual, a
company, the public authority itself or any other legal entity)". This
response does not appear to have included such details, so I am requesting
that you conduct an internal review, and, if the exemption is upheld, show
how the release would be prejudicial to commercial activities, and of
whom.
You have cited the likelihood of prejudice to a third party's commercial
interests. As you may be aware, ICO guidance states "When a public
authority wants to withhold information on the basis that to disclose the
information would or would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests
of a third party, it must have evidence that this does in fact represent
the concerns of that third party. It is not sufficient for the public
authority to speculate on the prejudice which may be caused to the third
party by the disclosure." Please review this decision, and, if the
exemption is upheld, demonstrate stronger evidence that this disclosure
'would, or would be likely to' prejudice the concerns of the third party.
You have cited the likelihood of prejudice to a third party's concerns,
but you have not consulted this third party. As you may be aware, ICO
guidance states "When a public authority wants to withhold information on
the basis that to disclose the information would or would be likely to
prejudice the commercial interests of a third party, it must have evidence
that this does in fact represent the concerns of that third party. It is
not sufficient for the public authority to speculate on the prejudice
which may be caused to the third party by the disclosure."
As you may be aware, ICO guidance states that the authority is obliged to
conduct a public interest test when applying a Section 43 exemption (see
https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...).
I am requesting an internal review of my request. If the exemption is
upheld, please provide details of the public interest test and how its
conclusion was arrived at.
2/ Please provide the details of the members of the panel who will make
their recommendation.
As interview with panel members have already taken place it is difficult
to understand how panel members could be lobbied.
3/ Please provide the criteria for the assessment of the award.
The link provided gives general information about the process of making a
bid but no assessment criteria could be found. No explanation is given for
failing to share the assessment criteria which must have been in the hands
of the panel members.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on
the Internet at this address:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/l...
Yours faithfully,
Ms M Jennings
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #1080579 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
We are London. Find out about the work of the Mayor, the London Assembly,
and the Greater London Authority. [1]https://www.london.gov.uk/
GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY NOTICE:
The information in this email may contain confidential or privileged
materials. For more information
see [2]https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/email...
References
Visible links
1. https://www.london.gov.uk/
2. https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/email...
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