Partnership For Schools framework

The request was partially successful.

Dear Middlesbrough Council,

Please send:

1) A copy of the final version of the Partnership For Schools framework tender, and

2) A list of the names of all the firms who responded to the
original advertisment.

3) the total sum paid out under the Partnership For Schools framework tender between 2006 and 1 Jan 2011.

Yours faithfully,

Glen Ponder

Middlesbrough Council

Dear Mr Ponder

REF NO: 2055.3.

Thank you for your recent enquiry, received on 12 July 2011. We can
confirm that your enquiry is receiving attention and a response will be
provided within 20 working days following receipt of your enquiry as
allowed under the Freedom of Information Act legislation.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will
let you know the likely charges before proceeding.

Please do not hesitate to contact me direct on (01642) 729696/729698 or
email [Middlesbrough Council request email] should you require any further advice or
assistance with this or any other matter.

Yours sincerely

Steph Robson
Freedom Of Information Officer

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Middlesbrough Council

Dear Mr Ponder

REF NO: 2055.3.
I am writing to confirm that Middlesbrough Council has now completed its
search for the information you requested on 12 July 2011.

In your request you asked for the following information:

1) A copy of the final version of the Partnership For Schools framework
tender, and

Response: Middlesbrough Council does not hold Partnership for Schools
Framework tender documents.

2) A list of the names of all the firms who responded to the original
advertisment.

Response: The Council does not hold the details of the companies who
responded to the Partnerships for Schools advertisement for the Framework.

The companies that Middlesbrough Council invited to tender to for the
works are the six selected through the Framework - Willmott Dixon, Kier,
Skanska, Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Laing O'Rourke.
3) the total sum paid out under the Partnership For Schools framework
tender between 2006 and 1 Jan 2011.

Response: Starting with financial year 2006/07:
Capital works **65,082,181
Revenue costs **2,216,205
Total **67,298,386

If you have any queries about this letter, please do not hesitate to
contact me direct on (01642) 729696/729698 or email
[Middlesbrough Council request email] Please remember to quote the reference number
shown above in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled you may ask
for an internal review within 40 days of receipt of the response. You
should write to:-

Chris Davies,
Corporate Complaints Manager,
P.O. Box 503,
Ground Floor,
Town Hall,
Middlesbrough,
TS1 9FX
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for an
independent review. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: -
Information Commissioner's Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF
Yours sincerely

Steph Robson
Freedom of Information Officer

Members' Office
P.O. Box 503
Ground Floor
Town Hall
Middlesbrough
TS1 9FX

Tel. 01642 729696

FAX. 01642 729882
Email: [Middlesbrough Council request email]

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Dear Middlesbrough Council,

I think there may be a misunderstanding, the information requested relates to this text from Middlesbrough Council:

Response: We have checked our records and no contracts have been awarded during the time period requested (1.1.2009 and 30.06.2010). Dickinson
Dees were procured as part of the Partnership For Schools framework in 2006.

Please could you respond to the question for these payments?

Yours faithfully,

Glen Ponder

Middlesbrough Council

Dear Mr Ponder

APPEAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - REF NO: 000090 - REQUEST REF NO: 2055.3.

I acknowledge that your request for an internal review/appeal is now
being processed through the Councils appeals procedure and a response
will be provided within 20 working days, by
29 September 2011.

Please note the officer now dealing with your enquiry is Mr Chris Davies.
Should you wish to contact him, you can do so at the following address:

Mr Chris Davies
Corporate Complaints Manager
P.O. Box 503
Ground Floor
Town Hall
Middlesbrough
TS1 9FX
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me
direct on (01642) 729696 or email [Middlesbrough Council request email] Please
remember to quote the reference number shown above in any future
communications.

Yours sincerely,

Steph Robson
Freedom of Information Officer

Members' Office
P.O. Box 503
Ground Floor
Town Hall
Middlesbrough
TS1 9FX

Tel. 01642 729696/729698

FAX. 01642 729882
email: [Middlesbrough Council request email]

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Chris Davies, Middlesbrough Council

Dear Mr Ponder

I have been passed you latest e-mail dated 2/9/2011 regarding the
information that you have requested.

I have spoken about your request to Richard Long, our Director of Legal
Services, and Steve Vickers, one of our Principal Solicitors. It appears
that some of the information that you requested is no longer held by the
Council. However, we will certainly provide you with what we do hold.

Both Richard and Steve were involved in the process, and they feel that it
might be helpful to have a discussion with you as to the information you
are requesting. They might be able to provide some of this immediately to
you over the telephone, and they could certainly clarify some of the
issues that you have raised.

Unfortunately you did not give a telephone number as part of your FoI
request. If you would like to telephone either Richard Long on 01642
729781 or Steve Vickers on 01642 729748, they will do what they can to
assist you.

Regards

Chris Davies
Complaints Manager

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Dear Chris Davies,

Thanks for the kind offer. I'm really just interested in the documentation at the moment, but I may take Richard and Steve up on their offer. I'm thankful for all the help you've been.

Yours sincerely,

Glen Ponder

Chris Davies, Middlesbrough Council

I will be out of the office starting 29/09/2011 and will not return until
04/10/2011.

If the matter is urgent please contact Georgina Brown on (01642) 729715

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Chris Davies, Middlesbrough Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Ponder

I have discussed your Freedom of Information request with Steve Vickers,
one of our Principal Solicitors, who has been closely involved in the
Building Schools for the Future programme over the past few years.

Mr Vickers advises me that it appears your later request is based on a
misunderstanding of the basis of the appointment of Dickinson Dees.

In strict terms we have not issued any fresh instructions to Dickinson
Dees in the period 1/1/2009 to 30/06/2010, that is the period for which
you have requested information, as during that period they were continuing
to provide advice for which they had been contracted in 2006.

Under the terms of Building Schools for the Future [BsF] we were required
by Partnerships for Schools [PfS], the Government supervisory body,  to
engage independent legal advisors.  An invitation to tender [ITT] was sent
out to several firms in November 2005.  A copy of the ITT is attached for
your information.

You will see that the ITT  list includes both local and national firms. As
a result of subsequent tenders and presentations Dickinson Dees were
selected, the contract being dated June 2006.

Since that date Dickinson Dees have been heavily involved in all aspects
of the acquisition of Building Contractors and IT providers and though it
is true to say that their involvement is tailing off given that all but
one school is open and the last will open in 12 months time, they continue
to provide advice on other isolated matters.

It is anticipated that their involvement will end entirely in September
2013 with the assignment of the building contracts to the schools
themselves.
But for BsF their fees would probably have been at the same level as those
of other firms that we use from time to time.

It should also be pointed out that in securing legal advice on the usual
casual basis we would not go out to tender as the anticipated fees would
be below the thresholds established by the Council's standing and
financial orders that require us to do so (ie go out to tender).

We have been unable to locate the original tender / scoring documents that
you requested.  Our procedures are that all scoring and other documents
relating to the awarding of a tender should be destroyed 12 months after
the commencement of the contract.  Therefore, I am satisfied that these
documents have not been retained by the Council.

I hope this assists.  If you require any more information please get back
to me.  

Chris Davies

Glen Ponder To Chris Davies
<[FOI #79733 email]> <[email address]>
cc
30/09/2011 23:09 Subject Re: FoI request:  Partnership for
Schools

     Dear Chris Davies,
   
    Thanks for the kind offer. I'm really just interested in the
    documentation at the moment, but I may take Richard and Steve up on
    their offer. I'm thankful for all the help you've been.
   
    Yours sincerely,
   
    Glen Ponder
   
   

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