Police disposal of public assets and valuation of such assets

Paul Ponting made this Freedom of Information request to Lancashire Constabulary This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Lancashire Constabulary should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Lancashire Constabulary,

I refer to a FOI made the the PCC, Clive Grunshaw.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/u...

I would like you to provide me with the regulations on how the Chief Constable or PCC can use PUBLIC assets for donations to charities, especially charities with potential for conflicts of interest.

I refer to the following publication where Clive Grunshaw (or Lancashire police as Clive says) donated a police motorcycle of significant value to North West Blood Bikes.
https://nwbb-lancs.org/blog/post.php?s=2...

I refer to potential conflicts of interest, as the charity is chaired by an ex Lancashire police officer and current magistrate. At the time believed to be a freemason.

This conflict of interest is identified clearly in that the chair is an ex police officer so this begs the question,

WHY this charity?
What was the process for deciding which charity?
What other charities were considered?

The second conflict of interest is that the chairman is a magistrate and this could invoke significant BIAS in any criminal convictions by the magistrate.

Are police allowed to 'donate' assets to members of the judiciary?
What safeguards are in place to ensure no conflict exists?
Who overlooks potential conflicts and abuse of public assets?

I also ask, why the motorcycle was valued at £1,500? even at today's market, it could fetch as much as £4,000. The £1,500 valuation was made back in 2013 and it is estimated the motorcycle was worth closer to £7,000 at this time so a deficit of over £5,000 of public assets to a police run charity.

Who overlooks valuations to ensure they are not abused?
What process was used to ensure this valuation was correct?
Please provide bills of sale for this valuation/sale/donation?

While this may be a worthwhile charity, my request is, who decides which charity is in receipt of disposals of such significant value?

Suspicions will obviously be raised at the selection of charity so please detail why this charity was selected in the knowledge an ex-police officer/magistrate was the chair.

I have suspicious that this may in fact be a fraudulent or illegal devaluing of public assets, followed by a 'biased' selection of charity. This was identified by the PCC as a donation by himself. This was the same year he was investigate for expenses fraud and maybe CPS should be notified?

If it is not possible to provide the information requested due to the information exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in Section 12, please provide advice and assistance, under your Section 16 obligations, as to how I can refine my request to be included in the scope of the Act. In any case, if you can identify ways that my request could be refined please provide further advice and assistance to indicate this.

I look forward to your response within 20 working days, as stipulated by the Act.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Ponting

Information assurance unit,

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
this as a formal acknowledgement.

 

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

 

Please note that disclosure is subject to the information not being exempt
or containing a reference to a third party.

 

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
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so that we can assist.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 

Regards,

 

Compliance Team

Professional Standards Department

Information Compliance and Disclosure Section

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Tel: 01772 413329

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

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Dear Information assurance unit,

The Freedom of Information Act says:

A public authority must comply with section 1(1) promptly and in any event not later than the twentieth working day following the date of receipt.

You have not replied, please can you do so as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Ponting

Information assurance unit,

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
this as a formal acknowledgement.

 

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

 

Please note that disclosure is subject to the information not being exempt
or containing a reference to a third party.

 

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

 

Lancashire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that all services it
provides are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. If
you find the web-site or a document difficult to access please notify us
so that we can assist.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 

Regards,

 

Compliance Team

Professional Standards Department

Information Compliance and Disclosure Section

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Tel: 01772 413329

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

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If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender
immediately by reply e-mail and delete this message and any attachments,
without retaining a copy.

Lancashire Constabulary monitors its emails, and you are advised that any
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3 Attachments

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 4298/18

Please find attached Lancashire Constabulary’s response to your recent
request for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 413203

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

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Dear FOI,

Thank you for the reply.

I note that you have confirmed that items valued at less that £2,000 can be disposed off. I am nut sure vehicles are covered by this category, hover, assuming they are, my query was quite specific and I remind you of it.

"I also ask, why the motorcycle was valued at £1,500? even at today's market, it could fetch as much as £4,000. The £1,500 valuation was made back in 2013 and it is estimated the motorcycle was worth closer to £7,000 at this time so a deficit of over £5,000 of public assets to a police run charity."

I am aware the motorcycle was valued at £1,500. It has therefore 'more likely than not' been intentionally valued at £1,500 to keep it below this £2,000 threshold so that it can be disposed of fraudulently.

I have done some research and have estimated the motorcycle was in fact worth closer to £7,000..!

Now this is an estimate, but is it wildly different to the £1,500 as estimated by the 'fleet manager' who I would believe would have been instructed this low valuation. I doubt any public servant in the position of a 'fleet manager' would make such a big mistake.

What I would like clarifying is, the rationale for the valuation of £1,500 made back in 2013 which is less than what the bike would actually be worth now.

Notwithstanding the above valuations, there is NO WAY the bike was worth less than £2,000 in 2013. This is ludicrous and a full investigation should be triggered by this FOI request.

My FOI is for information that appears to relate to an intentional fraudulent transaction using public funds so I am asking for FULL disclosure.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Ponting

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
this as a formal acknowledgement.

 

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

 

Please note that disclosure is subject to the information not being exempt
or containing a reference to a third party.

 

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

 

Lancashire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that all services it
provides are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. If
you find the web-site or a document difficult to access please notify us
so that we can assist.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 

Regards,

 

Compliance Team

Professional Standards Department

Information Compliance and Disclosure Section

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Tel: 01772 413329

Email: [1][email address]

 

********************************************************************************************

This message may contain information which is confidential or privileged.
If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender
immediately by reply e-mail and delete this message and any attachments,
without retaining a copy.

Lancashire Constabulary monitors its emails, and you are advised that any
e-mail you send may be subject to monitoring.

This e-mail has been scanned for the presence of computer viruses.

********************************************************************************************

 

References

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1. mailto:[email address]

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