Dear Mr Harper

I acknowledge receipt of your email which is receiving attention.

I shall contact you again when I am in a position to respond more fully to your request.

Yours sincerely

Jacqueline Keachie
for Freedom of Information Co-ordinator
North Lanarkshire Council
Civic Centre
Motherwell
ML1 1AB
01698 302232

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Dear Mr Harper

I refer again to your e-mail dated 11 January 2018 seeking information in relation to the school transport consultation.

Having investigated, my response to your two questions is as follows:-

(1) I can advise that the information you seek is already in the public domain and Section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 provides an absolute exemption for information which is already accessible inasmuch as it can be reasonably obtained by other means.

In order to assist you, this information can be accessed on the Council’s website at www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk under the MARS (Minutes, Agendas and Report System). The relevant Committee with regard to your enquiry is the Policy and Resources Committee which on 17 January 2018 considered reports entitled “interim report on statutory consultation on free school mainstream transport for secondary school pupils” and “interim report on statutory consultation on free school mainstream transport for primary school pupils”. For ease of reference the direct links are as follows:-

https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/ege...
https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/ege...

(2) The costs incurred in carrying out the consultation are as follows:-

Royal Mail cost for sending out the consultation document - £22,915

Cost of sending out general letters - £172.00

Cameron presentations - £3,150

Costs of Lets - £264.00

I can advise that North Lanarkshire Council, having regard to the provisions of Section 21 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, has established a procedure whereby any person who has requested information and is in any way dissatisfied with the decision on that request, can within forty working days require a review of that decision by writing to the Head of Business for Legal and Democratic Solutions, Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell ML1 1AB. Accordingly, if you are dissatisfied with this decision and seek such review please write to the Head of Business for Legal and Democratic Solutions.

I would advise, also, that in terms of Section 47 of the Act a person who is dissatisfied with a notice given by the local authority under Section 21 of the Act - ie. a notice following a review of a decision by a local authority, or by the failure of a local authority to give such a notice - may make application to the Scottish Information Commissioner for a decision as to whether, in any respect specified in that application, the request for information to which the requirement relates has been dealt with in accordance with the Act. Such an application must be made within six months of the review decision and be in writing or in another form which, by reason of it having some permanency is capable of being used for subsequent reference. The application must state the name of the applicant, and provide an address for correspondence. The application must also specify the request for information to which the requirement for review relates, the matter which gave rise to the applicant’s dissatisfaction with the original decision of the local authority and the matter which gives rise to the applicant’s dissatisfaction with the decision on review by the local authority or the failure of the local authority to issue such a decision. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted as follows:-

Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St. Andrews
KY16 9DS
email: [email address]

Appeals to the Scottish Information Commissioner can also be made online via the following link: -

www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal

I hope this information is sufficient for your purpose. If, however, you require further information – or I can assist in any other way – please let me know.

Yours sincerely

Jacqueline Keachie
for Freedom of Information Co-ordinator
North Lanarkshire Council
Civic Centre
Motherwell
ML1 1AB
01698 302232

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