SEND and ASC transport spend

The request was successful.

Dear Nottinghamshire County Council,

We are doing some research into the value of council / authority Special Education Needs & Disability and Adult Social Care transport contracts operated by private hire operators. To this end, could we please request your assistance in obtaining the information below, for your council / authority, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:

Data request:
For the last 3 financial years (by year), and latest financial year (estimated):
1. Spend on Special Education Needs & Disability [SEND] transport i.e. taking children with SEND to and from school
2. Number of SEND passengers transported
3. Value of all council / authority SEND transport contracts awarded to private hire or taxi operators (excluding coach hire)

4. Spend on Adult Social Care [ASC] transport i.e. taking elderly passengers to and from day centres
5. Number of ASC passengers transported
6. Value of all council / authority ASC transport contracts awarded to private hire (PHV) or taxi operators (excluding coach hire)

If actual figures aren’t available, is it possible to provide estimates instead? If yes, we would be grateful if you could indicate which figures are estimated.

By ‘contract awarded’ we mean in all contracts regardless of contracting approach e.g. open tender, framework, dps, or other.

Format: Please send through data in whichever format is easiest for you.

Clarification: If the request is unclear, please accept our apologies and let us know what clarification is needed. Similarly if it is not possible to provide the information requested due to it exceeding the cost of compliance limits, we would be grateful if you could advise as to how we might refine our request accordingly.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your response.

Many thanks,
Tracey Vickers on behalf of HCT Group

FOI, Nottinghamshire County Council

Dear Ms Vickers

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (Ref NCC-030290-17)

Thank you for your request for information relating to SEND and ASC transport spend. Your request was received on 19 March 2018 and we are dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

You will receive the information you have requested within 20 working days beginning the day following receipt of your request, unless the Council does not hold the information or there is a reason for it to be withheld. Therefore, you should receive a response by 18 April 2018

In some circumstances a fee may be payable to cover the cost of copying and postage and if that is the case we will let you know before we proceed with your request.

If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Further information about your rights is also available from the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 54 57 45

www.ico.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Act Team

Resources Department

Nottinghamshire County Council

-----Original Message-----
From: HCT Group [mailto:[FOI #472069 email]]
Sent: 19 March 2018 10:44
To: FOI <[Nottinghamshire County Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - SEND and ASC transport spend

Dear Nottinghamshire County Council,

We are doing some research into the value of council / authority Special Education Needs & Disability and Adult Social Care transport contracts operated by private hire operators. To this end, could we please request your assistance in obtaining the information below, for your council / authority, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:

Data request:
For the last 3 financial years (by year), and latest financial year (estimated):
1. Spend on Special Education Needs & Disability [SEND] transport i.e. taking children with SEND to and from school
2. Number of SEND passengers transported
3. Value of all council / authority SEND transport contracts awarded to private hire or taxi operators (excluding coach hire)

4. Spend on Adult Social Care [ASC] transport i.e. taking elderly passengers to and from day centres
5. Number of ASC passengers transported
6. Value of all council / authority ASC transport contracts awarded to private hire (PHV) or taxi operators (excluding coach hire)

If actual figures aren’t available, is it possible to provide estimates instead? If yes, we would be grateful if you could indicate which figures are estimated.

By ‘contract awarded’ we mean in all contracts regardless of contracting approach e.g. open tender, framework, dps, or other.

Format: Please send through data in whichever format is easiest for you.

Clarification: If the request is unclear, please accept our apologies and let us know what clarification is needed. Similarly if it is not possible to provide the information requested due to it exceeding the cost of compliance limits, we would be grateful if you could advise as to how we might refine our request accordingly.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your response.

Many thanks,
Tracey Vickers on behalf of HCT Group

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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[FOI #472069 email]

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The following message has been applied automatically, to promote news and information from Nottinghamshire County Council about events and services:

Keep up to date with Spring and Easter activities across Nottinghamshire online <http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/events> and via our What’s On email newsletter <http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/emailme/> ,including Easter egg hunts, holiday clubs and more!
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Emails and any attachments from Nottinghamshire County Council are confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by replying to the email, and then delete it without making copies or using it in any other way. Senders and recipients of email should be aware that, under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the contents may have to be disclosed in response to a request.

Although any attachments to the message will have been checked for viruses before transmission, you are urged to carry out your own virus check before opening attachments, since the County Council accepts no responsibility for loss or damage caused by software viruses.

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________________________________

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FOI, Nottinghamshire County Council

Dear Ms Vickers,

 

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. 

 

I am now able to provide you with the information supplied by the relevant
department, as follows:

 

 

2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
SEND
TOTAL SPEND £8.2M £8.3M £8.5M
PUPILS/STUDENTS 1300 1300 1300 VARIABLE THROUGHOUT EACH
YEAR
EXTERNAL CONTRACT COST £8.2M £8.3M £8.5M
ASCH
TOTAL SPEND £3.1M £2.7M £2.8M
CLIENTS 1200 1200 1200 VARIABLE THROUGHOUT EACH
YEAR
EXTERNAL CONTRACT COST £1.1M £0.9M £0.9M

 

 

I hope this now satisfies your request, and should you have any further
enquiries please do not hesitate to contact me directly on the details
below.

 

In addition to this and for future reference Nottingham County Council
regularly publishes previous FOIR,s and answers on its website, under
Disclosure logs. (see link)
[1]http://site.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/theco...
 

 

You can use the search facility using keywords.

 

If you wish to raise any concerns about the way your request was dealt
with, then please write to the Team Manager, Complaints and Information,
County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP or e-mail
[2][Nottinghamshire County Council request email]  quoting the reference number above. 

 

Kind Regards

Janet Lowe

 

 

Complaints, Information & Mediation Officer.

Complaints and Information Team

Resources Department

Nottinghamshire County Council

County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP

 

Tel: 01159 774137

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: HCT Group [mailto:[FOI #472069 email]]
Sent: 19 March 2018 10:44
To: FOI <[Nottinghamshire County Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - SEND and ASC transport spend

 

Dear Nottinghamshire County Council,

 

We are doing some research into the value of council / authority Special
Education Needs & Disability and Adult Social Care transport contracts
operated by private hire operators.  To this end, could we please request
your assistance in obtaining the information below, for your council /
authority, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:

 

Data request:

For the last 3 financial years (by year), and latest financial year
(estimated):

1.            Spend on Special Education Needs & Disability [SEND]
transport i.e. taking children with SEND to and from school

2.            Number of SEND passengers transported

3.            Value of all council / authority SEND transport contracts
awarded to private hire or taxi operators (excluding coach hire)

 

4.            Spend on Adult Social Care [ASC] transport i.e. taking
elderly passengers to and from day centres

5.            Number of ASC passengers transported

6.            Value of all council / authority ASC transport contracts
awarded to private hire (PHV) or taxi operators (excluding coach hire)

 

If actual figures aren’t available, is it possible to provide estimates
instead?  If yes, we would be grateful if you could indicate which figures
are estimated.

 

By ‘contract awarded’ we mean in all contracts regardless of contracting
approach e.g. open tender, framework, dps, or other.

 

Format: Please send through data in whichever format is easiest for you. 

 

Clarification: If the request is unclear, please accept our apologies and
let us know what clarification is needed.  Similarly if it is not possible
to provide the information requested due to it exceeding the cost of
compliance limits, we would be grateful if you could advise as to how we
might refine our request accordingly. 

 

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your response.

 

Many thanks,

Tracey Vickers on behalf of HCT Group

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[3][FOI #472069 email]

 

Is [4][Nottinghamshire County Council request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Nottinghamshire County Council? If so, please contact us using
this form:

[5]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[6]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

 

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:

[7]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.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following message has been applied automatically, to promote news and
information from Nottinghamshire County Council about events and services:

Keep up to date with Spring and Easter activities across Nottinghamshire
[8]online and via our [9]What’s On email newsletter ,including Easter egg
hunts, holiday clubs and more!

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Emails and any attachments from Nottinghamshire County Council are
confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the
sender immediately by replying to the email, and then delete it without
making copies or using it in any other way. Senders and recipients of
email should be aware that, under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the
Freedom of Information Act 2000, the contents may have to be disclosed in
response to a request.

Although any attachments to the message will have been checked for viruses
before transmission, you are urged to carry out your own virus check
before opening attachments, since the County Council accepts no
responsibility for loss or damage caused by software viruses.

Nottinghamshire County Council Legal Disclaimer.

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References

Visible links
1. http://site.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/theco...
2. mailto:[Nottinghamshire County Council request email]
3. mailto:[FOI #472069 email]
4. mailto:[Nottinghamshire County Council request email]
5. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...
6. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
7. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
8. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/events
9. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/emailme/

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Dear Ms Lowe,

Thank you very much for your response.

Yours sincerely,

Tracey Vickers

Dear Ms Lowe,

You kindly recently supplied data on NCC SEN and ASC transport spend, and I had a follow on question. You use the term 'External Cost Contract' in your answer. Could you please clarify exactly what this means?

Ideally I would like the cost of contracts awards to taxi companies. From your answer, does this mean that all NCC SEN transport is provided by taxi ?

Many thanks,
Tracey Vickers
HCT Group

FOI, Nottinghamshire County Council

Dear Ms Vickers,

 

Thank you for your email which I have passed to the Transport & Travel
Services Department, who have responded with the following information:

 

External contracts are tendered or procured through a competitive process.
99% of our SEND transport is managed this way with only 1 route provided
by our own Fleet.

 

I hope that this addresses your query, please do let me know if you
require any further information.

 

Kind Regards

Janet

 

 

Complaints, Information & Mediation Officer.

Complaints and Information Team

Resources Department

Nottinghamshire County Council

County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP

 

Tel: 01159 774137

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: HCT Group [mailto:[FOI #472069 email]]
Sent: 22 March 2018 14:14
To: FOI <[Nottinghamshire County Council request email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - NCC-030290-17

 

Dear Ms Lowe,

 

You kindly recently supplied data on NCC SEN and ASC transport spend, and
I had a follow on question.  You use the term 'External Cost Contract' in
your answer.  Could you please clarify exactly what this means?

 

Ideally I would like the cost of contracts awards to taxi companies.  From
your answer, does this mean that all NCC SEN transport is provided by taxi

 

Many thanks,

Tracey Vickers

HCT Group

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Dear Ms Vickers,

 

 

 

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. 

 

 

 

I am now able to provide you with the information supplied by the
relevant  department, as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

2015/16 2016/17 2017/18

SEND

TOTAL SPEND £8.2M £8.3M £8.5M

PUPILS/STUDENTS 1300 1300 1300 VARIABLE THROUGHOUT EACH  YEAR  EXTERNAL
CONTRACT COST £8.2M £8.3M £8.5M  ASCH  TOTAL SPEND £3.1M £2.7M £2.8M 
CLIENTS 1200 1200 1200 VARIABLE THROUGHOUT EACH  YEAR  EXTERNAL CONTRACT
COST £1.1M £0.9M £0.9M

 

 

 

 

 

I hope this now satisfies your request, and should you have any further 
enquiries please do not hesitate to contact me directly on the details 
below.

 

 

 

In addition to this and for future reference Nottingham County Council 
regularly publishes previous FOIR,s and answers on its website, under 
Disclosure logs. (see link) 
[1][1]http://site.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/theco...

 

 

 

 

You can use the search facility using keywords.

 

 

 

If you wish to raise any concerns about the way your request was dealt 
with, then please write to the Team Manager, Complaints and Information, 
County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP or e-mail 
[2][Nottinghamshire County Council request email]  quoting the reference
number above. 

 

 

 

Kind Regards

 

Janet Lowe

 

 

 

 

 

Complaints, Information & Mediation Officer.

 

Complaints and Information Team

 

Resources Department

 

Nottinghamshire County Council

 

County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP

 

 

 

Tel: 01159 774137

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[2][FOI #472069 email]

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[3]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

 

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:

[4]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.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following message has been applied automatically, to promote news and
information from Nottinghamshire County Council about events and services:

Keep up to date with Spring and Easter activities across Nottinghamshire
[5]online and via our [6]What’s On email newsletter ,including Easter egg
hunts, holiday clubs and more!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emails and any attachments from Nottinghamshire County Council are
confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the
sender immediately by replying to the email, and then delete it without
making copies or using it in any other way. Senders and recipients of
email should be aware that, under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the
Freedom of Information Act 2000, the contents may have to be disclosed in
response to a request.

Although any attachments to the message will have been checked for viruses
before transmission, you are urged to carry out your own virus check
before opening attachments, since the County Council accepts no
responsibility for loss or damage caused by software viruses.

Nottinghamshire County Council Legal Disclaimer.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. http://site.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/theco...
2. mailto:[FOI #472069 email]
3. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
4. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
5. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/events
6. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/emailme/

hide quoted sections

Thanks Janet,

Many apologies but I am still unclear. Of the "99% which are externally tendered or competitively procured", what is the value (or %) of those which were won by taxi companies ? (vs other types of operator?)

e.g.
SEN 2016/17: £X won by private hire
SEN 17/18: £X won by private hire
ASC 16/17: £X won by private hire
ASC 17/18: £X won by private hire

Yours sincerely,
Tracey Vickers
HCT Group

FOI, Nottinghamshire County Council

Dear Ms Vickers,

I passed your query below back to the department who have responded to say that unfortunately the figures are not kept in this way and therefore they are unable to give a specific breakdown.

I am sorry we have been unable to help any further. If you have any further queries please come back to me.

Kind Regards
Janet

-----Original Message-----
From: HCT Group [mailto:[FOI #472069 email]]
Sent: 26 March 2018 09:31
To: FOI <[Nottinghamshire County Council request email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - NCC-030290-17

Thanks Janet,

Many apologies but I am still unclear. Of the "99% which are externally tendered or competitively procured", what is the value (or %) of those which were won by taxi companies ? (vs other types of operator?)

e.g.
SEN 2016/17: £X won by private hire
SEN 17/18: £X won by private hire
ASC 16/17: £X won by private hire
ASC 17/18: £X won by private hire

Yours sincerely,
Tracey Vickers
HCT Group

-----Original Message-----

Dear Ms Vickers,

Thank you for your email which I have passed to the Transport & Travel Services Department, who have responded with the following information:

External contracts are tendered or procured through a competitive process.
99% of our SEND transport is managed this way with only 1 route provided by our own Fleet.

I hope that this addresses your query, please do let me know if you require any further information.

Kind Regards

Janet

Complaints, Information & Mediation Officer.

Complaints and Information Team

Resources Department

Nottinghamshire County Council

County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP

Tel: 01159 774137

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #472069 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-...

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.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

________________________________
The following message has been applied automatically, to promote news and information from Nottinghamshire County Council about events and services:

Keep up to date with Spring and Easter activities across Nottinghamshire online <http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/events> and via our What’s On email newsletter <http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/emailme/> ,including Easter egg hunts, holiday clubs and more!
________________________________

________________________________
Emails and any attachments from Nottinghamshire County Council are confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by replying to the email, and then delete it without making copies or using it in any other way. Senders and recipients of email should be aware that, under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the contents may have to be disclosed in response to a request.

Although any attachments to the message will have been checked for viruses before transmission, you are urged to carry out your own virus check before opening attachments, since the County Council accepts no responsibility for loss or damage caused by software viruses.

Nottinghamshire County Council Legal Disclaimer.

________________________________

hide quoted sections

Thanks Janet - much appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

Tracey Vickers