STDC/Teesworks
Dear Tees Valley Combined Authority,
I have a number of concerns about transactions that have seemingly entered into by STDC/Teesworks and the joint venture partners, some of which have been referenced in the media of late.
In the interests of good governance, openness and transparency I ask that you provide with the following information and documentation, and I make this request pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
Again, for the sake of clarity I am keen to glean and secure information about the dealings in the land within the curtilage of the South Tees Developments as described by you as covering 4,500 acres of prime land south of the River Tees in borough of Redcar and Cleveland including the site of the former SSI steelworks and any land or interests in land adjacent thereto.
Please provide me with:
• All the agreements between STDC/TVCA and Teesworks Ltd and the joint venture partners. I understand that there are number of such agreements but that hitherto TVCA has not acceded to requests for disclosure. I ask that you now do so.
• Full details of income received by the STDC group, including Teesworks Ltd, in the most recent financial year (for which Teesworks Ltd is consolidated in the STDC accounts)
• Details of all land transactions between STDC and Teesworks Ltd, including but not limited to the passing/transfer of freehold interests. For the avoidance of doubt, I require sight of all contracts, agreements and transfer of any interests whatsoever in the land.
• All TVCA or STDC business cases, unredacted, concerning investments by central government.
• Details of transactions, including any related to options, between South Tees Developments Ltd and Teesworks Ltd
• Analysis and advice on state aid law in relation to the initial Teesworks Ltd joint venture and the 90/10 split.
• Copies of any paper, advice as to the application and availability of the Market Economy Operator principle in the context of any of the above mentioned transactions.
Yours faithfully,
Andy McDonald
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FOI REQUEST
Dear Mr McDonald,
Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Ref: 78/2022
Thank you for your correspondence received on 05/10/2022.
Your request is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If this request is for information that the Combined Authority holds, you will receive the information requested by 02/11/2022 which is within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.
However, please note the Act defines a number of exemptions that may prevent release of the requested information. There will therefore be an assessment of your request to determine if any exemptions apply to the information requested. If the information cannot be released, or only released in part, you will be informed of the reasons why, together with any rights of appeal.
If the information requested refers to a third party, they may be consulted before deciding whether it can be released.
Yours sincerely,
Governance Team
Dear Andy McDonald,
We apologise for the delay in responding to your FOI request, this is due to consultation which is taking longer than anticipated.
Please may we reassure you that your request is receiving our full attention. We aim to respond to you on or before 16/11/2022.
Yours sincerely,
Governance Team
Dear Mr McDonald,
I email regarding the above Freedom of Information request (received on 5 October 2022), acknowledge that you have been waiting some time for a response, and note that you kindly furnished TVCA with an extension to 16th November 2022, a date which has now passed.
I would like to assure that we understand that the delay is unacceptable. Having reviewed where we are in responding to you, and having spoken with senior officers within the Group, I confirm that we will are working to respond to you as soon as possible, and in any event no later than 5pm on Friday 9 December 2022 - although we do not expect it will take this long to respond. Whilst I understand that further delay will be frustrating, we hope that a committed response date will provide you with some certainty.
I would also like to reassure you that we are looking into why it has taken the time it has to respond to this request and if anything needs to be done differently to prevent such occurrences happening again.
Regards,
Governance Team
Dear Mr McDonald
FOI Request - 78-2022
With reference to the above Freedom of Information Request, please find
attached letter together with attachments.
Yours sincerely
TVCA Governance Team
Dear Mr McDonald
FOI Request - 78-2022
With reference to the above Freedom of Information Request, please find
further attachments.
Yours sincerely
TVCA Governance Team
Dear Mr McDonald
FOI Request - 78-2022
With reference to the above Freedom of Information Request, please find
further attachments.
Yours sincerely
TVCA Governance Team
Dear Mr McDonald
FOI Request - 78-2022
With reference to the above Freedom of Information Request, please find
further attachments.
Yours sincerely
TVCA Governance Team
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