TVCA processes around the awarding of public funded contracts

The request was successful.

Dear Tees Valley Combined Authority,

Following the latest Private Eye article, I am resubmitting the FOI I submitted in July, in order to
better understand the following five pieces of information with the aim of determining whether they are, or are not, connected:

A) On 21 March 2021 Senior TVCA officials, Charles Peter Judge and Alison Anne Fellows, became persons with “significant control” of Goosepool 2021 Limited, which later took on 25% of the shares in Teesside International Airport.

B) On 24 March 2021 it was reported (article linked below) that a local law firm, the Endeavour Partnership had made a “five-figure investment” in Teesside International Airport. The article quotes Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen as saying “The plans we’ve put in place are rightly ambitious”.

C) On 27 May 2021 Tees Valley Combined Authority published a tender notice for a four year Legal Services Framework worth £5m.

D) On 27 May 2021 Charles Peter Judge and Alison Anne Fellows each relinquished “significant control” of Goosepool 2021 Limited, according to Companies House.

E) after the tender process closed, Endeavour Partnership were appointed to the four year Legal Services Framework worth £5m. Endeavour Partnership deliver their services in conjunction with Ward Hadaway solicitors.

My FOI request is:

1. Did Charles Peter Judge and Alison Anne Fellows play any role in the procurement process for the Legal Services Framework, if so what was their specific role?

2. I ask you provide all conflicts of interest declarations for Charles Peter Judge and Alison Anne Fellows dated between 1 November 2020 to 1 February 2022, including any which relate to the Tees Valley Legal Services Framework.

3. I ask you provide any documentation where either Charles Peter Judge or Alison Anne Fellows recused themselves from the Legal Services Framework procurement process due to a conflict of interest.

4. I ask you provide all records held about the five-figure investment the Endeavour Partnership made in the airport. What amount was provided to Teesside International Airport and for what?

5. I ask you to provide all emails sent by or to Charles Peter Judge or Alison Anne Fellows about:

a. the investment by Endeavour Partnership in Teesside International Airport

b. Goosepool 2021 Limited

c. conflicts of interests in the Tees Valley Legal Services Framework procurement

in the period 1 January 2021 to 1 September 2021.

Finally, if I’ve misunderstood any aspect of this in my summary above and you hold information which clarifies the actual position, then please provide it.

Yours faithfully,

Paddy

Web links

1. https://netimesmagazine.co.uk/business/t...

2.https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2021/W21/751...

TVCA Governance, Tees Valley Combined Authority

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FOI REQUEST

Dear Paddy Smithson,

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Ref: 244-2023

Thank you for your correspondence received on 13/11/2023.

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 11/12/2023 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
Tees Valley Combined Authority

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TVCA Governance, Tees Valley Combined Authority

Dear Paddy Smithson,

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Ref: 244-2023

Thank you for your correspondence received on 13/11/2023. Please note that we cannot comment on your statements A to E under the FOIA. We apologise that the responses to Question 2, Question 3 and Question 5 are delayed due to internal stakeholder consultation. We aim to respond to these three questions by 18/12/2023.

You asked:
1. Did Charles Peter Judge and Alison Anne Fellows play any role in the procurement process for the Legal Services Framework, if so what was their specific role?
Our response:
Charles Peter Judge was a member of the evaluation panel. Alison Anne Fellows was not involved in this procurement.

You asked:
4. I ask you provide all records held about the five-figure investment the Endeavour Partnership made in the airport. What amount was provided to Teesside International Airport and for what?

Our response:
TVCA does not hold this information, but we understand that this relates to taking advertising space within Teesside airport.

If you have any queries or concerns please contact [email address] in the first instance.

However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been handled, you may request an internal review within 40 working days by writing to:

Group Chief Executive, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Teesside Airport Business Suite, Teesside International Airport, Darlington. DL2 1NJ.

If, after your complaint has been determined, you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Wycliffe House, Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Governance Team
Tees Valley Combined Authority

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TVCA Governance, Tees Valley Combined Authority

2 Attachments

Dear Paddy Smithson,

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Ref: 244-2023

Please see the responses to Question 2, Question 3 and Question 5:

You asked:
2. I ask you provide all conflicts of interest declarations for Charles Peter Judge and Alison Anne Fellows dated between 1 November 2020 to 1 February 2022, including any which relate to the Tees Valley Legal Services Framework.

Our response:
Charles Peter Judge has left the organisation. There are no records of these documents in the procurement file relating to the legal services framework for Tees Valley Combined Authority. As Alison did not take part in the procurement, there are no conflict of interest declarations for her.

You asked:
3. I ask you provide any documentation where either Charles Peter Judge or Alison Anne Fellows recused themselves from the Legal Services Framework procurement process due to a conflict of interest.

Our response:
There are no records of such documents in the procurement file relating to this procurement. As Alison did not take part in the procurement, there are no recusal documents for her.

You asked:
5. I ask you to provide all emails sent by or to Charles Peter Judge or Alison Anne Fellows about:
a. the investment by Endeavour Partnership in Teesside International Airport
b. Goosepool 2021 Limited
c. conflicts of interests in the Tees Valley Legal Services Framework procurement

in the period 1 January 2021 to 1 September 2021.

Our response:
Please note that due to TVCA's email retention policy, a limited number of emails are retained after 6 months of receipt. For the prescribed time period, TVCA does not hold any relevant emails pertaining to a. the investment by Endeavour Partnership in Teesside International Airport or c. conflicts of interests in the Tees Valley Legal Services Framework procurement. For the prescribed time period, TVCA holds 1 email related to b. Goosepool 2021 Limited, please see attached. Please note that names, email addresses and phone numbers of non-senior staff have been redacted in line with Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

If you have any queries or concerns please contact [email address] in the first instance.

However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been handled, you may request an internal review within 40 working days by writing to:

Group Chief Executive, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Teesside Airport Business Suite, Teesside International Airport, Darlington. DL2 1NJ.

If, after your complaint has been determined, you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) Wycliffe House, Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Governance Team
Tees Valley Combined Authority

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TVCA Governance, Tees Valley Combined Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Paddy Smithson,

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Ref: 244-2023

TVCA would like to revise its response to Question 2:

You asked:
2. I ask you provide all conflicts of interest declarations for Charles Peter Judge and Alison Anne Fellows dated between 1 November 2020 to 1 February 2022, including any which relate to the Tees Valley Legal Services Framework.

Our response:
Please find attached the Conflict of Interest form for Charles Peter Judge in relation to the Tees Valley Legal Services Framework. Please note that his signature has been redacted under Section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. As Alison did not take part in the procurement, there are no conflict of interest declarations for her.

Information Act 2000.

If you have any queries or concerns please contact [email address] in the first instance.

However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been handled, you may request an internal review within 40 working days by writing to:

Group Chief Executive, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Teesside Airport Business Suite, Teesside International Airport, Darlington. DL2 1NJ.

If, after your complaint has been determined, you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) Wycliffe House, Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Governance Team
Tees Valley Combined Authority

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