Response 1135680

Response to request for information

Reference

1135680

Response date

27 June 2023

Request

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from Rushcliffe Council:

• Beyond those tenders currently in the public domain, what existing and forthcoming opportunities are currently in your procurement pipeline in relation to debt collection, recovery, and enforcement services, specifically in the following areas:
• Penalty Charge Notices issued for parking infringements
• Council tax arrears
• Non-domestic rates paid by local businesses
• Sundry debt arrears
• Low Emission Zone/Clean Air Zone/Congestion Zone non-compliance
• Bus lane violations
• Moving traffic offences
• Speed enforcement
• Free flow tolling
• Road pricing (including charges to enter bridges and tunnels)
• For those opportunities which are currently in the pipeline, what is the estimated contract value for each individual pipeline opportunity (given in £1000s of pounds)?
• For those opportunities currently in the pipeline, can you provide an expected timetable for the future tendering of those opportunities (please provide the timeline on a month-by-month basis or describe, in months, the estimated tender process length)?
• Regarding each opportunity please could you include:
• The current supplier/suppliers
• Key individuals/team involved in the procurement process.

Response

Information requested in respect of:

• Penalty Charge Notices issued for parking infringements
• Council tax arrears
• Non-domestic rates paid by local businesses
• Sundry debt arrears

Please note we do not deal with those services highlighted, please contact Nottinghamshire County Council enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk

• Low Emission Zone/Clean Air Zone/Congestion Zone non-compliance
• Bus lane violations
• Moving traffic offences
• Speed enforcement
• Free flow tolling
• Road pricing (including charges to enter bridges and tunnels)

• For those opportunities which are currently in the pipeline, what is the estimated contract value for each individual pipeline opportunity (given in £1000s of pounds)? There are currently no forthcoming opportunities in the pipeline
• For those opportunities currently in the pipeline, can you provide an expected timetable for the future tendering of those opportunities (please provide the timeline on a month-by-month basis or describe, in months, the estimated tender process length)? Procurement timetables are advertised with the tender opportunity – The information that you have requested is exempt from disclosure under Section 22 of the FOIA as it relates to information intended for future publication. Section 22 provides that:

1. Information is exempt if –
2. a) The information is held by a public authority with a view to its publication, by the authority or any other person, at some future date (whether determined or not).
3. b) It is reasonable in all circumstances that the information should be withheld from disclosure until the date referred to in paragraph a).

Section 22 is a qualified exemption subject to the public interest test. We have considered the public interest in releasing the information against the public interest in withholding it. There is a public interest in transparency being demonstrated by releasing the information, however transparency is also achieved by the Council publishing this information on its’ website. Section 22 recognises that it must be reasonable to withhold the information until the date of publication. Disclosing the information would require staff to spend time on accelerating publication rather than other activities in the public interest and may result in inaccurate or unchecked information being disclosed prematurely resulting in the public being misled. Given the necessary preparation and administration involved in publishing the information we consider that our publication timetable is reasonable. We have therefore concluded that the public interest in withholding this information outweighs the public interest in releasing it.

• Regarding each opportunity please could you include:

o The current supplier/suppliers – The Council’s contract register is up to date with this information where required. Exemption under section 21 engaged information already in the public domain (the information is exempt under section 21 of the FOI Act because it is reasonably accessible to you and the terms of the exemption mean that we do not have to consider whether or not it would be in the public interest for you to have the information. I am pleased to inform you that you can access the information you have requested via the following link: Contracts register (due-north.com)

o Key individuals/team involved in the procurement process. The Council does all of its procurement using the Pro-Contract portal, which can be found using the following website: East Midlands Tenders. Contact is via the portal and details provided as advertised.