Date:29 April 2015

MrDomWallis

DearMrWallis

Re: Freedom of Information request number 4685

Thank you for your request for the following information: The information listed below has been supplied in response to your request. We are only able to supply some of the information you have requested. Below is an explanation of what cannot be supplied and why. We hope the information supplied is helpful.

The information enclosed is/are as follows:

Can you please provide me with information on the following category of service (a category of service would be classed as an area of business within the Local Authority, for example Transport or Social Care):

1)Does the Local Authority currently operate any form of supplier framework (a supplier framework would classed as a list of enrolled and accredited companies or individuals that provide goods or services to the Local Authority) for:-

a.SEN Transport – Tendered under Education Transport Framework Agreement.

b.Home to School – Tendered under Education Transport Framework Agreement.

d.Transport for Adult Care –There is no framework in place although users do sometimes use Taxi’s or Transvoland this is done through their own budgets and is not a “spot purchase” as such.

2) If the Local Authority does operate a supplier framework, when do these frameworks run out? :-

a.SEN Transport – Education Transport Framework Expires July 2018.

b.Home to School – Education Transport Framework Expires July 2018.

d.Transport for Adult Care –N/A

3)If the Local Authority does operate a supplier framework, how many suppliers are listed on the framework?:-

a.SEN Transport – Number of Operators on Framework 38.

b.Home to School – Number of Operators on Framework 38.

d.Transport for Adult Care –N/A

4)Does the Local Authority own and operate an internal fleet of vehicles that is utilised for services such as SEN Transport or Taxi Services? Yes.

5)If so, please can you provide with the size of the fleet.Passenger Transport Unit operate 2 Wheelchair Accessible vehicles, Adult Social Care operate five minibuses.

6)During the financial year of 2014/15, what has been the actual spend of:-

a.SEN Transport-

b.Home to School –

d.Transport for Adult Care –

Unable to provide figure as end of year accounts not yet available

7)During the financial year of 2014/15, what has been the actual spend of “spot purchases” or Transport placements that were not purchased on the supplier framework (if one does exist):-

a. SEN Transport- Spot Purchases are not made a Framework is used

b.Home to School – Spot Purchases are not made a Framework is used

d.Transport for Adult Care – No Spot purchases as such.

8)Does the Local Authority utilise a technology (this could be either a piece of software or computer programme) to help commission Transport Services (these would be defined as SEN Transport, Home to School etc) for a citizen? Yes.

10)What is the size of the team that works within the Transport Department of the Local Authority? – 5.

Below is an explanation of what cannot be supplied and why.

The information enclosed is/are as follows:

9)If so, when does the contract for these services expire and what has been the cost for the contract?

a.Expiration date –

b.Cost -

The Information is available through our Publication Scheme on the Council’s published contract register on the East of England Local Government Association website:

Unfortunately we are unable to provide the information you have requested.

11)Please can you provide me with a hierarchy of the team that comprises the Transport Department with names and job roles?

The qualified exemption is as follows:

Personal data of any other person (third party data) is exempt under section 40(2) if disclosure would breach one of the data protection principles. This aspect of Section 40 is Qualified and therefore subject to the Public Interest Test.

This means we have balanced the legitimate interests of the public in having access to the information (under FOI a disclosure is a publication to the world at large) against the interests of the individual under the first principle of the Data Protection Act (1998).

The names of officers working for the Council (combined with structure chart information such as position within a department) is personal data specific to them. It is therefore subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act (1998). Information can be withheld if its disclosure would be likely to breach one or more of the Principles of the Data Protection Act. There is no prior expectation on the part of team Managers (or other officers working below the level of Head of Service) that their names and job titles / positions would be published into the wider public domain under FOI. A disclosure made under FOI constitutes a publication to the world at large. We believe that to disclose this would be likely to breach the first Principle of the Data Protection Act by unfairly contravening their right to privacy and confidentiality in the work place.

However, in the interests of transparency we are able to share details relating to senior officers (Head of Service level and above). For these officers, there is already a greater expectation of openness about their role given their level of accountability for service provision and budgetary decision making.

Head of ServiceAnn Osola , Head of Transportation & Highways

Transportation & Highways Services Manager

PTU Service Co-Ordinator

Transport Services Officer (x2)

PTU Information & Monitoring Assistant

Please be aware that if you need to contact the Council about a specific service or get advice from a particular team, you can call us on (01375) 652652 and our officers will put you in touch with the correct person. Or, you may wish to visit our web pages which contain a lot of information about how services are managed at

If you are unhappy with the Council’s response you can make a complaint via the

Council's complaints procedures and this will be looked into. If you are not happy with

this decision you may then appeal to the Information Commissioner.

Information supplied in response to your request is the copyright of Thurrock Council.

The information has been supplied for your personal use. Except for permitted acts

under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the information supplied may not

be copied, distributed, published, or exploited for commercial purposes or financial gain

without the explicit written consent of Thurrock Council.

Yours faithfully

CCollins

Freedom of Information Coordinator

Telephone (01375) 652917

Macro FOI.Part.Supplied.letter