FOI request (FOIR-679205812)

Digital services and transformation 2025

Requested Thu 16 January 2025
Responded Mon 03 March 2025

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding your council's digital transformation initiatives. I would be grateful if you could answer the following questions, or send on to the correct person:

1. The contact information of the individual(s) designated as Digital Transformation Officer(s) or equivalent position responsible for overseeing digital transformation initiatives within the council.

2. The name of current software providers currently being utilised as part of your digital transformation strategy:

a. Hybrid mail

b. SMS

c. Email

d. Portal

e. Inbound scanner

3. Who is the software supplier of your Revenue and Benefits application?

a. How long have they been the supplier, and when does the contract expire?

4. Who is responsible for the Digital Transformation in Revenue and Benefits?

5. Do you have a web portal for your Revenue and Benefits business area that allows citizens to access their council tax bills and benefits letters?

a. How much did you spend on this portal?

b. Is there an additional transactional cost for each document you publish (rather than post) via your Council Tax Portal?

c. How many council tax bills do you send out per year?

d. What percentage of these are delivered digitally through your council tax portal (rather than being posted)?

6. How many council tax bills and associated documents do you create and send out per year in total?

a. How many of these are published via your web portal?

b. How many of these are emailed?

c. How many of these are posted?

7. How many council Benefit Letters and associated documents do you send out per year?

a. How many of these are published via your web portal?

b. How many of these are emailed?

c. How many of these are posted?

Response

1. Stephen Dodson, Head of Strategic Programmes, 01424 451066, sdodson@hastiings.gov.uk

2. REFUSED

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information you have requested in relation to software providers name and contact details is commercially sensitive and falls under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act - Commercially Sensitive Information - Information prejudicing commercial interests - commercial interest relating to an organisations commercial activity and may include trading activity procurement and relationships with third parties.

The exemption afforded by Section 43 is subject to what is known as the 'public interest test'. When applying the test in a particular case a public authority is deciding whether the public interest is better served by non-disclosure than by disclosure.

Although the Freedom of Information Act does not define 'in the public interest', there is a presumption under Freedom of Information that openness is in the public interest. In applying the public interest test a public authority will take into account the distinction that has been often made by courts between things that are in the public interest, and things that merely interest the public. Where applicants have not identified public interest considerations succinctly or accurately, the public authority has a responsibility under the Act to make their own assessment of the public interest considerations in the particular case.

We have identified the following public interest factors that may be seen as encouraging the disclosure of information:

a. accountability of public spending.

We consider these factors to be of limited relevance in relation to the information in question.

Public interest factors seen as encouraging non-disclosure are, generally, the exemptions themselves. In consideration of this matter we came to the following conclusions:

a. ensuring that companies are able to compete for business fairly.

b. damage to reputation and/or financial interests.

In weighing the factors for and against disclosure we have concluded that the likely benefit to the applicant and the wider public of disclosure is outweighed by the likely prejudice caused by such disclosure and that therefore the public interest is better served by non-disclosure.

For the reasons given above we will not be communicating to you the information you have requested.

3. REFUSED

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information you have requested in relation to software providers name and contact details is commercially sensitive and falls under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act - Commercially Sensitive Information - Information prejudicing commercial interests - commercial interest relating to an organisations commercial activity and may include trading activity procurement and relationships with third parties.

The exemption afforded by Section 43 is subject to what is known as the 'public interest test'. When applying the test in a particular case a public authority is deciding whether the public interest is better served by non-disclosure than by disclosure.

Although the Freedom of Information Act does not define 'in the public interest', there is a presumption under Freedom of Information that openness is in the public interest. In applying the public interest test a public authority will take into account the distinction that has been often made by courts between things that are in the public interest, and things that merely interest the public. Where applicants have not identified public interest considerations succinctly or accurately, the public authority has a responsibility under the Act to make their own assessment of the public interest considerations in the particular case.

We have identified the following public interest factors that may be seen as encouraging the disclosure of information:

a. accountability of public spending.

We consider these factors to be of limited relevance in relation to the information in question.

Public interest factors seen as encouraging non-disclosure are, generally, the exemptions themselves. In consideration of this matter we came to the following conclusions:

a. ensuring that companies are able to compete for business fairly.

b. damage to reputation and/or financial interests.

In weighing the factors for and against disclosure we have concluded that the likely benefit to the applicant and the wider public of disclosure is outweighed by the likely prejudice caused by such disclosure and that therefore the public interest is better served by non-disclosure.

For the reasons given above we will not be communicating to you the information you have requested.

4. Kit Wheeler, Email: kit.wheeler@hastings.gov.uk Phone number: 01424 451066

5. Currently Revenues only.

5a. REFUSED

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information you have requested in relation to software providers name and contact details is commercially sensitive and falls under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act - Commercially Sensitive Information - Information prejudicing commercial interests - commercial interest relating to an organisations commercial activity and may include trading activity procurement and relationships with third parties.

The exemption afforded by Section 43 is subject to what is known as the 'public interest test'. When applying the test in a particular case a public authority is deciding whether the public interest is better served by non-disclosure than by disclosure.

Although the Freedom of Information Act does not define 'in the public interest', there is a presumption under Freedom of Information that openness is in the public interest. In applying the public interest test a public authority will take into account the distinction that has been often made by courts between things that are in the public interest, and things that merely interest the public. Where applicants have not identified public interest considerations succinctly or accurately, the public authority has a responsibility under the Act to make their own assessment of the public interest considerations in the particular case.

We have identified the following public interest factors that may be seen as encouraging the disclosure of information:

a. accountability of public spending.

We consider these factors to be of limited relevance in relation to the information in question.

Public interest factors seen as encouraging non-disclosure are, generally, the exemptions themselves. In consideration of this matter we came to the following conclusions:

a. ensuring that companies are able to compete for business fairly.

b. damage to reputation and/or financial interests.

In weighing the factors for and against disclosure we have concluded that the likely benefit to the applicant and the wider public of disclosure is outweighed by the likely prejudice caused by such disclosure and that therefore the public interest is better served by non-disclosure.

For the reasons given above we will not be communicating to you the information you have requested.

5b. No

5c. 100%

6. 49,955 council tax bills created.

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information requested in respect how may associated documents/letters created would require us to manually check each customer record. This would far exceed the time limit set out by the Information Commissioner. S12 of the Freedom of information Act 2000 provides an exemption from the obligation to comply with a request for information if the estimated costs of complying with that request would exceed the prescribed appropriate limit.

We estimate that the costs of complying with your request would exceed the appropriate limit by a significant amount.

For this reason we feel unable to comply with this part of your request.

6a. 0

6b. 0

6c. 49,955

7. 20,699

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information requested in respect how may associated documents/letters created would require us to manually check each customer record. This would far exceed the time limit set out by the Information Commissioner. S12 of the Freedom of information Act 2000 provides an exemption from the obligation to comply with a request for information if the estimated costs of complying with that request would exceed the prescribed appropriate limit.

We estimate that the costs of complying with your request would exceed the appropriate limit by a significant amount.

For this reason we feel unable to comply with this part of your request.

7a. 0

7b. 0

7c. 20,699