FOI request (FOIR-157414344)

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from you regarding Planning, Land Charges, Building control and Public Protection/Licencing/Environmental Health.

Please could you provide the following information:

1.     What Software Systems are currently used by the Council for Planning, Land Charges, Building control and Public Protection/Licencing/Environmental Health?

2.     For each of the software systems listed in question 1, when does each contract expire?

3.     For each of the software systems listed in question 1, what is the annual maintenance cost of each software system?

4.     For each of the software systems listed in question 1, are you planning to go to market for a different software system? If so, when?

5.     Does your IT strategy describe consolidating systems onto a single software system?

6.     How many users / licenses for each of the software systems listed in question system do you have? 

7.     Who is the person responsible for your Software System? Please provide full name, title and contact information if possible?

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

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.