FOI request (FOIR-389901108)

CCTV

Requested Tue 04 January 2022
Responded  Thu 03 February 2022

The information I require is to do with the organisation's CCTV maintenance and support contract.

Please can you send me the information stated below:

1. Supplier of the contract for CCTV maintenance and support

2. How much the Organisation spends annually with the supplier? If multiple suppliers, please list the annual spend for each.

3. What is the expiry date of this contract?

4. What is the duration of the contract?

5. What is the review date of this contract? If possible, the likely outcome of this review.

6. The primary brand of the CCTV equipment. I do not require the model, just the brand. If there are various brands could you please list?

7. What is the total number of cameras in use/under this contract?

8. The description of the services provided under this contract. Please state if this contract includes more than just CCTV services.

9. Contact details of the employee responsible for the contract between the supplier and the organisation. Can you please provide me with their full contact details?

If there is no CCTV maintenance contract in place:

1. What is the brand of CCTV cameras in use? if there is variety could you please send me a list? I do not need the serial number or model just the brand.

2. How much is the average annual spend on the in-house maintenance?

3. How many cameras are in use?

4. Is there a plan to review this at any point, if so what would the date be?

5. Who is in charge of overseeing the in-house maintenance?

If there is no maintenance contract or in-house maintenance in place, is there a ad-hoc agreement?

If yes:

1. Who is the supplier? Is this varies could you please list?

2. What is the brand of CCTV cameras in use? if there is variety could you please send me a list? I do not need the serial number or model just the brand.

3. How many cameras are in use?

4. How much is the average annual spend on the ad-hoc agreement?

5. What is the date it is to be reviewed?

Response

It is not the council's policy to provide details about the contracts for the reasons provided below in our refusal notice.

However, if you have any further enquiries in relation to these contracts, you may email procurement@hastings.gov.uk.

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information you have requested in respect of our CCTV maintenance and support contract 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.