FOI request (FOIR-488898731)

Dog Warden

Requested Mon 20 February 2023
Responded Tue 02 May 2023

1. Do you provide dog warden services?

2. Do you have an in-house team that provides dog warden services?

3. Do you contract dog warden services to an external provider?

If you use an external provider:

a. What is the name of the provider?

b. What is the start date of the contract?

c. What is the end date of the contract?

d. What is the value of the contract?

If you use multiple external providers, please provide this information for each of them.

4. Do you collaborate with other Local Authorities on dog warden services? If yes, please name them.

5. Do you house dogs seized by your dog warden (or the contractor(s) providing your dog warden service) at your own kennel facilities?

6. Do you house dogs seized by your dog warden (or the contractor(s) providing your dog warden service) in external kennel facilities?

If you use external facilities:

a. What is the name of the provider?

b. What is the start date of the agreement you have with them?

c. What is the end date of the agreement you have with them?

d. Is there a set value of the agreement you have with them? If yes, please provide it. If no, please provide details of the payment schedule.

e. Please provide the Local Authority license number for their kennelling/dog boarding services.

f. Is the provider a rescue and rehoming centre? If yes, please provide its charity number if available.

If you use multiple external providers, please provide this information for each of them.

7. Do you rehome dogs seized by your dog warden (or the contractor(s) providing your dog warden service) after their 7 statutory days?

8. Do you rehome dogs to members of the public yourselves?

9. Do you rehome dogs via a rescue organisation/charity? If so, please give details of which ones.

10. Do you rehome dogs in any other way? If so, please provide details.

Response

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

1. Yes

2. No

3. Yes

a. Animal Wardens Ltd

b. 1st April 2018

c. Rolling contract

d. Refused (see below)

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information you have requested relating to the contract value 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 organisation's 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. Joint procurement between Hastings Borough Council, Rother District Council and Wealden District Council

5. No

6. Contractor does this

a. As above

b. As above

c. As above

d. As above

The contract is for a stray dog service and kennelling services

e. Information not held

f. Information not held

7. Contractor does this

8. No

9. No

10. No