Freedom of information response

Please can the Thurrock Council provide information on the current contract including:

Contract start date Information can be found on our contracts register on the council’s internet page

Contract end date Information can be found on our contracts register on the council’s internet page

If there is the potential to extend the contract beyond the end date, and if so, by how many years

Annual contract value Information can be found on our contracts register on the council’s internet page

Name of the current contractor Information can be found on our contracts register on the council’s internet page

The contact details of the person responsible for procuring the services - Unfortunately we are unable to provide in full the information you have requested. We do hold the information but an absolute exemption applies. Personal Information (Section 40,2) 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 an Absolute Exemption and is therefore not subject to the Public Interest Test.

Route to market for any pending or future tender (such as portal or e-tendering platform) – The councils utilises InTend as its e-tendering platform

Any indicative timeline on the authority retendering these services in the future None at this stage.

Are your subcontractors paid the Real Living Wage, and/or is this a policy? Our policies & values are listed on the Councils website.

Unfortunately we are unable to provide in full the information you have requested.  We do hold the information but an absolute exemption applies.  Personal Information (Section 40,2) 

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 an Absolute Exemption and is therefore not subject to the Public Interest Test. 

The names of officers working for the Council is personal data specific to them. It is therefore subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act. 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 Director) 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 (Director  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.  

For your information please see the following link which outlines staff details of Director and above: https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/chief-executive-directors-and-services