Information Technology
- Number of computers and spend on software
- GIS Information
- Management Information Systems used in Schools
- Software use for roads and street furniture applications
- School Charges for ICT Services
- Patch Management Solution
- Number of Computers and software used
- Key-logging Software
- Microsoft SharePoint Software
- Warnings for Internet and Email Misuse
- ICT Support Teams in Schools
- Inappropriate images found on LCC computers
- Councils contract register
Number of computers and spend on software
| Reference | 805.24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date Responded | 31/01/2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
The population your council covers.
The number of computers that you operate, desktops, laptops and net books, not servers.
The amount of money that your council has spent on Microsoft products (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).
The amount of money that your council has spent on other software (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).
Whether or not your council has tried any free alternatives to what it is currently using.
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Whether or not your council has tried any free alternatives to what it is currently using.
Yes |
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| Attachments | None |
GIS Information
| Reference | 805.167 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded |
22/02/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
1. Is GIS used within your authority - Yes / No
2. If yes, please provide details of the primary uses - please list. 3. How many users approximately use the GIS system - Less than 30, between 31- 60, Over 60 4. Which GIS system is currently used:- ESRI / Map Info / Other - please state. 5. What is the annual cost of maintenance for the GIS system(s) - Under £10K, between £10-25K, £25-£40k, £40k and over. Please select one of these options if you prefer not to state exact amounts. 6. How many officers are within the GIS team? Please state number. 7. Which section/department does your GIS team sit within? 7. Have you got an LLPG (Local Land and Property Gazetteer) - Yes / No 8. If yes, is your LLPG integrated into the GIS system or are separate layers loaded on an ad-hoc basis Please provide a contact name & details of the GIS officer who may need to be contacted for clarification of the above information. (Hopefully this should not be necessary). |
| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Further to your email of 15 February, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, I am now in a position to respond and answer each of your questions in turn below.
1. Is GIS used within your authority?
Yes
2. If yes, please provide details of the primary uses
There are multiple uses, the primary users being in the Highways department and the customer service centre
3. How many users (approximately) use the GIS system: (a) <30 (b) 31-60 (c) Over 60
Over 60
4. Which GIS system is currently used: (a) ESRI (b) Map Info (c) Other (please state)
ESRI
5. What is the annual cost of maintenance for the GIS system: (a) Under £10K (b) £10-£25K (c) £25-£40K (d) Over £40K
Over £40K
6. How many officers are within the GIS team?
6
7. Which section/department does your GIS team sit within?
Within the Resources Directorate
8. Have you got an LLPG (Local Land and Property Gazetteer)?
No
9. If yes, is your LLPG integrated into the GIS system or are separate layers loaded on an ad-hoc basis?
N/A
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| Attachments | None |
Management Information Systems used in Schools
| Reference | 805.136 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date Responded | 02/03/2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Response Type |
Full Disclosure
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| Request |
1] What Management Information System (MIS) that has been procured by the council for the current use in its schools? If it has changed in the two last years, please state the previous MIS.
[2] As defined in 1 above, when did the council first procure the current MIS?
[3] When did the council last go to tender for its school MIS?
[4] How many schools within the council remit use the MIS as defined in 1 above? Please give a breakdown in numbers in terms of secondary, primary, special, and whatever other categories there are that school fall into.
[5] As defined in 1 above, what is the annual cost of maintenance, service contracts and/or other usage charges (e.g. entitlement fees) made by the supplier(s) of the school MIS for financial years 2008/9, 2009/10, 2010/11 and forthcoming 2011/12? Please enumerate by supplier and MIS if more than one involved.
[6] As defined in 1 above, was there an initial up front licence and/or service charge to establish the MIS? If so please indicate the cost and the financial year in which it was made? Has the scope of the procured MIS changed since that initial charge (e.g. an additional module of service option was added in a later year)?
[7] As defined in 1 above, which MIS modules or service options were procured? Please enumerate the core modules/services as well as other optional modules/services which may be used in terms of secondary, primary, special, and whatever other categories there are that school fall into.
[8] Further to 7 above, are there modules or services that have been paid for but have not yet been deployed to schools? If so, what are those modules/services, how many schools are affected and what is the timetable for deployment?
[9] Is the council following the recommendations made in Becta’s MIS Value For Money 2010 report regarding ensuring that they have a “de minimis” annual maintenance service from their MIS supplier(s)?
[10] Is the council preparing to go out to (re)tender for its school MIS? If so, in which year does it expect to place the OJEU advertisement?
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| Response |
[1] What Management Information System (MIS) that has been procured by the council for the current use in its schools? If it has changed in the two last years, please state the previous MIS.
Capita SIMS
[2] As defined in 1 above, when did the council first procure the current MIS?
The council first procured the current MIS in approximately 1988. I have been informed that information is no longer held regarding this original procurement, however, a subsequent agreement was entered into by Lancashire County Council in 1993, with Capita.
[3] When did the council last go to tender for its school MIS?
2007
[4] How many schools within the council remit use the MIS as defined in 1 above? Please give a breakdown in numbers in terms of secondary, primary, special, and whatever other categories there are that school fall into.
2010-11:
*Pupil Referral Unit
[5] As defined in 1 above, what is the annual cost of maintenance, service contracts and/or other usage charges (e.g. entitlement fees) made by the supplier(s) of the school MIS for financial years 2008/9, 2009/10, 2010/11 and forthcoming 2011/12? Please enumerate by supplier and MIS if more than one involved.
[6] As defined in 1 above, was there an initial up front licence and/or service charge to establish the MIS? If so please indicate the cost and the financial year in which it was made? Has the scope of the procured MIS changed since that initial charge (e.g. an additional module of service option was added in a later year)?
As stated previously in question 2, we hold no paper work dating back to 1988 with financial details or details of the initial procurement, and therefore we are unable to confirm if there was an upfront license and/or service charge.
The current scope of SIMS is:
· All schools: STAR (Statutory returns – Census, School Workforce Return, Behaviour Management, SEN), Personnel, Admissions, Attendance, Reporting, Alerts, Profiles, Assessment (AMPARK, Key Stage Data Returns and Reporting), Performance Analysis, SOLUS.
· Additional modules for secondary schools only: Examinations Organiser, Staff Cover, Timetabling (Nova-T), Academic Management including Course Manager, Options, Parents Evening Scheduler.
· Modules in the Resources Suite: FMS including Consistent Financial Reporting, Budget Planning, Equipment Register, Fees Billing.
[7] As defined in 1 above, which MIS modules or service options were procured? Please enumerate the core modules/services as well as other optional modules/services which may be used in terms of secondary, primary, special, and whatever other categories there are that school fall into.
As stated previously in question 2, we hold no paper work dating back to 1988 with financial details or details of the initial procurement, and therefore we are unable to confirm which MIS modules or service options were initially procured.
Optional modules/services in use: Lesson Monitor, Dinner Money.
[8] Further to 7 above, are there modules or services that have been paid for but have not yet been deployed to schools? If so, what are those modules/services, how many schools are affected and what is the timetable for deployment?
No
[9] Is the council following the recommendations made in Becta’s MIS Value For Money 2010 report regarding ensuring that they have a “de minimis” annual maintenance service from their MIS supplier(s)?
Lancashire County Council does not consider it necessary to comply with the de minimis requirements.
[10] Is the council preparing to go out to (re)tender for its school MIS? If so, in which year does it expect to place the OJEU advertisement?
No. Lancashire County Council published an OJEU notice on 18 December 2009 which, amongst other this things, included all of the ICT requirements.
[11] Is the council intending to extend the facilities or services of its existing MIS (e.g. parent portal, teacher home access to MIS facilities), and if so when does it expect to place the OJEU advertisement/VEAT (Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency) notice?
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| Attachments | None |
Software use for roads and street furniture applications
| Reference | 805.439 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded |
13/05/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Further to your email dated 14 April 2011, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are now in a position to respond.
Q1. What computer software are you using for Highways Maintenance, Works Ordering and Inspections, how much are you paying per year, how many users are you licensed for and is there a fixed length associated with your current contractual arrangements, if so when?
A1. We use a combination of software. We use Exor Maintenance Manager for which we have 34 user licences at an annual cost of £22,000 and there is no fixed contract length (it is an annual renewal). This is combined with in house software for which there is no cost.
Q2. What computer software are you using for Street Lighting Management, how much are you paying per year, how many users are you licensed for, and is there a fixed length associated with your current contractual arrangements, if so when?
A2. We use a number of software:
HLPLUS is an external package at a cost of £14,000 per year. There are approximately 30 user licenses and there is no fixed length associated with current contractual arrangements. This is being phased out in favour of SLAMS (see below).
SLAMS (street lighting asset management system) is an in house system that is being developed to replace HLPLUS, therefore there is no cost or fixed contract length. This will be multi-user with no limits on user numbers.
VIZION – This is web based CMS software with no fixed length associated with current contractual arrangements. We currently have 24 user licences at an annual cost of £13,000.
Ganieda Software – Purchased outright therefore no fixed length associated with contractual arrangements. Multi-user currently with 1 user.
Q3. What computer software are you using for UKPMS, how much are you paying per year, how many users are you licensed for, and is there a fixed length associated with your current contractual arrangements, if so when?
A3. For UKPMS we are using the WDM System for which we have 4 user licences at an annual cost of £20,000 with no fixed contract.
Q4.What computer software are you using for Street Works, how much are you paying per year, how many users are you licensed for and is there a fixed length associated with your current contract arrangements, if so when?
A4. For Street Works we are using the Exor TMA/Streetworks Manager Software for which we have 58 user licences at an annual cost of £8,500 and no fixed contract.
Q5. What computer software are you using for Bridges/Structures, how much are you paying per year, how many users are you licensed for, and is there a fixed length associated with your current contractual arrangements, if so when?
A5. We are currently using the following software:
BRAHHMS for which we have approximately 30 users. This is an in house package at no cost and with no fixed length associated with current contractual arrangements.
LUSAS Bridge Plus for which we have 2 user licences at an annual cost of £4,671. This is annually renewable.
SAM LEAP5 for which we have 2 user licences at an annual cost of £2,629. This is annually renewable.
ABLOADS (Abnormal loads software) for which we have 1 user licence at an annual cost of £1,275. This is annually renewable.
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| Attachments | None |
School Charges for ICT Services
| Reference | 805.550 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded |
20/05/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
Please can you provide a breakdown of how much each school is charged for the ICT services that are provided by the local authority, such as the schools' Internet connections, email and web filtering. Where possible, please can you breakdown these figures into charges for each individual service.
Can you also advise as to whether schools have the option to opt out of some or all of these services and keep the money that it would have cost for the local authority to provide them, in order to directly contract private companies to supply these services?
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Further to your email dated 17th May 2011, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are now in a position to respond.
We do not hold the information you have requested. None of the examples listed are services provided by the Lancashire County Council. The examples given are in respect of infrastructure and our services are application level.
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| Attachments | None |
Patch Management Solution
| Reference | 805.547 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded |
20/05/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
I would like to know if you have an IT Patch Management strategy in place Specifically;
a) What patch management solution, if any, is in place?
b) How much time is spent on average each month checking patches to operating systems and applications and remediating the network?
c) What was the cost of purchasing and installing your existing patch management solution?
d) What is the cost of annual maintenance or subscription fee for this service?
e) When is this service due for renewal?
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Further to your email dated 17 May 2011, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are now in a position to respond.
(a) We only have patch management for Microsoft desktop OS and Apps. We use Microsoft System Centre Configuration Management (SCCM) which is included free on our enterprise agreement.
(b) We spend 2 man days checking the monthly patch releases from Microsoft before we distribute.
(c) See (a)
(d) The enterprise agreement is not due for renewal until April 2013.
We trust that our response is to your satisfaction.
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| Attachments | None |
Number of Computers and software used
| Reference | 805.502 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded |
20/05/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
1. Please can you supply me with the number of council owned computers. Please indicate the number of laptops, desktops, servers and thin clients
2. Please indicate the operating systems on the computers, eg Windows 2000, XP, Windows 7, Mac etc
3. Please let me know how many computers have Microsoft Office installed and which version(s) you use.
4. Please indicate the next time you are due to upgrade your computer equipment. |
| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
I refer to your request for information made under the provisions of the above Act. After having made enquiries with the relevant Department I am now in a position to provide you with a response.
Please can you supply me with the number of council owned computers. Please indicate the number of laptops, desktops, servers and thin clients
I have been advised that although Lancashire County Council holds some of the information you have requested, it would take more than 18 hours to collate. However, we are able to provide some information, and can confirm that the approximate number of desktop devices is 12,000 with approximately 400 servers.
Please indicate the operating systems on the computers, e.g. Windows 2000, XP, Windows 7, Mac etc
The operating systems on the computers are Windows XP.
Please let me know how many computers have Microsoft Office installed and which version(s) you use.
I have been advised that to provide you with the exact number of computers that have Microsoft Office installed would take more than 18 hours to collate. However, I can confirm that almost all have MS Office 2007 version.
Please indicate the next time you are due to upgrade your computer equipment.
There is a refresh programme covering all this equipment, based on business need.
I trust the above is useful.
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| Attachments | None |
Key-logging Software
| Reference | 805.587 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded |
25/05/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
1) Whether your council uses, or has ever used, key-logging software (software that keeps a record of keyboard entries/activity on a computer) to monitor the activities of its staff?
If the answer to question 1 is yes:
2) From what date to what date has your Council been using/used this software?
3) How many staff and how many computers are/were monitored by your Council's use of this software?
4) How many disciplinary procedures have been initiated as a result of use of this software?
5) How many criminal prosecutions have been initiated as a result of use of this software?
6) How much money did the Council spend to purchase this software?
7) How long is information gathered via this software stored?
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Further to your email of 24 May, we are now in a position to respond to your enquiry regarding 'key-logging software'.
The first part of your enquiry asked:
1) Whether your council uses, or has ever used, key-logging software (software that keeps a record of keyboard entries/activity on a computer) to monitor the activities of its staff?
Answer: No.
I understand that the rest of your questions are therefore not applicable.
We trust that you are satisfied with the information provided. If you have any queries regarding our response, or you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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| Attachments | None |
Microsoft SharePoint Software
| Reference | 805.507 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date Responded |
06/06/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
- Has the local authority bought Microsoft SharePoint software to use for services with its schools?
- Has it purchased or does it intend to purchase Sims Learning Gateway or an equivalent application/service, and if it intends to purchase, then in what year does expect to tender for this?
- If you have SharePoint for use by schools then what was the cost of the computer servers to host it together with the various licence costs for SharePoint and any related software it needs such as SQL Server? Was there an additional setup/installation cost not included in the previous figures and if so what were these?
- If you have SharePoint for use by schools in what year was it purchased and what are the annual charges to maintain this service in terms of hardware, software and administration? Do you use your own staff to administer the system or external services?
- If you have SharePoint for use by schools how many schools and users have it been set up to support? Please provide a breakdown by type of school and type of user, such as 20 secondary schools with a total of 500 teachers and 30000 parents etc.
- If you have SharePoint for use by schools, what is the cost per pupil for the service? If it is different for primary and secondary pupils then show the cost by pupil and school types.
- How many schools and pupils do you have in your local authority? Please provide a breakdown by type of school such as 30 secondary schools with 30000 pupils etc.
- Who is or are the officers in charge of the software for the School MIS, the learning platform and the parent online access. What are their positions and contact details?
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
I refer to your email dated 9th May 2011 in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act. After having made enquiries with the relevant Department, I am now in a position to provide you with a response.
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| Attachments | None |
Warnings for Internet and Email Misuse
| Reference | 805.511 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded |
13/06/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
I would like to know the following question, each broken down into separate statistics for 2009, 2010 and 2011:
1. How many members of staff have received a formal warning for internet or e-mail misuse? Please outline number of social networking misuse cases if available.
2. How many members of staff have been dismissed for internet or e-mail misuse? Please outline number relating to social networking dismissals if available.
3. How many members of staff have been dismissed in 2009, 2010 and 2011?
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
I refer to your request for information made under the provision of the above Act. After having made enquiries with the relevant Department, I am now in a position to provide you with a response.
1. How many members of staff have received a formal warning for internet or e-mail misuse? Please outline number of social networking misuse cases if available.
We are unable to offer statistics or information for the above request as Lancashire County Council does not hold this information. Nor do we have any information to confirm whether the dismissals relate to social networking activities.
2. How many members of staff have been dismissed for internet or e-mail misuse? Please outline number relating to social networking dismissals if available.
2009
Number dismissed for breaches to LCC Network 5
2010
Number dismissed for breaches to LCC Network 0
2011 (1/1/11 to 31/5/11)
Number dismissed for breaches to LCC Network 0
As Q1 above, we are unable to provide you with the number relating to Social Networking Dismissals as we do not hold this information.
3. How many members of staff have been dismissed in 2009, 2010 and 2011
2009
Total number dismissed overall 24
2010
Total number dismissed overall 12
2011 (1/1/11 to 31/5/11)
Total number dismissed overall 5
I trust the above is useful.
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| Attachments | None |
ICT Support Teams in Schools
| Reference | 805.614 | ||||||||
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| Date Responded |
23/06/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
1. Does the LA have an ICT support team for eLearning, management information & similar systems running within your schools.
2. What is this team called?
3. How many are employed for the team?
4. What was/is the overall budget in 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 for this team?
5. What are the main income streams for the team?
6. What are the key supplier income streams and annual amounts from those suppliers, broken down by supplier for years 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 and predicted for 2011/12.
7. If school support staff were TUPEd to a private company in the last 2 to 4 years, provide details for questions 3 to 7 for the 3 years run up until the TUPE transfer. |
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
I refer to your request for information made under the provisions of the above Act. After having made enquiries with the relevant Department, I am now in a position to provide you with a response.
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| Attachments | None |
Inappropriate images found on LCC computers
| Reference | 805.887 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded | 25/8/2011 |
| Response Type |
Refused under Section12(1)
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| Request |
1. Please disclose how many times inappropriate images have been found on council computers during each of the last five financial years. (Please give a separate figure for each year.)
2. In each instance, please state how many council staff have been subject to disciplinary action and what action was taken.
3. Breaking down the data by year, please specify how many images were found, and whether they were rated as “highly inappropriate”, “inappropriate”, “illegal” or “other”.
Please also outline what sort of material the council understands the terms “highly inappropriate”, “inappropriate” etc. to encompass.
4. If the council uses any software to identify inappropriate images on council computers, please specify what kind of software and how much it has cost the council over the past five financial years.
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Thank you for your email dated 2 August 2011, in which you request disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act; we are now in a position to respond.
1. Please disclose how many times inappropriate images have been found on council computers during each of the last five financial years. (Please give a separate figure for each year.)
2. In each instance, please state how many council staff have been subject to disciplinary action and what action was taken.
3. Breaking down the data by year, please specify how many images were found, and whether they were rated as “highly inappropriate”, “inappropriate”, “illegal” or “other”.
Please also outline what sort of material the council understands the terms “highly inappropriate”, “inappropriate” etc. to encompass.
4. If the council uses any software to identify inappropriate images on council computers, please specify what kind of software and how much it has cost the council over the past five financial years.
The County Council doesn’t have any software which is used to identify inappropriate images on council computers. Therefore there is no central log of images being found and disciplinary action taking place as within the Council this is initially undertaken by individual managers. Therefore to collate this information it would be necessary to contact all managers in the council. This information would incur a commitment of resources in excess of the limit of £450 set by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 (SI No. 3244 of 2004), which equates to 18 hours of work. Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act provides that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request where to do so would exceed such a limit.
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| Attachments | None |
Councils contract register
| Reference | 805.928 |
|---|---|
| Date Responded |
05/09/2011
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| Response Type |
Full disclosure
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| Request |
Could you please direct me to the web link where I can find your Council's Contracts Register (past contracts). I had a look at your website but I was unable to locate this information. I am not a supplier and I do not wish to register.
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| Response |
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
I refer to your request for information made under the provisions of the above Act. After having made enquiries with the relevant Department, I am now in a position to provide you with a response.
Could you please direct me to the web link where I can find your Council's Contracts Register (past contracts). I had a look at your website but I was unable to locate this information. I am not a supplier and I do not wish to register. Please see the attachment to this email which details the information you have requested. |
| Attachments | Contracts Register (excel) |