Redbridge Council says impact Report has been contracted out, but doesn't know when!

 I got this email below from Redbridge Council today. I have bolded the key part which says a cumulative report into the impact of several developments has been contracted out. I am baffled as to date as to why the date of this important report has been contracted out can't been found so I will appeal to the ICO.  Email follows:

Dear Mr Walker   

 

I am writing to you in reply to your request dated 07 October for a formal review of FOI reference 10553014 originally received on 13 September 2020 and responded to on 05 October stating your dissatisfaction for the following reasons:

 

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews. I am writing to request an internal review of Redbridge Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'Cumulative impact study : hours spent etc'. On the 5th October Becky Smith says: "There is no stand-alone cumulative impact assessment report for ‘several developments’ as requested by Mr. Walker. Mr. Walker should note that each and every planning application is considered on its own merits and against the Local Plan, the London Plan, and all other relevant legislation applicable at the time; this would include the matter of air quality." However, in response to my FoI of your reference 9743181 Becky Smith says: " However, I can confirm that a report has been commissioned and, as Councillor Athwal has committed, this will be considered by the planning committee as part of their determination of the Tesco application when it comes before them." So a report was clearly commissioned by Cllr Athwal at the June Cabinet. So my request for a - An estimate of the hours spent by officers writing the report on 10th September b - How many staff are working on the report on the 10th September. c- The word count produced so far in the draft report at on the 10th September d- If this report has been contracted out to a private company, the date it was contracted out. Still stands Regards Andy

As the Commercial and Contracts Manager in the Regeneration, Property and Planning Department and as a senior officer with no prior involvement in this matter. I was asked to independently review this case on your behalf. I have now conducted the internal review that you requested and the outcome is detailed below.

 

As part of my investigation I have examined all the correspondence between you and the Council on this matter.

 

Please find below the response to this internal review request of FOI 10553104.

 

With regards to FOI request 10553104 you asked for a stand alone cumulative impact assessment reports covering several developments and were correctly advised in the response that each planning application is considered on its own merits and against the relevant planning legislation.   It was assumed given the volume of your recent FOI requests your enquiry was in connection to the Tesco planning application and you were informed that the applicant’s air quality consultant had provided an updated report available for inspection on the Council’s website.

 

Per FOI 9743181 Councillor Athwal confirmed a report has been commissioned and this will be considered by the planning committee as part of their determination.  T

The report has been contracted out to an external provider due to workload and therefore answers to a-c are nil.  Answer to d - the commissioning officer is currently unavailable and therefore unavailable to confirm the actual date when the contract was awarded. This information will be provided to you upon their return.

 

The outcome of this review of FOI 10553014 is that I do not uphold your complaint as there was a lack of clarity regarding the specific report you were referring to.  

 

This completes my investigation.   

 

If you are not content with the outcome of this Internal Review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

 

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF 
Telephone:  01625 545 700