Executive Director of Housing, Environmental & Economic Development

Elaine Melrose

Council Offices, Garshake Road, Dumbarton G82 3PU

Our Ref:SJS 928 7507

Your Ref:

Date:April 20th 2011

If calling or telephoning please ask for: - Susan Stopford, Assistant Strategy Officer

Tel No. 01389 737112Fax No. 01389 737637

Dear Mr Harper

Freedom of Information Request- Partial Refusal

Computer Software Systems

Information Requested

West Dunbartonshire Council received your request for information on 14th April 2011 relating to the above topic. You wrote:

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

Council’s Response

We hold information requested by you and enclose the following information to you under the terms of this Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 request:

Paper based systems are currently used for Highways Maintenance, Works Ordering & Inspections. There is no license, contract or limit on users.

Highlight Plus is currently used for management of street lighting. It has 3 users and license expires Mar 2012.

UKPMS software is WDM, operating under a national agreement. There is no limit on the number of users.

Street works software is Symology, operating under a national agreement. There is no limit on the number of users.

Bridges/structures software is Microsoft Access. The council has many Access licenses available throughout the council, there is no expiry date on the licenses.

However, I confirm that:-

We hold additional/ other information requested by you and are refusing your request for access to this information

The Reason for refusal is as follows:

The information is subject to a non-absolute exemption.

s.33(1)(b) Commercial interests and the economy

The information, if disclosed under the Act, is likely to prejudice substantially the commercial interests of the various suppliers. This is an exemption from disclosure subject to the public interest test in terms of Part 2, s.33(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

We have considered the public interest in disclosure under the Act and for the following reasons will not disclose the information:

The rates and costs agreed by WDC and its suppliers are commercially sensitive. Disclosure at this time may cause them to be less competitive and would prejudice substantially their commercial interests. It would be inappropriate to release these figures without having first received permission from all parties concerned.

However under section 15 of the Act, duty to provide advice and assistance, we add the following:

West Dunbartonshire Roads Section is currently implementing an asset management strategy for all asset classes which we maintain and control. As part of this process we envisage that WDM asset management software will become the main software tool for management of Highways Maintenance, Works Ordering & Inspections, Streetlighting & Bridges/Structures as well as its current UKPMS use.

Review Procedure

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which West Dunbartonshire Council has dealt with your request, you are entitled to require the council to review its decision. Please note that in order for a review to take place, you must:-

lodge a written “requirement for review” within 40 working days of the date of this notice
include your address for correspondence, a description of the original request and the reasons why you are dissatisfied.
address your review request to the Head of Legal, Administrative & Regulatory Services:

Andrew Fraser

Head of Legal, Administrative & Regulatory Services

West Dunbartonshire Council

Council Offices

Garshake Road

Dumbarton

G82 3PU

Email:

Fax:01389 737870

Staff not involved in the original decision will handle the review. You will receive notice of the result of your review within 20 working days. It will explain the findings of the review as well as details of how to appeal to the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner if you are dissatisfied with the review decision reached by West Dunbartonshire Council.

If you have any further queries about this process, please contact Susan Stopford 01389 737112

Yours sincerely,

Susan Stopford

Assistant Strategy Officer