Freedom of Information Log 2023 – 2024

Freedom of Information Log - April 2023 - March 2024

Please find below all Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests received by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire and the related responses. We are required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.

PCC/Apr/2023/20

Received: 06/04/2023

Response sent: 12/04/2023

Request:

Please can you advise me as to how many people have been prosecuted in Bedfordshire for e-scooter offences.

I would like a breakdown of the offences committed and the number charges for each offence.

Response:

Thank you for your request to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, however this information isn’t held by our office. Please request this from Bedfordshire Police Force directly at FOI@beds.police.uk or via their website at: https://www.beds.police.uk/rqo/request/ri/request-information/rip/request-information-police/

PCC/Apr/2023/21

Received: 11/04/2023

Response sent: 12/04/2023

Request:

To help us all understand why this is allowed to happen would you please provide, under the freedom of information act:

How many HGV vehicles have been stopped and issued with appropriate fines or GV9 restrictions since the road was reclassified to a B rated road that is restricted to 7.5 tonnes max

Have the local ‘bin men’ been instructed to stop leaving empty bins on the pavements by moving them onto the road or returning them to the rear of the properties to maintain a save walking space. How many tickets were issued please.

Why emergency vehicles use the B rated road through a village with concealed exit points that cannot be safely used unless the vehicle bonnet exceeds the pavement width. What level of driving skill does it need to understand that the residents have their safety to consider before speeding ‘blue light’ drivers use the road as a race track.

In the past I have been lectured by officers who were a pains to explain that the gain in time is lost if:

An accident happens:

The T junction in Woburn is very rarely clear for an instant access:

The time saved over less than a mile is less than 15seconds. Although some police vehicles seem to exceed 70 miles per hour through the village and are often in little gangs of two or three that may indicate a training exercise that needs to be saved for uninhabited A roads where possible or done on private grounds.

What rating are the footpaths mentioned above according to Council Records.

Please provide copies of these records.

When was the last concerted effort to police these paths over the weekends or school time?

When were the last tickets given to cyclists and e scooter riders ignoring the law in this area.

Response:

Thank you for your request to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, however this information isn’t held by our office.

Please request information concerning issuing of fines from Bedfordshire Police Force directly at FOI@beds.police.uk or via their website at: https://www.beds.police.uk/rqo/request/ri/request-information/rip/request-information-police/

Alternatively, for information concerning parking fines and issues concerning pavements and roads in your local area, you must request this from your local council directly. If you are a resident of Bedford Borough, they can be contacted at: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/your-council/data-protection-and-access-information/freedom-information

If you would like to make a complaint about Bedfordshire Police, please contact the Customer Support Team at customersupport@beds.police.uk

PCC/Apr/2023/41

Received: 21/04/2023

Response sent: 24/04/2023

Request:

It used to be the case, and I seek your advice as to whether it remains so today that officers from Beds Police are given paid time off to represent Beds Police in certain sporting events.

Whilst this may have been seen as acceptable many years ago, in ‘times of plenty’, I do not believe the same applies in todays climate.

Who would benefit from such a practice, only the egos of those involved.

Therefore under ‘Freedom of Information’, if Beds Police still support and fund these activities, I request the following:

How many officers or civilian support staff are given this support?

How much is this support actually costing Beds Police in what would appear ‘non productive police activities’

Do Beds Police pay or contribute to the costs of accommodation when officers / staff attend these activities, and if so, what is that cost.

It seems to me and many like-minded tax payers that these matters should be in the public domain for information and scrutiny by the general public, who actually believe Beds Police should devote all of its time and resource to serving the public in a more visible and proactive manner.

Response:

PCC/Apr/2023/56

Received: 24/04/2023

Response sent: 27/04/2023

Request:

please could you send me the information as requested in the file attached please when possible – FOI on key people in the council.

Response:

PCC/Apr/2023/60

Received: 17/04/2023

Response sent: 27/04/2023

Request:

I would like you to supply me with information relating to the salary paid to former Chief Constable Jon Boutcher during the below years.

Under the FOIA I would like information relating to CC Boutcher’s salary / police pay aware for years;

2016 to 2017

2017 to 2018

2018 to 2019 (and up until he retired)

Chief Constable Boutcher – while in his public facing role – was paid from the public purse. Mr Boutcher should expect information about his salary to be made public.

Bedfordshire Police have a responsibility to be accountable, open and transparent with the public / the taxpayer who fund Bedfordshire Police, the police services in the UK (as well as their officers / Chief Officers). I have also copied the Bedfordshire OPCC into this email in the event that they hold the above requested information. If not, the OPCC can ignore this request.

Response:

Thank you for your request to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, however this information isn’t held by our office. I can see that you have sent this request directly to Bedfordshire Police Freedom of Information Dept, who are the appropriate department to respond to your request.

PCC/Apr/2023/61

Received: 18/04/2023

Response sent: 19/04/2023

Request:

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information regarding temporary labour usage in your organisation, including contractors, temporary workers, and freelancers.

Please can you provide me with the following information for the most recent complete fiscal year:

Total number of temporary workers engaged by your organization, broken down by department or function, if possible.
Total annual expenditure on temporary workers, including a breakdown of costs by department or function, if possible.
Total number of agency suppliers (Preferred Suppliers/non-Preferred Suppliers) in your organisation’s labour supply chain

Details of any existing Managed Service Programme or Provider (MSP) and/or Vendor Management System (VMS) used to manage temporary workers:

Name of the MSP and VMS.
Date the contract was awarded.
Date of contract expiration.
Name of the government procurement framework through which the MSP and VMS were procured.

Details of any upcoming retendering or renewal processes related to your MSP and VMS contracts:

Anticipated date for the retendering or renewal process to commence.
Name and contact information of the person responsible for overseeing the retendering or renewal process.

Response:

Thank you for your request to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire.

Please can you advise if your request is for information from Bedfordshire Police Force (as I can see in the subject it states police force), or whether you are requesting this information specifically from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner?

PCC/Apr/2023/62

Received: 25/04/2023

Response sent: 25/05/2023

Request:

This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please could you provide the following data:
Average waiting time for victims of sexual abuse or violence who have requested support services commissioned by your PCC between the years below. Please categorise the data by the types of sexual violence and abuse support services your PCC commissions (e.g. counselling).
Feb 14 2020-Feb 14 2021
Feb 14 2021-Feb 14 2022
Feb 14 2022-Feb 14 2023

Average waiting time for victims of domestic abuse and violence who have requested support services commissioned by your PCC between the years below (where they are commissioned by your PCC). Please categorise the data by the types of domestic abuse and violence support services your PCC commissions (e.g. counselling).
Feb 14 2020-Feb 14 2021
Feb 14 2021-Feb 14 2022
Feb 14 2022-Feb 14 2023

If this support is commissioned by your local authority, please provide a list of relevant local authorities who would have this information.

Please could you also provide a list of charities or organisations that you commission to carry out these services, or direct me as to where I could find one.

I would like to receive the information in an electronic excel spreadsheet.

Response:

We are required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question, the Commissioning Team have collated the information requested in the attached Excel Spreadsheet.

The list of organisations and services commissioned by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire can be found on our website under ‘Funded Organisations Logs’.

We hope this information proves useful. Please come back to us if you require further assistance on this matter.

** Please email our office if you would like to receive a copy of the Excel Log **

PCC/May/2023/09

Received: 04/05/2023

Response sent: 05/05/2023

Request:

Please detail the procedure adopted where a conflict of interest affects the police complaints process.

Response:

PCC/May/2023/10

Received: 21/04/2023

Response sent: 05/05/2023

Request:

In addition to this I wanted to ask if you both if you have Bedfordshire’s latest Hate crime statistics and if you could possibly send us a copy.

Response:

With regards to the Bedfordshire latest hate crime statistics, this information isn’t held by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire. Please request this from Bedfordshire Police Force directly at FOI@beds.police.uk or via their website at: https://www.beds.police.uk/rqo/request/ri/request-information/rip/request-information-police/

PCC/May/2023/19

Received: 11/05/2023

Response sent: 16/05/2023

Request:

Can you provide the annual data (from 2015 to 2022) for each of the following hate crime strands disaggregated by sex of the a) victim, and b) perpetrators:

Race hate crime (broken down by ethnicity) Religion hate crime (against Muslims)

Response:

PCC/June/2023/09

Received: 01/06/2023

Response sent: 05/06/2023

Request:

Can I please request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act – in relation to the police force you have oversight of:
1. a) How many police officers in your force were convicted of a serious sexual offence between 1st January 2013 & 30th April 2023, broken down by year?

b) How many of these officers subsequently had their pension withdrawn, broken down by year? If only part of the pension was withdrawn please state what percentage.

2. a) How many police officers in your force were convicted of manslaughter between 1st January 2013 & 30th April 2023, broken down by year?

b) How many of these officers subsequently had their pension withdrawn, broken down by year? If only part of the pension was withdrawn please state what percentage.

3. a) How many police officers in your force were convicted of murder between 1st January 2013 & 30th April 2023, broken down by year?

b) How many of these officers subsequently had their pension withdrawn, broken down by year? If only part of the pension was withdrawn please state what percentage.

4. What is the approximate annual cost of the pensions granted to those police officers convicted of serious sexual assault, manslaughter or murder between 2013 & 2023, still in receipt of their pension?

Response:

Thank you for the below email.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has been notified that Bedfordshire Police have received the same request, therefore they will provide a response in due course.

PCC/June/2023/10

Received: 05/06/2023

Response sent: Clarification not received from requestor

Request:

This is an information request relating to Pride Month.
Please include the following information:
• Whether any events have been organised for Pride month. If so please provide the date, start and end time, and title/topic of the event
• Whether any LGBT themed merchandise has been purchased for Pride month. i.e. since the beginning of the 2023/24 financial year. If so please provide me with information on what has been purchased and the cost
• Whether the organisation has sponsored any Pride events. If so which events and please provide details of the nature of the sponsorship (particularly the financial value)
If it is not possible to provide the information requested due to the information exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in Section 12, please provide advice and assistance, under the Section 16 obligations of the Act, as to how I can refine my request.
If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or phone and I will be very happy to clarify what I am asking for.

I would prefer a response via email, but if this is not possible, I will gladly accept letters to the address below.

Please acknowledge this information request as soon as possible.

Response:

Thank you for the below email.

Please could you clarify whether you are requesting for information relating to pride month from Bedfordshire Police, or the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner?

PCC/June/2023/35

Received: 12/06/2023

Response sent: 19/06/2023

Request:

Please could you provide me with the following information, in Excel or similar spreadsheet form if possible:

The total cost of running your office (including staff salaries) for the 2022/2023 financial year.

Response:

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question, the total cost of running the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire (including staff salaries) for the 2022/2023 financial year is £1,210,233.

We hope this information proves useful. Please come back to us if you require further assistance on this matter.

PCC/June/2023/36

Received: 09/06/2023

Response sent: 15/06/2023

Request:

Does your force conduct risk assessment or carry out profiling (as under the meaning of profiling in the Data Protection Act 2018) of individuals for general offending or re-offending, or for certain forms of crime or criminal behaviour (for example, ‘gang’ crime, ‘county lines’, violence, knife crime, re-offending, or child criminal or sexual exploitation)? YES/NO

IF YES:
a. The types and/or names of each profiling or risk assessment model or software;
b. If known and easily retrievable, the date each profiling or risk assessment model started being used;
c. The purpose of each profiling or risk assessment model;
d. What types of data are used to conduct the profiling or risk assessment model;
e. What are the potential outcomes following the profiling or risk assessment model output (e.g targeted interventions)
4. Does your force hold specific lists or databases of people allegedly involved in specific forms of crime or criminal behaviour, such as ‘gang’ crime, ‘county lines’, knife crime, violent crime, child criminal exploitation, or conduct any profiling or risk assessment in relation to those lists or databases? YES/NO
If yes, please provide:
a. The names of the database(s) or list(s);
b. If known and easily retrievable, the date each database or list was first created;
c. The criteria for inclusion on the database(s) or list(s);
d. If available in an easily retrievable format, the type of data that is used to assess the criteria for inclusion on the database(s) or list(s);
e. If available in an easily retrievable format, how many people are on the database(s) or list(s).

Response:

Internal request – The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire does not hold this information.

PCC/June/2023/73

Received: 12/06/2023

Response sent: 21/06/2023

Request:

Please could you provide me with the following information, in Excel or similar spreadsheet form if possible:

1. How many staff members, in FTE, are currently working in the PCC’s office?

2. Of those staff members who work in the PCC’s office, how many are responsible for either media, communications or social media?

3. Of those staff members who work in the PCC’s office, how many are responsible for administrative support for the PCC?

Response:

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question, this information is available on our website at Meet The Team – Bedfordshire PCC.

We hope this information proves useful. Please come back to us if you require further assistance on this matter.

PCC/June/2023/38

Received: 14/06/2023

Response sent: 15/06/2023

Request:

1. Who provides your digital evidence management (DEMS) system?

2. What date does this contract end and are there any extension periods to this date as part of the contract?

3. What is the net spend on your current DEMS contract?

4. What procurement route do you intend to use when going to market for a new solution?

5. Who is the main contact in charge of your DEMS contract and the current solution?

Response:

PCC/June/2023/40

Received: 15/06/2023

Response sent: 29/06/2023

Request:

1. A copy of your organisation’s Records of Processing Activity (ROPA) as defined in Article 30 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

2. A copy of all legitimate interest assessments conducted by your organisation where you rely on Article 6(1)(f) legitimate interests as your lawful basis for processing.

3. A copy of all privacy impact assessments conducted by your organisation.

4. A copy of all data protection impact assessments conducted by your organisation.

5. A copy of all international transfer risk assessments conducted by your organisation.

6. A recent copy of your organisation’s data protection compliance assessment using the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)’s accountability framework template. If you are using your own standards to monitor compliance with the Data Protection 2018, please provide me with copy of it.

7. A copy of your organization’s data protection policy.

8. A copy of your organization’s subject access request policy, procedures, and processes, including any guidance material such as folder structure, naming conventions, and redaction guides.

9. A copy of your organisation’s privacy notices, including but not limited to employees, customers, ministers, special advisors (SPADs), complaints, NEDS, visitors, and CCTV.

10. A copy of your organisation’s due diligence questions for vendor management such as independent data controllers or processors.

Response:

Requested further clarification – confirmation received from requestor that this is a request for Bedfordshire Police.

PCC/June/2023/60

Received: 19/06/2023

Response sent: 23/06/2023

Request:

I would like to request the following information under the FOIA:

Copies of statutory agreements (as well as any other agreements) which police and Crime Commissioner of Bedfordshire / OPCC Beds have entered into with and or agreed to with the police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) in regards to complaints made by victims, members of the public against Operation Kenova, Jon Boutcher, his staff and also how those complaints are to be dealt with, any criteria which needs to be met when assessing such complaints and also how those are to be investigated etc. This request is for copies of such agreements, that would include the initial agreement which would have been agreed in 2016/17 and at the time Op Kenova was set up.

Response:

PCC/July/2023/98

Received: 01/07/2023

Response sent: 07/07/2023

Request:

Please provide the following information.

1. The total number of police officers actively serving in Bedfordshire for each year from April 2009 until April 2023. (A total of 13 complete years)

2. The per capita number of police officers serving every year for the same period. (which means how many police officers for each resident in the area covered by the Bedfordshire police force.)

Response:

PCC/July/2023/32

Received: 11/07/2023

Response sent: 12/07/2023

Request:

The Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland (PONI) have stated that;

Through a statutory agreement with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, the Police Ombudsman may investigate specified matters arising from law enforcement activities of certain members of Operation Kenova while in Northern Ireland.

Under the FOIA I would like Beds OPCC / PCC to disclose; following information;

1, copies of statutory agreement as well as any other agreement/s which Beds PCC / OPCC and PONI have agreed, entered into … with PONI concerning complaints, investigating specified matters arising from law enforcement activities of certain members of Operation Kenova while in Northern Ireland.

2, copies of statutory agreement as well as any other agreement/s which Beds PCC / OPCC and Operation Kenova have agreed, entered into concerning concerning complaints, the investigating of complaints by members of the public relating to Operation Kenova, its staff … and those arising from Op Kenova, its staff law enforcement activities.

3, copies of statutory agreement as well as any other agreement/s which Beds PCC / OPCC and IPCC / IOPC have agreed, entered into … concerning complaints, the investigating of complaints by members of the public relating to Operation Kenova, its staff … and those arising from Op Kenova, its staff law enforcement activities.

4, copies of statutory agreement as well as any other agreement/s which Beds PCC / OPCC and Beds Police / its PSD have agreed, entered into … concerning complaints, the investigating of complaints by members of the public relating to Operation Kenova, its staff … and those arising from Op Kenova, its staff law enforcement activities.

I would like the information to be disclosed to me by email and in PDF format.

Response:

Thank you for your request to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, however as previously stated, this information isn’t held by our office.

Please request this information from Bedfordshire Police Force directly at FOI@beds.police.uk or via their website at: https://www.beds.police.uk/rqo/request/ri/request-information/rip/request-information-police/

PCC/July/2023/33

Received: 04/07/2023

Response sent: 14/07/2023

Request:

I was just wondering whether each of you wouldn’t mind sharing with me the following:

– Your area/policing area

– What organisation you have commissioned for your ISVA service and;

– How many ISVAs your current service provider has (both full time and part time, Adult/Child ISVAs)

Response:

– Your area/policing area: Bedfordshire inclusive of Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton.

– What organisation you have commissioned for your ISVA service: Early Childhood Partnership (ECP)

– How many ISVAs your current service provider has (both full time and part time, Adult/Child ISVAs): 5 Core Funded ISVAs, 1 additional funding ISVA.

We hope this information proves useful. Please come back to us if you require further assistance on this matter.

PCC/July/2023/66

Received: 21/07/2023

Response sent: 24/07/2023

Request:

Moggerhanger Parish Council would like to request, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, details of how much income has been generated in fines from our speed camera in Moggerhanger. I look forward to your response within the required 21 days. Many thanks.

Response:

PCC/July/2023/54

Received: 14/07/2023

Response sent: 25/07/2023

Request:

I wanted to ask for data, between 2019 and 2022/23 for
1. If the accounts were published in those years
2. Number of people who inspected the accounts in the time periods each year.
3. Number of requests/questions asked, and what they were/what areas they covered.
4. Number of objections raised, and what they were.
5. Any FOI requests relating to the accounts or finances (with the phrase ‘accounts’ of ‘inspection or statement of accounts’)
6. Any changes made to the accounts as a result.

Response:

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question.

Responses to questions re data between 2019 and 2022/23 for:

1. If the accounts were published in those years

Yes, see our web page Annual Accounts – Bedfordshire PCC – 2022/23 and 2021/22 are still draft subject to audit.

2. Number of people who inspected the accounts in the time periods each year.

None.

3. Number of requests/questions asked, and what they were/what areas they covered.

None.

4. Number of objections raised, and what they were.

None.

5. Any FOI requests relating to the accounts or finances (with the phrase ‘accounts’ of ‘inspection or statement of accounts’)

All FOI requests and responses for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire can be found on our web page under the heading Freedom of Information Disclosure Logs: https://www.bedfordshire.pcc.police.uk/foi-data-protection-gdpr/.

6. Any changes made to the accounts as a result.

None as a result of public inspection – the changes made are shown in the adjusted audit differences section of the audit report.

We hope this information proves useful. Please come back to us if you require further assistance on this matter.

PCC/July/2023/72

Received: 25/07/2023

Response sent: 10/08/2023

Request:

Please provide the following information for your Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programme for the 2022/2023 Financial Year
1. The Name/Title/Scope of the commissioned programme in your area
2. The total number of males who self-referred into the programme
3. The total number of self-referred males who were accepted onto the programme
4. The total number of self-referred males who have completed the programme
5. The total number of males referred by an agency (e.g., police, social service etc.) into the programme
6. The total number of referred males who were accepted on to the programme
7. The total number of referred males who have completed the programme
8. The names of the organisations who have made a referral to the programme

Link to evaluation of programme efficacy:
9. Financial Contributors:
(Inclusive of Statutory, Non-Statutory Organisations and individual voluntary donations)
10. Budget inclusive of Running Costs

Response:

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question, please see answers in bold below.
1. The Name/Title/Scope of the commissioned programme in your area – FACES, Caring Dads Programme. The programme provided a 17-week group programme for between 8-10 males/fathers who have displayed unhealthy behaviours.

2. The total number of males who self-referred into the programme – 0

3. The total number of self-referred males who were accepted onto the programme – 0

4. The total number of self-referred males who have completed the programme – 0

5. The total number of males referred by an agency (e.g., police, social service etc.) into the programme – 13

6. The total number of referred males who were accepted on to the programme – 12, 1 male disengaged from the course.

7. The total number of referred males who have completed the programme – 12

8. The names of the organisations who have made a referral to the programme – Social Services across Bedfordshire.

Link to evaluation of programme efficacy:

9. Financial Contributors:
(Inclusive of Statutory, Non-Statutory Organisations and individual voluntary donations) – We do not hold this information. Please request for information around financial contributors inclusive of statutory, non-statutory organisations and individual voluntary donations from FACES directly at: https://www.facesbedford.org/contact

10. Budget inclusive of Running Costs – Funded £39,344 towards salaries, training, and project costs.

Further information around commissioned services can be found on our website: https://www.bedfordshire.pcc.police.uk/commissioned-services/. We hope this information proves useful. Please come back to us if you require further assistance on this matter.

PCC/July/2023/74

Received: 25/07/2023

Response sent: 25/07/2023

Request:

What is the number of reported ‘drink spiking’ incidents in Peterborough centre in September 2022 and October 2022?

Response:

Thank you for your request to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, however this information isn’t held by our office.

I can see that your attached letter is addressed to Bedfordshire Police however as the information you are requesting is for Peterborough, I would suggest contacting Cambridgeshire Constabulary Freedom of Information Department at FOI@cambs.police.uk or via their website at: Make an FOI request to ask for information about the police | Cambridgeshire Constabulary (cambs.police.uk) to request for this information.

If you would like to contact Bedfordshire Police to make a request for information, they can be contacted at FOI@beds.police.uk.

PCC/July/2023/84

Received: 27/07/2023

Response sent: 28/07/2023

Request:

Freedom of information data requests

Cabinet Office unprofessional response stating my daughters name isn’t a real name

Response:

If you would like to submit a Freedom of Information request to the Cabinet Office, you can email them at foi-team@cabinetoffice.gov.uk or write to them at Cabinet Office Room G39, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ, United Kingdom. Further information about Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests to the Cabinet Office can be found on their website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office

PCC/Aug/2023/14

Received: 03/08/2023

Response sent: 04/08/2023

Request:

This is a submission of an FOI request concerning the allocation of funding for victim support services in your local area.

In particular, we are interested in seeing a break down in funding grants for local victim services, for both multi-crime services and specialist domestic abuse services, with the names of individual grantees included. Funding allocations made within the last 12 months will suffice.

Response:

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question, this information can be found on our website at: https://www.bedfordshire.pcc.police.uk/commissioned-services/ under the 2022-23 and 2023-24 ‘funded organisations logs’ section of the web page.

We hope this information proves useful. Please come back to us if you require further assistance on this matter.

PCC/Aug/2023/15

Received: 04/08/2023

Response sent: 07/08/2023

Request:

Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would like to request the following information:

A full list of your Senior Management Team
A full list of your IT Team
A list of staff involved in digital or transformation.

Please include Name, Job Title and Email Address.

I would like you to provide this information in PDF or XLS format.

Response:

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question, please see below.

A full list of your Senior Management Team – Our Senior Management Team consists of Chief Executive Officer Anna Villette, Director of Operations Wayne Humberstone, Head of Governance and Transparency Katie Beaumont and Head of Victim Services and Commissioning Simon Powell. Further information including their email addresses can be found on our website: https://www.bedfordshire.pcc.police.uk/meet-the-team/

A full list of your IT Team – The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) do not have an internal IT team. Our office receives IT support from Bedfordshire Police. Please email Bedfordshire Police FOI department at FOI@beds.police.uk to receive any further information around their IT team.

A list of staff involved in digital or transformation – Information on Project Managers who are involved in digital and transformation and are employed by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Bedfordshire can be found on our website: https://www.bedfordshire.pcc.police.uk/meet-the-team/

PCC/Aug/2023/16

Received: 04/08/2023

Response sent: 07/08/2023

Request:

Please tell me about the structure of your RJ service/provision (number of paid staff positions, volunteers, how long your service has been set up). Does your service sit within the OPCC, police or external partner?

How is your service funded? (e.g. MOJ victim’s fund?) If you are happy to, please share your allocated budget for 2023/24

Do any other partner agencies contribute to your service provision? (e.g probation, council)

On average how many RJ cases does a full-time practitioner/facilitator hold? Please distinguish between sensitive/complex cases and non-S&C if applicable

How is your service evaluated / what feedback do you request from RJ participants? If you are happy to share your feedback form, please attach to your reply

Any other info you’d like to add

Response:

Please tell me about the structure of your RJ service/provision (number of paid staff positions, volunteers, how long your service has been set up). Does your service sit within the OPCC, police or external partner?
1 full time RJ coordinator that sits within the PCC’s Office.
Service has officially been set up since October 2022.
How is your service funded? (e.g. MOJ victim’s fund?) If you are happy to, please share your allocated budget for 2023/24
Service is funded through the Community Safety Fund.
Do any other partner agencies contribute to your service provision? (e.g probation, council)
No
On average how many RJ cases does a full-time practitioner/facilitator hold? Please distinguish between sensitive/complex cases and non-S&C if applicable
Currently hold 7 cases all of which are S&C. There isn’t an average on how many cases the RJ Coordinator takes as it depends on how many cases the service receives.
How is your service evaluated / what feedback do you request from RJ participants? If you are happy to share your feedback form, please attach to your reply
The service is evaluated by participant feedback at the beginning and end of the process and compare the data.
Our service hasn’t yet been running for a year, but plans are to do an annual report once we hit that year mark.
Any other info you’d like to add

PCC/Aug/2023/90

Received: 31/08/2023

Response sent: 07/09/2023

Request:

Having searched your website and the Bedfordshire Police website as directed, I have been unable to locate information on your expenditure for certain periods of time. Therefore, I would like to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act for all of your entity’s expenditure over £500 for the following period:
1. January 2016 to March 2018
Please can you provide the data in a machine readable format, such as a CSV.

Response:

PCC/Aug/2023/75

Received: 23/08/2023

Response sent: 20/09/2023

Request:

I’d like to request under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) that you please disclose to me the number of Non-Disclosure Agreements you have entered into with current or former members of staff since May 2021 through to present please.

I’d like this to specifically focus on NDAs or post-employment agreements relating to disputes involving the serving PCC during this period, or complaints that have been made against them, I’d like this to cover any potential instances of bullying, harassment, threatening behaviour, or any other related misconduct allegation or dispute. I’d also like to know what degree of these were upheld or not please. I do not need the names of those involved, and would only require details of the individual cases that would not make the person personally identifiable.

I’d also like to know, regarding your post-employment arrangements with departing employees, if there is a standard rule in place barring members from speaking out about instances of abuse, harassment, or bullying that would prevent them as standard from going public with the information they have, should such information exist.

Response:

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question, we do not use Non-Disclosure Agreements, so there have been no such agreements signed since May 2021.

We do sometimes have claims brought in an employment tribunal context but as per ACAS guidance, any agreements would state that whistleblowing disclosures were not comprised by the agreement. You can find all Judgements in relation to Employment Tribunal proceedings online. Here is a link https://www.gov.uk/employment-tribunal-decisions

As you can see there are no claims listed as having findings for bullying, harassment or threatening behaviour.

We have no standard rule in place barring members from speaking out about instances of abuse, harassment or bullying. Whistleblowing disclosures are not compromised when people leave the organisation. As a learning organisation we welcome feedback from departing employees by way of an exit interview which can capture any concerns. In the last year there have been no allegations of abuse, harassment, or bullying from employees departing in the standard way.

PCC/Sept/2023/06

Received: 30/08/2023

Response sent: 27/09/2023

Request:

I’m writing to request, under the FoI Act, the following in spreadsheet format:

1. The number of Non-Disclosure Agreements or confidentiality clauses in settlement agreements, signed by current or former employers and contractors of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office, by year over the past 10 years
2. The nature of these NDAs/confidentiality clauses and what they related to – i.e. the broad nature of the issues current/departing staff/contractors are unable to speak about (e.g. bullying, harassment and so on)
3. The financial value of any settlement agreements issued/signed by the PCC office over the past 10 years, by year.

Response:

With reference to your recent enquiry and in response to your question, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner only keep records for 6 years.

If the requested information is the personal data of someone other than the requester, the exemptions under section 40(2) of FOIA may be engaged.

In order to ensure that the individuals concerned are not identifiable (given the low number), we are not able to specify the exact years, under section 40(2) of FOIA.

However in the last six years, there have been three settlement agreements.

Again, given the low numbers and to ensure that the individuals are not identifiable, we cannot confirm the exact figures of the settlements reached however, the total sum before deduction for tax and national insurance is £112,468.

PCC/Sept/2023/43

Received: 20/09/2023

Response sent: 29/09/2023

Request:

During June 2023, I championed the distribution and response to a survey conducted on behalf of Bedfordshire Police with residents from the Biggleswade East ward. This survey formally closed on 7th June 2023.

I would like to request visibility of the key insights and related data from this survey. Please advise when you are able to respond with this information.

Response:

PCC/Sept/2023/56

Received: 25/09/2023

Response sent: 26/09/2023

Request:

We are making this request under the Freedom of Information Act; can you please provide us with the Equality Impact Assessment conducted into Luton Borough Council’s decision to remove the fencing as required by Luton Borough Council’s Public Sector Equalities Duty as specified in the Equalities Act 2010.
We would also like to know how this decision fits with the Local Policing Policy, Environmental Policy, Policy on Race and Diversity Inclusion and Policy on Violence against Women and Girls.

Response:

PCC/Sept/2023/68

Received: 27/09/2023

Response sent: 02/10/2023

Request:

Specifically, we would be grateful to know what percentage of your emergency vehicles currently have a defibrillator onboard, by submitting a Freedom of Information request.

Response:

PCC/Oct/2023/07

Received: 26/09/2023

Response sent: 05/10/2023

Request:

BBC TV News this evening stated that illegal e scooters were still on the roads even though they were made illegal long ago. It made me wonder why you and other police forces around the country do not carry out the law and remove them from our streets and pavements. I am sure you must be aware of the unnecessary accidents the users cause on our pavements and roads so please inform me why you choose to ignore them.

Response:

Bedfordshire Police Headquarters

Email the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner

Freedom of Information Log - April 2023 - March 2024

Bedfordshire Police AND Crime Commissioner

Bedfordshire PCC