Child Care Vouchers

Re: Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act from Cheshire Constabulary regarding your child care voucher scheme

I write to you to request the following information regarding your child care voucher scheme under the Freedom of Information Act:

1. Number of employees in your organisation

2. Number of employees using the child care voucher scheme

3. Current child care voucher scheme provider

4. Current service charge of your child care voucher scheme

5. Renewal date for child care voucher scheme contract (if applicable)

6. Will Cheshire Constabulary go through a tender process when renewing the contract to choose a voucher provider?

7. Do you use a framework agreement to choose your child care voucher provider?

8. If yes, can you please supply me with the name of the framework agreement?

In accordance with section 1(1) (b) of the Act our response is provided below;

Question 1: 4082

Question 2: 227

Question 3: This information is reasonably accessible to you by other means and is therefore exempt information in accordance with section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please see the following web site: Blue Light Website

Question 4: I have now considered this part of your request and I am not obliged to provide this information.

Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires the Cheshire Constabulary, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you with a notice which a) states that fact, b) specifies the exemption in question and c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

The information is exempt by virtue of Section 43 (2) Commercial Interests

This type of contract works on the basis of providers charging a % management fee based on the monthly voucher value purchased by staff. This % is the competitive element of this type of contract & hence would prejudice any future competitive exercises run by us or any other body and also place our current supplier at a disadvantage as their commercial strategy for pricing contract bids would become known.

Public interest factors in favour of disclosure. There are the general arguments in favour of promoting transparency, accountability and participation. There is a public interest in the scrutiny of how public money is spent.

Public interest factors favouring the maintenance of the exemption. There is public interest in ensuring that companies are able to compete fairly. There is also public interest in ensuring that there is competition for public sector contracts. Disclosure of this particular information would prejudice both our current supplier and the Authority making the process unfair and jeopardising competitiveness. This would lead to the Authority paying more and disadvantaging the tax payer.

In all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Question 5: See 3 above.

Question 6: Details of the procurement process we follow in respect of business opportunities can be found by following the link from the “about us” section on our website. 

Information on how to do business with all Police Forces in the North West can be found at: Police Procurement NorthWest

Question 7: Our current contract was awarded following a request for quotation process. Request for Quotations were invited from four providers, your organisation was invited but did not respond and did not quote.

Question 8: N/A