Request for an Office Estate Rationalisation strategy document (FOI)

​Request

In August 2013 there was an invitation to tender released by the States of Jersey for the “Development of an Office Rationalisation Strategy” (CP13/08/250). The terms of reference for the project were to “undertake the necessary activities required to develop a strategy for the rationalisation of the States of Jersey office estate, including a Strategic Business Case and implementation plan”.

I would like to request a copy of the above mentioned “strategy for the rationalisation of the States of Jersey office estate” which was prepared by the successful tenderer.

Response

This request is refused under Article 33 and 35 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011. See exemption details below.

Justification for the exemption
The development of the office strategy business case and implementation plan has not yet concluded and work continues to produce an agreed strategy in the light of the challenges being faced by the States of Jersey. This work has not been completed and we are therefore not yet in a position to release the documents requested.

It has always been the intention that once completed and agreed the strategy would be made public, though it is not yet possible to say when.

In addition, the report contains information which is of significant commercial value and its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of the scheduled public authority.

Therefore we consider it would not be in the public interest to release this information at this time and these exemption(s) should be maintained.

Exemptions

Article 35 Formulation and development of policies

Information is qualified exempt information if it relates to the formulation or development of any proposed policy by a public authority.

Article 33 Commercial Interests

Information is qualified exempt information if:

(a) it constitutes a trade secret ; or

(b) its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of a person (including the scheduled public authority holding the information)

Article 33 and 35 are Qualified Exemption(s) and therefore are subject to a Public Interest Test.

Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011