Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')
As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of access to information held at the time of a request, by a Public Authority (including the Police), subject to certain limitations and exemptions.
You asked:
1. Please could you provide the costs of purchase and maintenance of fleets of rainbow-coloured squad cars for 2020-21.
2. The cost of pride polo shirts worn by Police officers, rainbow flags, wrist bands, stickers, epaulettes, and other associated paraphernalia for 2020-21.
3. The cost of Stonewell subscriptions for the period of 2020-21.
4. Are there similar programmes for race and sex?
In Response:
We have now had the opportunity to fully consider your request and I provide a response for your attention.
Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted with the Finance, Fleet and Corporate Communications Departments of Northumbria Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held in part by Northumbria Police.
I am able to disclose the located information to you as follows.
1. Vehicles with the Pride livery are normal Response/Neighbourhood Policing vehicles and part of the everyday operational fleet and not bought specifically. We have three standard response vehicles operating with additional inclusive livery. The cost for this livery was £503 per vehicle. Average service and maintenance costs for these vehicles are no different to the standard fleet.
2. No information held as expenditure for 2020/21 is zero.
3. As the information you have requested at this point is accessible by other means I have not provided you with a copy of the information and will rely on Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You should therefore consider this a refusal for your request.
I have provided an explanation to this exemption below.
Section 21 (1) - Information accessible by other means
Information which is reasonably accessible to the applicant is exempt information.
This information has been asked for previously, disclosed and is published on the Northumbria Police Disclosure Log. FOI 1713/21 refers and the link to the Log is provided below.
4. It is not clear what is meant by ‘programmes’ at this point, however I can advise there are campaigns for racial and gender equality.
