FOI release

Provider to manage Court of Protection, Deputyships, Appointeeships

This request was refused in part, so we didn't provide some of the information the requester asked for. This may include information where we can neither confirm nor deny that we hold it.

Case reference FOI2024/01536

Received 12 September 2024

Published 23 September 2024

Request

1. Do you currently use an external provider to manage your Court of Protection, Deputyships, Appointeeships, and if so, what is the provider’s name? If not, is the Council looking at outsourcing this area in the next 3-5 years?

2. What date does the current contract expire (if applicable)?

3. What is the name, email address and phone number of the person and team that manages the Contract/ or potential contract?

4. Which services within the Council or associated partners have an agreement with the provider (if applicable?)

5. What is the annual cost of this contract (if applicable)?

6. Does the Council have a preferred suppliers list for solicitors/companies undertaking Deputyships/Appointeeships where service user is over threshold, if so please supply details?

7. If the Council does have a preferred supplier list please confirm the name, email address and contact number for the person and team that manage this list.

8. How many Deputyships and Corporate Appointeeships does the Council currently manage?

9. How many referrals have been made to the Council for Deputyships in the last 3 years?

10. How long on average does it take from initial referral to the application for Deputyship being submitted to the Court of Protection?

Response

1. Do you currently use an external provider to manage your Court of Protection, Deputyships, Appointeeships, and if so, what is the provider’s name? If not, is the Council looking at outsourcing this area in the next 3-5 years?

2. What date does the current contract expire (if applicable)?

Answer: The information for Q1-Q2 is publically available on the Herefordshire Council website and can be viewed via the following link: Contracts register – Herefordshire Council. The information is under entry 115 (line 19) for Hoople Limited.

As such we consider this information to be exempt under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because it is reasonably accessible to you via other means. Please take this letter as a refusal notice under S17 of the Act.

3. What is the name, email address and phone number of the person and team that manages the Contract/or potential contract?

Answer: Hilary Hall | Corporate Director Community Wellbeing

Tel: 01432 26 0308

Email: hilary.hall@herefordshire.gov.uk

If you are a company intending to use the names and contact details of council officers / contractors provided in this response for direct marketing, you must be registered with the Information Commissioner to process personal data for this purpose. You must also check that the individual (whom you wish to contact for direct marketing purposes) is not registered with one of the preference services to prevent direct marketing. If they are you must adhere to this preference. You must also ensure you comply with the Privacy Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). For more information see www.ico.org.uk

For the avoidance of doubt, the provision of individual names and contact details under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not give consent to receive direct marketing via any media and expressly does not constitute a 'soft opt-in' under PECR.

4. Which services within the Council or associated partners have an agreement with the provider (if applicable?)

5. What is the annual cost of this contract (if applicable)?

Answer: The information for Q4-Q5 is publically available on the Herefordshire Council website and can be viewed via the following link: Contracts register – Herefordshire Council. The information is under entry 115 (line 19) for Hoople Limited.

As such we consider this information to be exempt under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because it is reasonably accessible to you via other means. Please take this letter as a refusal notice under S17 of the Act.

6. Does the Council have a preferred suppliers list for solicitors/companies undertaking Deputyships/Appointeeships where service user is over threshold, if so please supply details?

Answer: No.

7. If the Council does have a preferred supplier list please confirm the name, email address and contact number for the person and team that manage this list.

Answer: N/A

8. How many Deputyships and Corporate Appointeeships does the Council currently manage?

Answer: Appointeeships = 103

Deputyships = 129

9. How many referrals have been made to the Council for Deputyships in the last 3 years?

Answer: 169

10. How long on average does it take from initial referral to the application for Deputyship being submitted to the Court of Protection?

Answer: The Service Area have advised it can take anything from 2 weeks to several months, depending on workloads.

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.