Swale Borough Council

Freedom of Information Act Request

Ref: FOI No. 460

Date: 14 October 2019

Request and Response

1. My request relates to alternative delivery models used by the council as of September 17, 2019. Specifically, can you list:

(1) All Local Authority Trading Companies owned by the authority, including the following details: (a) The name of the company – see below (b) Company number – see below (c) Date of incorporation – see below (d) Services provided/purpose – see below

Opportunities for Limited – is a company set up between the Council and Spirit of Sittingbourne LLP (Spirit of Sittingbourne being a venture between the Council and a number of local developers), with an overall aim of regenerating Sittingbourne Town Centre. The Company owns and operates a property in Sittingbourne that offers opportunities for people across Swale and Medway to get involved in a programme of creative activities and offers low cost and free business support to new enterprises.Opportunities for Sittingbourne Limited was incorporated in January 2015 (Company Number 09400214) and complies with all relevant Companies House requirements. The Council’s interest in the entity has been assessed to be non-controlling but having a significant influence and so needs to be accounted for as an Associate. Further information on the Company is on the Companies House website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house

PSP Swale LLP (Company Number OC416830) - This partnership was registered on 8 April 2017 and Swale Borough Council is in partnership with PSP Facilitating Limited, who act as the administrators for the partnership. The Partnership other than the required administrative returns etc. did not carry out any transactions throughout the 2018/19 financial year. Further information on the Company is on the Companies House website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house

(2) All Public Service Mutuals (PSM) connected to the authority, including the following details: (a) The name of the PSM - Nil (b) The date it was created - Nil (c) Any other stakeholders formally involved - Nil (d) Services provided/purpose - Nil

(3) All outsourced services, including the following details: (a) The name of the service – see below (b) The date on which it was outsourced – see below (c) The organisation(s) that operates the contract – see below (d) The length of the contract – see below (e) The annual cost to the council of the contract – see below

This information is publicly available on our website https://services.swale.gov.uk/contracts/contractsregister.aspx

(4) All joint ventures entered into by the authority, including the following details: (a)The name of the venture - Nil (b)The date on which it began - Nil (c) The other organisation(s) involved - Nil (d) The services provided/purpose - Nil

In addition, the council participates in a number of shared service arrangements which are listed below:

Hosted by Service Between

Tunbridge Wells Borough Environmental Health Swale Borough Council Council (SBC) Maidstone Borough Councl (MBC) Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) Maidstone Borough Information Technology SBC, MBC & TWBC Council

Maidstone Borough Human Resources SBC & MBC Council

Maidstone Borough Planning Support SBC & MBC Council

Maidstone Borough Internal Audit SBC, MBC, TWBC & Council

Maidstone Borough Parking SBC & MBC Council

Medway Council Building Control . Gravesham and Swale Borough Councils and Maidstone Borough Local Land Charges SBC & MBC Council

Maidstone Borough Fraud Investigation SBC, MBC & TWBC Council

Swale Borough Council Legal SBC, MBC & TWBC

Maidstone Borough Debt Recovery SBC, MBC & TWBC Council