Ardwhallan Outdoor Education Centre

Summary

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded to a request for financial and operational data regarding the Ardwhallan Outdoor Education Centre, disclosing staff salaries, training costs, grants, and course statistics while noting that some information on equipment purchases was not held.

Key Facts

• Staff salary costs ranged from £101,286 in 2014-15 to a peak of £190,341 in 2019-20.
• The centre received a consistent annual grant of £7,500 from the Youth Service between 2018/19 and 2020/21.
• Approximately 1,000 weekly term-time sessions were delivered annually to schools and government establishments.
• The Department confirmed 8 paid government staff were provided to assist the centre.
• Information regarding purchases of equipment and physical resources could not be provided as it was not held.

Data Disclosed

• £96,177
• £190,341
• £7,500.00
• 8
• 1000 average per annum
• 2014-15
• 2020/21
• 2018/19
• 8510
• 9547

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held or cannot be found after taking reasonable steps

Original Request

Please could the following freedom of information request relating to Ardwhallan outdoor education centre request be answered? Provide me with the  details on the support or services provided to or by the Ardwhallan outdoor centre, for any current or previous government departments. If available, please provide these details up to a maximum of 10 years, if 10 years of data is not available then please provide up to the maximum that is held on record, with this data broken down into financial years running from 1st April to 31st March each year.

Data Tables (7)

Full Response Text

Staff salaries. Total annual figures broken down into number of employees on full time and part time contracts. 2014-15 2015-16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 Full time £96,177 £96,520 £116,000 £114,813 £116,025 £120,358 £106,819 No. of employees 3 3 3 3 5 5 5 Full time (Apprentices) £5,105 £20,691 £25,160 £24,901 £25,320 £56,890 £12,981 No. of employees 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 Supply* £9,403 £21,498 £24,256 £13,085 £6,946 TOTAL £101,286 £117,215 £150,567 £161,216 £165,609 £190,341 £126,754 * hours the staff have worked in addition to normal working hours supply costs not separated from other supply youth workers until part way through 2016/17

Staff training. Total yearly costs for any training provided for staff working at the centre with a list of courses the staff undertook. 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 Cost £8,475.49 £4,255.39 £10,248.03 £4,193.52 £2,160.00 Courses British Canoeing IOL Membership British Cycling EVL Training First Aid RLSS Food Hygiene Course MLTE Membership First Aid First Aid MLTE Membership BMC Membership Cycle Wild Scotland MTB Leader Training Venture Centure BMC Membership HML Training HML Assessment Tutorcare Ltd PB Coaching Cycle Wild Scotland MTB Cycle Wild Scotland Hebridean Pursuits Snorkel Course Core and Sheltered Water Training First Aid Level 1 Coach Course Venture Centre British Canoeing RLSS RLSS Core and Sheltered Water Training Outdoor Resources

Any Financial support provided in the form of loans or grants for use by the centre. 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 Grant from Youth Service £7,500.00 £7,500.00 £7,500.00 No Grant Paid prior to 2018/19

Number of courses provided each year by the centre to any Isle of Man government department. Course 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 First Aid 2 2 3 2 Course 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 RLSS Water safety 4 Education Visit Leader Workshops 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 Education Visit Coordinator Workshops 2 1 1 1 2 3 DofE Supervisor Training DofE Supervisor Reaccreditation Weekly term time sessions Provided to establishments within DESC e.g. primary schools , high schools, the Education Support Centre, etc. 1 per year depending on demand 1 per year depending on demand 1000 average per annum

Total number of places the IOM Government have booked and paid for at the centre for training days or for outdoor activities. Course 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 First Aid 20 16 21 14 Sessions delivered to young people and adults 8510 9003 8257 9101 9547 Course 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 Education Visit Leader Workshops 24 5 23 9 6 8 15 Education Visit Coordinator Workshops 30 7 11 1 11 19 27 DofE Supervisor Training 6 3 3 5 6

Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 1756534

17 May 2021 Dear ###, We write further to your request which was received on 19 April 2021 and which states: "Please could the following freedom of information request relating to Ardwhallan outdoor education centre request be answered? Provide me with the answers to the bullet point below giving details on the support or services provided to or by the Ardwhallan outdoor centre, for any current or previous government departments. If available, please provide these details up to a maximum of 10 years, if 10 years of data is not available then please provide up to the maximum that is held on record, with this data broken down into financial years running from 1st April to 31st March each year. * Staff salaries. Total annual figures broken down into number of employees on full time and part time contracts. * Staff training. Total yearly costs for any training provided for staff working at the centre with a list of courses the staff undertook. * Number of paid government staff provided to the centre to help or assist. * Any Financial support provided in the form of loans or grants for use by the centre. * Purchases made by any government department of equipment and physical resources used by the centre. * Any maintenance costs paid to the centre by the Isle of Man Government. * Number of courses provided each year by the centre to any Isle of Man government department. * Total number of places the IOM Government have booked and paid for at the centre for training days or for outdoor activities."

Our response to your request is as follows: Staff salaries We have enclosed copies of the information that is held. Staff training We have enclosed copies of the information that is held. Number of paid Government staff 8 Financial support We have enclosed copies of the information that is held. Purchases While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because no purchases have been made by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for Ardwhallan Outdoor Education Centre. Maintenance costs While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because no maintenance costs have been made by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture to the Ardwhallan Outdoor Education Centre. By way of advice and assistance the Department of Infrastructure contribute to the maintenance of Ardwhallan and therefore any associated costs are contained within another Government Department. Number of courses We have enclosed copies of the information that is held. Total number of places We have enclosed copies of the information that is held.

Please quote the reference number 1756534 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Coordinator