New CRHS plans

Summary

The request sought a total breakdown of costs for the new Castle Rushen High School plans since 2016, including design and consultancy fees. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided year-by-year totals for feasibility, pre-contract, and post-contract stages but withheld a detailed cost breakdown citing commercial interests.

Key Facts

• The response covers spending from the 2017-18 financial year through 2024-25.
• A detailed breakdown of all costs (e.g., specific design or consultancy fees) was withheld under Section 30 of the Act.
• The exemption was applied because disclosure could prejudice the Department's commercial interests and future tendering processes.
• The project is described as live and ongoing, necessitating protection of supplier relationships.
• The data provided is accurate as of 31 October 2024.

Data Disclosed

• 2017-18 Feasibility: £40,646.14
• 2018-19 Feasibility: £65,564.44
• 2019-20 Pre-contract: £112,390.00
• 2020-21 Post-contract: £267,822.78
• 2021-22 Post-contract: £773,375.70
• 2022-23 Post-contract: £450,678.71
• 2023-24 Post-contract: £181,075.00
• 2024-25 Post-contract: £86,704.65
• Request received: 2024-11-05
• Response date: 2025-01-24
• Case ID: 4239441

Exemptions Cited

• Section 30 of the Act (Commercial interests)

Original Request

What is the total amount of money that's been spent on plans for a new Castle Rushen High School at every level to date since 2016? Please include a breakdown of all costs including design fees, consultancy fees etc.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St Johns IM4 3AS

Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im

Our ref: 4239441 24th January 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request, received 5 November 2024, which states:

"What is the total amount of money that's been spent on plans for a new Castle Rushen High School at every level to date since 2016?
Please include a breakdown of all costs including design fees, consultancy fees etc."

On 15th November 2024 we sought clarification on your request and you clarified the information you are seeking is as follows:

“I would like all costs to date included in the response please, including the new pitches and definitely the new school briefing/feasibility.

If any money has been spent at any level of the plans, I would like information about them please.”

Our response to your request is as follows:

Please find overleaf the costs associated with the New Castle Rushen High School Development presented by year and stage (Feasibility, pre-contract and post-contract).

The information provided is accurate as of 31 October 2024.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department determines some of the information requested, specifically ‘a breakdown of all costs’ is exempt from disclosure under section 30 of the Act, as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture. For details of the public interest test conducted please see page 3 of this response.

2017-18
Feasibility – £40,646.14 Pre-contract - Nil Post-contract - Nil

2018-19 Feasibility – £65,564.44 Pre-contract - Nil Post-contract - Nil

2019-20 Feasibility – £12,245.50 Pre-contract - £112,390.00 Post-contract - £1,400.00

2020-21 Feasibility – Nil Pre-contract - £5,225.00 Post-contract - £267,822.78

2021-22 Feasibility – £34,595.00 Pre-contract - £3,646.30 Post-contract - £773,375.70

2022-23 Feasibility – Nil Pre-contract - Nil Post-contract - £450,678.71

2023-24 Feasibility – Nil Pre-contract - Nil Post-contract - £181,075.00

2024-25 Feasibility - Nil Pre-contract – Nil
Post contract – £86,704.65

Information exempt from disclosure

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department determines some of the information that you have requested, specifically ‘a breakdown of costs’ is exempt from disclosure under section 30 of the Act as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

As section 30 is a qualified exemption, it is subject to a public interest test. The public interest must be something that is of serious concern and benefit to the public at large. Please see overleaf the public interest test conducted:

Factors in favour of disclosure:

• Accountability for the spending of public funds. Ensuring that public money is being used effectively and the Department is getting value for money when purchasing goods and services.
• Accountability – There is a need to ensure that commercial activities are conducted in an open and honest way.
• Transparency- Release of information promotes public understanding.

Factors in favour of maintaining the exemption:

• The New Castle Rushen High School Project is presently live and ongoing.
• The Department’s ability to obtain the best financial outcomes from a quick quote process requires a level starting position for all tenderers. If the cost is released this would provide an indication to all businesses who tender for similar projects in the future and would therefore likely impact the Department’s ability to obtain the best value for money (from public funds).
• Ensuring that the Government and the Department is getting value for money when purchasing goods and services within a tender process. It is not in the public interest for information to be disclosed that would impact Government and Departmental Expenditure. • There is a need to protect the commercial interests of the private sector, which plays an important role in the general health of the economy.
• It is not in the public interest for the Department’s working relationships with the suppliers to be prejudiced by the disclosure of the requested information.

By way of advice and assistance you may be interested to view the following published information which details the cost associated with Feasibility and Masterplan studies carried out in 2019 and 2021 for the New Castle Rushen High School Development:
https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/BusinessHansardIndex2126/W- 202201-0512.pdf

Please quote the reference number 4239441 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.