FOI - London Growth Hub [Feb 2026]

My request relates to the ‘London Growth Hub: “Hub & Spoke” (Micro and SME Business Support Programme). The original TFL reference number (July 2019) was: GLA81366. The contract was extended a couple of times ending officially c. June/July 2023.

I request copies of monthly reports submitted by [named individual], Programme Manager, “Newable” (the delivery partner) to the Greater London Authority in relation to the ‘Business Adviser’ element of above programme (rebranded London Business Hub, c. September 2020).

The reports were entitled ‘LONDON GROWTH HUB [LONDON BUSINESS HUB wef September 2020], Business Support Programme, [MONTH OF THE REPORT e.g. MARCH REPORT] and period e.g. 01 March 2022-31 March 2022. Please see the page attached which is a copy of the front cover of the March 2022 report which I hope assists to identify the reports requested.

I specifically require the aforementioned reports for January-December 2020 (I believe there may not have been a January 2020 report); January-December 2021; and January-February 2022. (Many of these reports will be 10 pages or less in length.)

Further, I would like to know the full-legal name of the supplier if, at any time, during contract extensions, this changed from Newable Ltd (former GLE) to Newable Partnership Ltd or to any other business in the Newable group.

If any of the requested information is considered exempt from disclosure (for example under section 43 of the Act), I request that:

• any genuinely exempt information be redacted, and
• the remainder of the reports be disclosed.

If the GLA considers that the information is not held, or that the scope of the request could be refined to fall within the appropriate cost limit, I would be grateful for advice and assistance under section 16 of the Act.
If this request is considered to fall under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, please treat it accordingly.

Please confirm receipt of this request and do not hesitate to contact me if clarification is required. I am happy to receive information by email to the address above.

Finally, I take this opportunity of thanking the GLA/Mayor for the LGH/LBH initiative. I am aware of numerous businesses that were assisted to survive the pandemic, sustain their organizations with many growing back stronger (measured in terms of turnover, profits, improved cashflow, jobs created and safeguarded) with the assistance of interventions provided by Growth Hub Business Advisers.

Our response

Please find attached the information that the GLA holds within the scope of your request. 

The  following content is exempt from disclosure:

• Testimonies and feedback 
• Contextual information regarding named businesses 
• Word clouds summarising the raw data of support needed.

This information is exempt from disclosure under section 40 (Personal Information) of the Freedom of Information Act.

In Ashley v HMRC, the tribunal confirmed that data may constitute personal data where it can be linked to an individual through a “continuum of relevance”. In this instance, the information indirectly relates to clients who have sought assistance from the London Growth Hub. Disclosure could potentially identify specific businesses and individual business owners. As such, the information meets the definition of personal data under Article 4(1) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), which covers any information relating to an identified or identifiable living individual.

Releasing this information would therefore contravene the first data protection principle under Article 5(1)(a) of the UK GDPR, which requires personal data to be processed lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner.

Further, we consider that the provisions under section 41 (Information provided in confidence) are relevant in this instance.

As far as we are aware, the supplier’s name did not change through the course of the contract (including the extension) and remained Newable Limited.