FOI - Warmer Homes scheme [Sep 2023]

Your request 

1. A copy of the completed application for the Sustainable Warmth competition submitted by the GLA / the Warmer Homes Scheme (including ‘Annex A – Completing the Application Form’)
2. A copy of the completed Memorandum of Understanding that the GLA / the Warmer Homes Scheme made in relation to the Sustainable Warmth competition;
3. A copy of each the monthly progress reports that the Warmer Home Scheme submitted to BEIS against Key Performance Indicators;
4. A copy of the risk assessment carried out by the GLA/Warmer Homes Scheme with regard to its duties under the Equality Act 2010 together with a copy of respective outcomes.
5. A spreadsheet to show the following information with respect to each Warmer Home Scheme application:

• Submission date
• Local Authority for the property
• Building type (e.g. 4 bed detached)
• Property construction (e.g. traditional)
• Tenure-type (e.g. private rented)
• Ethnicity
• Applicant year of birth
• LAD or HUG?
• Path (i.e. A, B or C)
• Any pre existing EPC rating (e.g. D, E, F, G)
• RdSAP/SAP/EPR rating (e.g. D, E, F, G)
• Measure Type (e.g. external wall insulation, air source heat pump...)
• Cost saving forecast
• Offer to applicant - value
• Offer to applicant - date
• EPC rating at offer/award date
• Offer accepted or declined by applicant

Our response

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

1. A copy of the completed application* for the Sustainable Warmth competition submitted by the GLA/the Warmer Homes Scheme (including ‘Annex A – Completing the Application Form’)
2. A copy of the completed Memorandum of Understanding that the GLA/the Warmer Homes Scheme made in relation to the Sustainable Warmth competition
3. A copy of each the monthly progress reports that the Warmer Home Scheme submitted to BEIS against Key Performance Indicators*.
4. Equality considerations are detailed under Mayoral Decision 3010: MD3010 Warmer Homes 3 and Warmer Homes Advice Service | London City Hall
5. Spreadsheet of scheme data**

Please note that some names of members of staff are exempt from disclosure under s.40
(Personal information) of the Freedom of Information Act. This information could potentially
identify specific employees and as such constitutes as personal data which is defined by Article 4(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to mean any information relating to an identified or identifiable living individual. It is considered that disclosure of this information would contravene the first data protection principle under Article 5(1) of GDPR which states that Personal data must be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject.

*We consider that some of the information held within parts 1, 2 and 3 of your request is exempt from disclosure under section 43 (2) (Commercial interests) of the FOIA. This provides that information can be withheld from release if its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of any person, including those of the GLA.

A commercial interest relates to a person’s ability to participate competitively in a commercial activity. The GLA is due to go out to tender again soon and the information on costs and staffing would be likely to be prejudicial to the bids that the GLA receives. If this information is known amongst bidders then there is a real likelihood that the GLA will receive inflated bids.

Section 43(2) constitutes a qualified exemption from our duty to disclose information under the FOIA and consideration has to be given as to whether the public interest favouring disclosure of the information covered by this exemption outweighs the public interest considerations favouring maintaining the exemption and withholding the information. In this instance we regard it not to be in the public interest to release information that would be likely to affect the ability for the GLA to achieve best value for the public purse.

**Please note that the GLA does not hold all of the data being requested.