Explanation of rejected applications for additional borrowing consents: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/18/00141
Date received: 16 January 2018
Date responded: 7 February 2018

Information requested

1. The details of all local councils in Scotland who applied to the Scottish Government for 'additional borrowing consents' to help meet the backpay costs of their outstanding equal pay claims.

2. A breakdown of all applications approved by the Scottish Government, the sums of money involved for each council and an explanation of any individual applications that were rejected.

Response

Most of the information you have requested is detailed on the Scottish Government website at

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/local-government/17999/LACapital/Borrowing/Consent/CTB-equal-pay

This link contains a publication listing all consents to borrow granted and used for equal pay claims. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

In response to your request for an explanation of individual applications that were rejected, I can confirm Aberdeen City Council applied for additional consent to borrow in 2009-10 that was not granted as they still had an unused consent value. Consequently, the unused consent was extended so that any unused values in 2009-10 were carried forward and available for use in 2010-11.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses