Law Firms

WMFS OFFICIAL – NEW – FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – FOI24074 

Ref: FOI/24074 

RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 REQUEST 

I am writing to confirm that the West Midlands Fire Service has now completed its search for the information you requested further to your Freedom of Information request. 

Please find below a summary of our findings. 

Request 

What is your spend with external law firms (please provide for the last 4 financial years) 

Reply 

This information is exempt under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as this information is reasonably accessible to the requestor. The information can be found on the West Midlands Fire Service website at the following link:  

Expenditure can be found by searching codes D381 and D903 within the transparency report. 

Request 

Do you use eBilling technology to manage your law firms billing (e.g. systems such as Legal Tracker, Brightflag, Apperio, CT Tymetrix, Mitratech etc.) 

Reply 

None 

Request 

Who is your Head of Legal or General Counsel (please provide email address) 

Who is your Head of Procurement (please provide email address) 

Reply 

With regards for the contact details of responsible persons, WMFS operates a single point of contact policy and callers are directed via HQ general contacts on 0330 058 9000. The call will be directed to the person with responsibility for the specific service. There is a direct email address for suppliers making sales enquires email: procurement.enquires@wmfs.net. Furthermore, guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office is as follows: 

• The presumption is in favour of protecting privacy, so the release of personal information will only be fair if there is a genuine reason to disclose. This involves a three-stage test. A public authority will generally have to satisfy itself that: 

• There is a legitimate interest in disclosure; 

• The legitimate interest can only be met, or fully met, by the disclosure of information which identifies individuals (i.e. the disclosure is necessary to that purpose); and, the disclosure would not involve unwarranted detriment to the individual’s privacy or other rights and legitimate interests. 

• You can find out more about FOI exemptions from the Information Commissioner’s Office. This will explain which one or more of the FOI exemptions applies, and tell you how to appeal if you disagree with our decision. 

Request 

Do you have a law firm panel / preferred supplier list / use a framework to buy your external law firm services. Please provide details were possible. 

Reply 

We have Service Level Agreements in place with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Birmingham City Council for legal work. We also use CCS and KPS Legal Services framework agreements to select suppliers for additional work. 

If you have any queries about this Freedom of Information request, please contact us. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.  

For service complaints, issues or comments regarding this request please contact The Public Relations Department, West Midlands Fire Service, 99 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham, B7 4HW 

Further information concerning Freedom of Information requests can be found on the Information Commissioner website at either the following link: https://ico.org.uk/ or at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF.