Freedom of Information Request - proposed Galloway National Park – Outside the Box
Date: 16 April 2025
Our ref: SIR179155/A5093432
Information Request – proposed Galloway National Park – Outside the Box
Your Request
'I would be grateful if you could provide a copy of the contracted between NatureScot and Outside the Box in relation to their work around the proposed Galloway National Park consultation.
Furthermore, as per your suggested questions can you please provide details of the number of people who attended events (listed by location) and a copy of any flyers or posters, including any changes that were made to them.'
Our Response
We have discussed your request with the team dealing the proposed national park. Copies of the documents that we are releasing to you are attached separately to this response.
We have redacted out some information relating to the price submitted by the contractor. To release this information could prejudice the contractor and could provide competitors having and could provide and unfair advantage to those competitors in future contracts for similar work. We have therefore applied the exemption 10(5)(e)(Confidentiality of commercial or industrial information) under the EIRs to this information.
We have also redacted out personal data from the information being released to you. Release of personal data in response to an information request, would breach the Data Protection Act 2018. We have applied the exemption 11(2)(Personal Data) under the EIRs.
You also requested information on the numbers of people who attended the event, listed by each location. We do not currently have the information at that level as we are waiting on the final details from our contractor. We do hold information which was recorded at what we call the “hub” level, and this information is provided below.
Proposed new National Park Consultation Events - attendance
- Dalmellington hub - 165 people signed into the events in this area.
- Dumfries hub - 242 people signed into the events in this area.
- Girvan hub - 108 people signed into the events in this area.
- Kirkcudbright hub - 267 people signed into the events in this area.
- Newton Stewart hub - 230 people signed into the events in this area.
- Stranraer hub - 148 people signed into the events in this area.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
Document downloads
Due to accessibility issues the attached information, referenced above, is available on request by contacting the FOI team at [email protected]. Please reference the case number (starting with SIR).
