FOI002789 FOI Finance/Procurement

We are writing to submit this request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

[...] we request the following information:

1. Banking Services

a) Does RBWM Council currently hold any banking services contracts with Barclays Bank?
b) If so, what is the total value of these contracts?
c) When are these contracts due for renewal?

We raise this in light of research by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, War on Want and the Campaign Against Arms Trade, which has established that Barclays holds over £2 billion in shares in, and provides over £6.1 billion in loans and underwriting to, companies whose military technology is used in attacks on Palestinians. Barclays also acts as a primary dealer for Israeli government bonds. We note that Islington Council recently appointed a new banking provider specifically to adhere to robust ethical criteria regarding human rights violations, and its contract with Barclays will end in 2026.

d) Please provide the names of all current banking and financial service providers used by the council, and the total value of each contract.

2. Procurement and Supplier Contracts

a) Does the council currently hold contracts with any of the 158 companies listed on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) database of enterprises involved in illegal Israeli settlements?
b) Does the council currently hold contracts with any companies headquartered in Israel?
c) If so, please provide the names of these companies and the total value of each contract.

3. Ethical Procurement Criteria

a) What human rights criteria, if any, are applied by RBWM Council when selecting suppliers?
b) What Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria, if any, are applied by RBWM Council when selecting suppliers?
c) Please provide copies of any relevant procurement policies or guidance documents that set out these criteria.