Extract from Commission minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Commission held at Millbank Tower, Millbank,

London SW1P 4QP on Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 11.00am

Present: Mr T Redmond (Chairman)

Mr J R White (Vice Chairman)

Ms A Seex

Ms A Abraham

6. Changes to LGO areas

CLA 1572 had been circulated. The Commission noted that it is usual practice for the `departing' Local Government Ombudsman to write to the Local Authority Chief Executive to tell them about the change.

The Commission AGREED to approve the following changes to the Local Government Ombudsmen's areas, in accordance with section 23 (8) of LGA 1974, to take effect from 1 April 2007:

i to transfer complaints about Trafford MBC from Anne Seex to Jerry White (because of a past connection between a relative and the Council).

ii to transfer complaints about Lancaster CC from Jerry White to Anne Seex

(Jerry White had considered complaints about Lancaster because of

Patricia Thomas's personal connections).

iii to transfer complaints about LB Tower Hamlets from Anne Seex to

Tony Redmond (Anne Seex had considered complaints about Tower Hamlets because of Tony Redmond's personal friendship with the Chief Executive, who had subsequently left Tower Hamlets).

The Commission also AGREED that, in the interest of good governance, future reports to the Commission should specify the reasons for the transfer.