Mark Sanders MBA, BSc(Hons)

Chief Executive

Our Ref DH/BB

Your Ref

Date 14 January 2009

Please ask for David Hanson

Direct Line 5131

Direct Fax 5132

E-Mail [email address]

Electronic service of legal [email address]

documents accepted only at 0161-253 5119 (Fax)

LEGAL & DEMOCRATIC

SERVICES DIVISION

Town Hall

Knowsley Street

Bury BL9 0SW

Tel: 0161-253 5000

Jayne Hammond

LLB (Hons) Solicitor

Director of Legal

& Democratic Services

To: Stuart Hardwicke Carruthers

freedom of information request

1. Proportion of time

Councillors are not employees of the Council but are elected part-time representatives of the Wards they represent.

%

(Note not all Councillors represent political 10

Parties - many are independents)

Your assertion that these three categories should add up to 100% of Councillors' activities is flawed. There is a vast area of activity connected with representing their constituents (non political), undertaking training to fulfil their responsibilities, representing the Council on other outside bodies including School Governing Bodies, etc.

2. Payments to Councillors

The Public Notices for 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2008/2009 are attached. The Council comprised 51 Councillors over these 3 years.

3. Complaints received

The Council has recently installed a computerised system for recording complaints across the Authority. Prior to 2007/2008 complaints received were recorded manually.

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The total number of complaints received in 2007/2008 was 351, none of which were considered formally by elected representatives but resolved by Officers. Only the nature of the complaints received were reported to Councillors in outline to identify trends.

4. Complaints against the Executive acting wrongly

There were no complaints considered by Elected Members leading to a conclusion that the Executive had acted wrongly in the years 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008.

There were no employees who ceased to be employed by the Council as a direct result of a complaints against the Executive in the years 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008.

5. Compensation paid to complainants (Authority's Complaints System)

No compensation was paid in respect of any complaints received through the Authority's Complaints System during the years 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008.

6. Compensation paid to complainants (Local Government Ombudsman)

The recommendations of the Local Government Ombudsman in respect of compensation arising from complaints are as follows:-

£

7. Cost of administering the Council's Complaints System

The Council does not employ a dedicated Complaints Officer. Complaints are dealt with by the appropriate employee for the service about which a complaint is received. The costs of dealing with complaints are fully absorbed.

8. Total administrative costs

Your question is not defined clearly and I cannot estimate what constitutes `administrative' in the overall context of the work of the Authority.

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9. Total number of employees

The total number of employees (full time equivalents) is as follows:-

Pay increases to staff, including the Chief Executive, are in line with the National Pay Awards for Local Government Employees. The Chief Executive's payments do not include any element of performance-related pay.

This Authority operates a complaints system which is in line with advice offered and directions issued by the Government, and the Local Government Ombudsman.

Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying to your enquiry.

Yours sincerely

David Hanson

Head of Democratic Services