Date: 26 November 2009

My Ref: FOI/2009/0515/CLO

Contact: Emma Hearton

Direct dial: 01934 427390

Mark Walker

Sent via email

Dear Mr Walker

Freedom of Information Act (2000) - Request for Information

I write following our acknowledgement letter, date 14 October 2009, reference FOI/2009/0515/ACK.

Further to your request, please see our response below:

Has your authority ever found a member of the BNP or any other political Party guilty of a disciplinary offence related to their Party membership in the last three years? If so please give information as to when and how many.

No, none

Has any parent complained to you regarding the Party membership of any employee or the expression of political views within School classrooms under your authority during the last three years?

No, none

What safeguards do you currently have in place to prevent members of any political Party promoting their views within Schools?

We promote national guidance in schools, for example the toolkit for prevention of extremism. In relation to any political party members promoting their views this is difficult to judge as a balanced representation of the political party views would be essential to the education say for students studying politics. In general terms though the code of conduct for school staff is vested in school senior management teams and governing bodies.

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In line with the Freedom of Information Act (2000) and the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004, the Council reserves the right to charge for disbursements, such as photocopying and postage. However, on this occasion no fee will be charged.

Please note that the Freedom of Information Act only provides you with a right of access to recorded information. Any information subject to copyright will continue to be protected by the Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1998). This includes information which is copyright of the council. Disclosure of any information by the council to you does not provide you with any rights to use or distribute the information in breach of any copyright.

North Somerset Council now considers that it has complied with your request. However, you have a right to appeal if you are dissatisfied with our response. In the first instance you should address your appeal for a review of the response or our handling of your request to the Council's Audit, Risk & Information Manager, in writing at:

Mr Peter Rooney, Audit Risk & Information Manager, The Town Hall, Walliscote Grove Road, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS23 1UJ.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Council's internal review, you have a further right of appeal to the Information Commissioner. You can request a review of the council's decisions by contacting:

The Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely

Emma Hearton

FOI & DPA Support Assistant

North Somerset Council

Philip Hall

Director of Finance and Resources

Information, Communication and Technology Department

North Somerset Council

Town Hall

Weston-super-Mare

Somerset BS23 1UJ

www.n-somerset.gov.uk