Dear Mr Carruthers,
Given the size of your request, we have decided to disclose information to you as it
becomes available. It is likely therefore, that the questions will be answered out of
order. I hope that this does not cause problems.
Complaints
I can confirm that we do have a complaints system and that we can provide
information for the 3 years requested. Councillors are not involved in complaints at
all unless they are approached by a constituent whereupon they will raise the
complaint on the system. We do, of course produce reports for committees but they
relate to total complaints rather than actual complaints.
2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
Total 113
347
417
More information about our complaints procedure can be found on our website –
http://www.weymouth.gov.uk/main.asp?svid=1197. I regret to say that we do not
hold any information in relation to either the cost of handling complaints nor to an
FTE figure. This is because all officers use the system to handle complaints. There
are over 350 officers and it would not be possible to go through each record to
determine a figure for the purpose of your request.
Members Pay
The members are paid a basic allowance of £4,560 per year which is aid monthly. If
they hold a Chair position for one of the committees, they are paid an additional sum
depending on which committee they chair. Full information about this plus
allowances and expenses at the following address:-
http://www.weymouth.gov.uk/Council/Councillors/home.asp?svid=586
Administrative Costs
This is a somewhat vague request as it could refer to anything. I have interpreted it
as the cost of administrating the workforce. This information can be found on our
website in our Statement of Accounts under Personnel –
http://www.weymouth.gov.uk/docstore/finance/home/inf_20080718_StatementOfAcc
ounts200708.pdf. If this is not correct, could you please clarify what you mean.
Identity of Electoral Officers
The answers to these questions can be found on our website –
http://www.weymouth.gov.uk/Council/elections/home.asp?svid=588. I note that you
want the date of appointment for the Returning Officer. I will provide that when the
section on pay for the Chief Executive is sent.
Local Government Ombudsman
The following table contains the information you requested:
Year Ending
Amount Paid
Local Settlement/LGO Decision
31st March 2006
£362.50
Local – LGO investigation discontinued by mutual
agreement
31st March 2007
£500
Maladministration leading to Injustice
31st March 2008
£275.50
Goodwill Gesture by Council. Recorded as LGO
discretion
The Council has met every LGO recommendation in full. All payouts made via
Council Treasury.
With regards to your last part of your request, in particular the section about the
complaints system, it is asking for opinion rather than information and therefore not
covered by the Act.
A great deal of the information you have requested is available online on our website
and it is reasonably accessible. Under the terms of FOIA, requesters should first
check at the authority’s website prior to making a request as much of what we
produce is online. Before you make another request, I ask that you visit our website
– www.weymouth.gov.uk – where you may find the information you want.
Yours sincerely
David Sinclair
Records Manager
