Mr S Carruthers

Email: [FOI #2908 email]

Our Ref : SH/167/08

Your Ref :

Date : 26 September 2008

Ask For : Sue Hewkin

Ext : 1635

Direct Dial : 01773 841635
Email : [email address]

Dear Mr Carruthers

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Request for Internal Review

You requested an Internal Review following the Council's response to your Freedom of Information request below:

I would appreciate copies of all monitoring officer reports issued by the Council following admission and or agreement by the Council that they had committed maladministration causing injustice, as evidenced through an local settlement agreed with the Local Government Ombudsman, as well as any monitoring officer report produced following a formal finding identified through a maladministration and injustice report by the Local Government Ombudsman for the last six years.

If a monitoring officer report has not been produced, I should appreciate clarification if the Council rejected both the Ombudsman's findings and their recommendations in relation to each settlement agreed, and copies of all associated documentation for the last six years.

An in-depth review has been carried out by a member of staff who was not involved with the original request. The final decision of the Council is as follows:

No reports have been prepared by the Monitoring Officer in the last six years under Section 5A of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989 as described in your email.
For local settlements accepted by this Council, the Ombudsman has not issued any formal reports. As previously stated, all Ombudsman findings and recommendation have been implemented.

In your response you asked an additional question:

Please additionally identify the monitoring officers employed by the Council for the last six years, and if they are a solicitor.

The Council's Monitoring Officer is Mr John Grady, Assistant Chief Executive and the Deputy Monitoring Officer is Mr Paul Benski, Principal Solicitor.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the internal review, you can make an appeal to the Information Commissioner who can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliff House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 01625 545 745
Fax: 01625 524 510
Email: [email address]

If you have any further queries, please contact me either in writing at the above address or by telephone on 01773 841635 and quote your ID No 167/08.

Yours sincerely

Sue Hewkin
Democratic Services and FOI Officer

P M Carney, Solicitor
Chief Executive

PO Box 15 Town Hall Ripley
Derbyshire DE5 3XE
Tel: 01773 570222 Fax: 01773 841616
Minicom: 01773 841490
E-Mail: [email address]
Web: www.ambervalley.gov.uk

Caring and Working for Amber Valley

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