Stuart Hardwicke Carruthers
30 September 2008
[email address]
Your ref: PS/ld
Our ref: F3
Please ask for Peter Snow on 01799 510430
email: [email address]
Dear Mr Hardwicke-Carruthers
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – INFORMATION REQUEST
Your request for information has now been considered and the information requested is enclosed.
Please refer to the attached document detailing all appointments of Electoral Registration Officer and
Returning Officer made during the last six years. You will see that the posts of ERO/RO are not
referred to specifically in the resolution appointing Alasdair Bovaird as Chief Executive. This is clearly
an oversight as the Council's Chief Executives have always acted in this role. The Council's Assistant
Chief Executive confirms that it was the Council's intention to appoint Mr Bovaird accordingly but this
was not reflected in the Minute, although the matter was dealt with verbally at the meeting. Mr
Bovaird acted in this role until his departure at the end of February this year.
The Monitoring Officer has not produced any reports relating to these positions in the last six years.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further queries or concerns.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your enquiry then please contact the Council’s Monitoring
Officer Mr Michael Perry at the address given above or on [email address]. Mr Perry will
investigate your complaint and inform you of his decision. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of
Mr Perry’s investigations you may ask the Interim Chief Executive Mr John Mitchell to review his
investigation and findings. Mr Mitchell may also be contacted at these offices or on
[email address]. If you are do not accept Mr Mitchell’s findings you have a right of appeal
to the Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire
SH9 5AF Telephone: 01625 545 700 www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Yours sincerely
Peter Snow
Democratic & Electoral Services Manager
Enc.
Extract from Council meeting on 22 July 2003
C37
APPOINTMENT OF REGISTRATION OFFICER / RETURNING
OFFICER
It was reported that Section 8 of the Representation of the Peoples Act
1983 required the Council to appoint one of its Officers to be
Registration Officer for the Council. Also, Section 35 of the Act
required the Council to appoint one of its Officers to be the Returning
Officer for the purpose of local elections and parish elections within the
District. The former Chief Executive was both Registration Officer and
Returning Officer for the Council and it was considered appropriate for
the Acting Chief Executive to act in these roles until such time as the
new Chief Executive took up the appointment.
RESOLVED that the Acting Chief Executive be appointed as
Registration Officer and Returning Officer for the Council
pending the appointment of a new Chief Executive and the
appointee taking up post.
Extract from Extraordinary Council meeting on 18 September 2003
C26
RESOLVED that the recommendation of the Appointment Panel
that Mr Alasdair Bovaird be appointed Chief Executive of this
Council subject to formal offer and his acceptance of the
appointment be approved.
Extract from Council meeting on 19 February 2008
C88
RESOLVED that, subject to the outcome of the part II item to be
considered later in this meeting, the following interim
arrangements be put in place pending the appointment of a new
Chief Executive:
• John Mitchell be appointed Acting Chief Executive
and Head of Paid Service.
• Michael Perry be appointed Acting Electoral
registration Officer and Acting Returning Officer.
• Adrian Webb be appointed Acting Director of
Central Services.
And that the appointments take effect as from Saturday, 1
March 2008.
Extract from Council meeting on 22 July 2008
APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE
The Leader of the Council reported the recommendation of the
Appointments Committee to appoint John Mitchell as Chief Executive,
Returning Officer, Electoral Registration Officer, and Head of Paid
Service. He proposed adoption of the recommendation and the motion
was seconded by Councillor Chambers.
The motion was declared carried.
RESOLVED that John Mitchell be appointed Chief Executive,
Returning Officer, Electoral Registration Officer, and designated
as Head of Paid Service, with immediate effect.
