Dear Ms Helland

Request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Thank you for your email received on 4 March 2010 requesting that the following information be provided to you:

“Please provide copies of the policies and proceedures in relation

to the resignation of Council Leaders and the appointment of new

leaders.”

The Council is treating your request as a request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Steven Purcell, former leader of Glasgow City Council and councillor for Ward 14 (Drumchapel/Anniesland) stood down as leader of the council on 2 March 2010 and resigned as a councillor on 5 March 2010.

The Council has subsequently received a large number of requests under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 seeking information relating to Mr Purcell's resignation. A number of these requests ask for the same, or very similar, information. In the interests of complying with our statutory duty to advise and assist applicants, and in order to put this information into the public domain as efficiently as possible, the Council has grouped the relevant requests for information into related strands. If you have asked for information in a given strand, the response below include all the information we have identified within that strand (apart from information we are withholding for some reason), even if the specific wording of your request might not quite have asked for the specific items in question.

In the interests of openness and transparency, the Council invited the Scottish Information Commissioner to assist with the search for information held by the Council which is covered by these requests. The Commissioner has unfortunately had to decline this invitation, because he must be able to reach an impartial view on the Council's handling of these requests if any of the applicants are unhappy with the response provided and remain unhappy after requesting an internal review by the Council. The Council has also had discussions with the (UK) Information Commissioner's Office regarding some of the requests where there is a significant data protection dimension to the information requested. These discussions have unfortunately delayed the Council's response.

The Council's Internal Audit section were asked to assist in the location and retrieval of relevant information, again in the interests of openness and transparency. Please note that due to the delay mentioned above, the Internal Audit checks have not yet been completed. We do not know if there is anything else to be found, but as our searches continue please be assured that we will proactively notify you of any additional information which comes to light.

Turning to the information you have requested:

The Council has no “policies and procedures” relating to either of the two matters mentioned.

The Leader of the Council is the leader of the majority political group and as such this is a matter for that group. By convention, the Leader of the Council is appointed by the Council as the Convener of the Executive Committee.

The Council accordingly feels that it has complied in full with your request. However, if you feel that this is not the case please contact the Customer Care Team at the number above.

Please note that the information provided in response to your request is, unless otherwise indicated, copyright © Glasgow City Council 2010. It is supplied to you in terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Any further use by you of this information must comply with the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as amended and/or the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997. In particular, any commercial use or re-use of the information provided requires the prior written consent of the Council.

Requests for such consent should be addressed to:

Head of PR & Marketing

Glasgow City Council

City Chambers

George Square

Glasgow

G2 1DU

Yours sincerely

Ayshea Brown

Freedom of Information Officer

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