25 October 2010

Mr K Edmunds

23 Broad Street

PORTSMOUTH

PO1 2JD

Our ref: 10 000 639B2/NJ/lam

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If telephoning contact: Louise McCaig on 02476 820019

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Dear Mr Edmunds

Request for Information

Mr Pollard wrote to you on 3 September in response to your request for all correspondence relating to your complaint including a complete response from the Council, transcripts and notes relating to conversations with the Council and Mr Miles' enquiry letter. You wrote to the Ombudsman on 14 September to request a review of Mr Pollard's decision.

In that letter, and in a subsequent email, you request that the review be carried out by someone other than Mr Pollard (Acting Assistant Ombudsman), Mr Miles (Senior Investigator) and myself. You say this because you believe we have all been involved in “cover ups” in respect of previous complaints.

I have discussed your request with the Ombudsman who wishes me to consider your request for a review in the normal way. If you are unhappy with my review you may then seek the opinion of the Information Commissioner's office in line with the normal arrangements. For the avoidance of doubt, I reject your assertion about any officer in this organisation being involved in a “cover up” in respect of any complaint.

I have considered very carefully Mr Pollard's letter to you of 3 September and your request for a review. As I understand it, the only information you have not been sent is information sent to the Ombudsman in confidence. I agree with Mr Pollard's decision and the reasons he gave for not releasing it.

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Page 2.

You may now ask the Information Commissioner's office to consider the way we have dealt with your request. His address is: www.ico.gov.uk

Information Commissioner

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Neville Jones

Deputy Ombudsman