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Chauffeur- driven cars for public servants

John Harris (Account suspended) made this Freedom of Information request to Kent County Council

The request was successful.

From: John Harris (Account suspended)

17 August 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for supplying the following information regarding the
staff use of council cars.

Please confirm how many times elected members were also
chauffeur-driven?

As well as, stating the departure point and destination, (which may
help clarify the purpose of the journeys), especially as the CEO
Peter Gilroy's amount to 54 occasions; far more frequently more
than others?

It is imperative that the Public are made fully aware of all Public
funds and costing involved and the purpose.

Can you also explain why you do not keep a detailed record, and
explain what you mean by "so
cannot provide details of the purpose of the journey
retrospectively" either details were taken of the journeys or they
ere not; if they were taken why were they not recorded?

One would expect when using Public funds, for the purpose of the
journey to be clear and concise records kept for audit, in order to
stop any possible abuse of the system such as ; couldn't be
bothered to drive ones self to work in the snow or use public
transport, such as a taxi or dare I say catch a bus like the
Public?

Quote,

Kent County Council has four cars that senior management (director
level
and above) and elected members can use; 3 Volvo S80 diesels and a
1997
Volvo Estate. KCC employs one full-time administrator/chauffeur and
has
six other drivers/chauffeurs "on the books" who are employed on an
adhoc
basis and paid accordingly at an hourly rate.

In the last financial year (April 2008 - March 2009 inclusive), two
members of staff have used a chauffeur driven car; one was the
Director
of Strategic Development & Public Access (2 occasions) and the
other,
Staff Officer to the Leader (one occasion).

The Chief Executive has been chauffeur-driven on 54 occasions.

KCC only retains details of the departure point and the destination
so
cannot provide details of the purpose of the journey
retrospectively."

Yours faithfully,

John Harris

Link to this

Kent County Council

18 August 2009

Dear Mr Harris

I acknowledge your request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. Assuming we hold this information, I will endeavour
to supply the data to you as soon as possible but no later than 15th
September 2009 (20 working days from date of receipt).

I will advise you as soon as possible if we do not hold this information
or if there are exemptions to be considered and/or any costs for providing
the information. Please quote our reference - FOI/09/938 - in any
communication regarding this particular request.

Best regards
Corporate Access to Information Team, Chief Executive's Department
Kent County Council, Legal & Democratic Services, Room 1.94, Sessions
House, County Hall, Maidstone. ME14 1XQ.
Tel: 01622 696265 or 01622 694261 - Fax: 01622 694383
[1]http://www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democ...

show quoted sections

Link to this

Kent County Council

4 September 2009

Attachment use of members cars.pdf
9K Download View as HTML

Dear Mr Harris

Thank you for your request for information.

546 chauffeur-driven journeys were taken by elected members in the last
financial year (2008/2009). Please see the attached table for a breakdown.

This information was extracted from the chauffeurs' diary which records
the passenger(s), departure point and destination only. Kent County
Council does not maintain a record of the purpose of the journey as there
is no statutory requirement to do so.

However, if you believe that any elected member has abused the system in
some way, you should follow our complaints process
[1]http://www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democ...

If you are unhappy with this response, and believe KCC has not complied
with legislation, please ask for a review by following our complaints
process; details can be found at this link
[2]http://www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democ...
on our website. Please quote reference FOI/09/938.

If you still remain dissatisfied following an internal review, you can
appeal to the Information Commissioner, who oversees compliance with the
Freedom of Information Act 2000. Details of what you need to do, should
you wish to pursue this course of action, are available from the
Information Commissioner's website
[3]http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom...

Best regards

Caroline Dodge
Corporate Access to Information Coordinator, Chief Executive's Department
Kent County Council, Legal & Democratic Services, Room 1.94, Sessions
House, County Hall, Maidstone. ME14 1XQ.
Tel: 01622 221652 - Fax: 01622 694383
[4]http://www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democ...

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: John Harris (Account suspended)

5 September 2009

Dear Caroline Dodge,

Please can you answer the points that have been ignored, a full
explanation is required to comply with the FOIA.

Yours faithfully,

John Harris

Link to this

Kent County Council

10 September 2009

Dear Mr Harris

I am sorry that we have not fully satisfied your request.

We are approaching the source of the information for clarification
and hope that a full response will be sent as soon as possible.

Best regards
Corporate Access to Information Team, Chief Executive's Department
Kent County Council, Legal & Democratic Services, Room 1.94, Sessions
House, County Hall, Maidstone. ME14 1XQ.
Tel: 01622 696265 or 01622 694261 - Fax: 01622 694383
[1]http://www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democ...

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: John Harris (Account suspended)

15 September 2009

Dear Caroline Dodge,

Can you please define what you mean by as soon as possible, as this
request is due today.

Yours faithfully,

John Harris

Link to this

Kent County Council

22 September 2009

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 03 Nov to 28 Nov 2008.pdf
2.0M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 01 April to 30 April 2008.pdf
2.3M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 01 August to 31 August 2008.pdf
1.5M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 01 Jan to 30 Jan 2008.pdf
2.0M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 02 Feb to 27 Feb 2009.pdf
1.9M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 01 July to 31 July 2008.pdf
2.4M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 01 March to 31 March 2009.pdf
2.1M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 01 May to 31 May 2008.pdf
2.0M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 01 Oct to 31 Oct 2008.pdf
2.2M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 01 Sep to 30 Sep 2008.pdf
2.1M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 02 Dec to 30 Dec 2008.pdf
1.4M Download View as HTML

Attachment Chauffeur Driver diaries 02 June to 30 June 2008.pdf
2.1M Download View as HTML

Dear Mr Harris

Thank you for your emails of 5th and 15th September. I note your comments
that your 17th August request for information was incomplete as I had not
answered all the points you had raised in your original email and I
understand that because of this you consider KCC has not complied with
statutory timescales on this occasion.

In my 4th September response, I provided you with the number of times
elected members were chauffeur-driven. I also answered your question
regarding why KCC does not keep a detailed record of the purpose of the
journey.

I read your paragraph "As well as, stating the departure point and
destination, (which may help clarify the purpose of the journeys),
especially as the CEO Peter Gilroy's amount to 54 occasions; far more
frequently more than others?" as a statement/your comment/your opinion
rather than a request for information and did not provide the departure
point and destination and I presume that this is the information you
believe to be "missing" from my original response. Please accept my
apologies for my oversight and I have now attached scanned images of the
chauffeur/driver diaries which were used to extrapolate the figures
already provided to you. These are the only records held regarding
chauffeur driven journeys and I hope this information now satisfies your
request. KCC is under no obligation to CREATE information to satisfy
requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

If you are still unhappy with this outcome, you can now appeal to the
Information Commissioner, who oversees compliance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. Details of what you need to do, should you wish to
pursue this course of action, are available from the Information
Commissioner's website
[1]http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom... or you can
phone the ICO Helpline on 08456 30 60 60

Best regards
Caroline Dodge
Corporate Access to Information Coordinator, Chief Executive's Department
Kent County Council, Legal & Democratic Services, Room 1.94, Sessions
House, County Hall, Maidstone. ME14 1XQ.
Tel: 01622 221652 - Fax: 01622 694383
[2]http://www.kent.gov.uk/council-and-democ...

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: John Harris (Account suspended)

23 September 2009

Dear Caroline Dodge,

Thank you for this information, it is of great interest and just
what I was looking for.

Yours faithfully,

John Harris

Link to this

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