Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to know the average proportion of time the elected
representatives of your authority spend as part of their duties for
2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 on their main activities. The
activities that form their duties (employment) as an elected
representative are:

1 directly resolving complaints against the executive (Council
Staff) of the Council by residents; 2 sitting on committee's; 3
acting for the political parties that they represent and/or
ceremonial duties (i.e. all time not spent on sitting on a
Committee or resolving a complaint against the executive);

The total time spent by an elected representative for a Council on
these three activities should be 100 per cent of the time they
spend 'working for a Council' as an elected representative.

I would additionally like to know how much in total was paid to
local councillors to meet all their duties (including expenses) for
2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 by your authority, and how many
elected representatives are (and were) represented on your
authority for these years.

I would also like to know how many Complaints in total were
submitted to your Council in 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 for
each year. I would further like to know how many of these
complaints were formally considered by an elected representative
for each of these years.

I would further like to know how many complaints against the
Executive (Council staff) led to the elected representatives
formally identifying that the Executive had acted wrongly for the
years 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, and how many of these
formal determinations by the elected representatives identify that
there was no wrong-doing by the Executive. How many staff employed
by your authority in 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 ceased to
be employed by your authority as a direct result of a complaint
against the Executive, and the Councillors identifying this to be
the case.

I would further like to know how much money the Council has paid to
a complainant (i.e. victim of a Council's wrongdoing) through its
own complaints system (i.e. excluding any intervention by the Local
Government Ombudsman, Valuation Tribunal or similar body) in
2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008.

I would like to know how much money either in the form of local
settlement or additional formal finding of maladministration
causing injustice the Local Government Ombudsman has recommended
that your Council pay in 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 (for
each year) and if the Local Government Ombudsman's recommendations
have been met in full (including any non-financial recommendations
for each year)). Please detail any recommendation that has not been
met in full and provide a copy of the Elected representatives
decision. Please additionally identify if these costs were met
directly by Council Tax Payers or the Council's insurers (excluding
self insurance by a Council)

Finally, please provide details of the financial cost of
administering all your complaints systems (including FoI and DP) by
the Executive for 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 and the number
of staff employed in administering complaints and resolving these
(Full time equivalent staffing levels). Please also provide details
of your total administrative costs for 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and
2007/2008 and the total number of staff employed by your authority,
as well as any pay increase (including increments) made to the
Council's Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) in pounds sterling
for each of these years. Please additionally identify if the Chief
Executives wages included performance related payments.

If you do not have this reasonably basic management information
related to complaints and/or identify that the costs of accessing
the information requested will be more than £450 please state this
and identify that your Authority does not have either a functioning
or accountable complaints system, and does not maintain any basic
management information related to this issue.

If you have a complaints system not fit for purpose please identify
which political party currently controls your Council, and if this
political party has appointed the current Electoral Registration
and Returning Officer through its control of the Council (with date
of their formal appointment). Please name the current Electoral
Registration and Returning Officer, and identify if they are also
Head of Paid Service, and Clerk to your Authority. Please
additionally provide any documentation maintained by your Local
Authorities Head of Paid Service identifying that they personally
do not believe it to be appropriate for your Council to have a
complaints system that is fit for purpose. This documentation
should be in existence due to the provisions of s4 of the Local
Government Act 1989.

Yours faithfully

Stuart HARDWICKE CARRUTHERS

Please refer to the attached correspondence.

Kind regards

Jane Holden
Corporate Services Officer
Town Hall, Duke Street
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria LA14 2LD
Tel: 01229 876452
Fax: 01229 876515

Did you know that under Freedom of Information Act 2000, an email can form part of a response for information?

show quoted sections

Please refer to the attached correspondence.

Kind Regards

Jane Holden
Corporate Services Officer
Town Hall, Duke Street
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria LA14 2LD
Tel: 01229 876452
Fax: 01229 876515

Did you know that under Freedom of Information Act 2000, an email can form part of a response for information?

show quoted sections

Dear Freedom of Information,

'Employment' is a term - the Cllrs receive an honorarium and
allowances, and sometimes also admission to a Council's pension
scheme. If there is admission to the pension scheme there is formal
employment. The information requested relates to their duties
(allocation of time and any payments). I would normally refer to
political representatives of a Council as the administration.

In relation to your query related to paragraph 6 - I would normally
identify the staff (not elected representatives) as being the
executive (responsible for implementing (executing the decisions of
the administration). I would guess that you have developed a
cabinet management system - and that there has been poor use of
words used to describe the members of the Cabinet (administration
that act on behalf of other members of the administration).

hopefully, that provides the required clarification.

Yours faithfully

Stuart Hardwicke Carruthers

Yours sincerely,

Dear Stuart

Unfortunately your assumption that the Council has adopted Executive
Cabinet arrangements is incorrect. We are a fourth option Council with
a streamlined committee structure. We have annual elections by thirds.
Our members only receive allowances. None of them are in the pension
scheme. There is employment status.

We are still unsure as to what information you require about Council
staff. Perhaps it would help you if we stated now that no complaints
have been received against our staff that have subsequently been
referred to our elected representatives.

Regards

Jane Holden
Corporate Services Officer
Town Hall, Duke Street
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria LA14 2LD
Tel: 01229 876452
Fax: 01229 876515

Did you know that under Freedom of Information Act 2000, an email can
form part of a response for information?

show quoted sections

Dear Freedom of Information,

Do you actually mean there is employment status for the Cllrs ?

For clarity... How many complaints have been submitted to the Head
of Paid Service ['HOP's] (as they are responsible for the
activities of all staff both directly and indirectly). It is noted
that the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer has
in all probability chosen not to make elected representatives aware
of any complaints against the Council. The HOPS should have
detailed records available if they provide effective management
control ?

Was he actually appointed by the same Council of elected
representatives. It is anticipated that due to your streamlined
committee structure (and annual election by thirds) that the
position of ERO and RO is reaffirmed annually ? This information
was initially requested.

It is recognised that we are into interesting issues..

Yours sincerely,

Stuart HARDWICKE CARRUTHERS

Dear Stuart

There was an typing error in my email. It should have read, there is NO
employment status.

Your latest email digresses from the matter at hand and the purpose of
my original letter seeking clarification.

Clarity has not been achieved. You have not provided sufficient
information to enable me to proceed with your request. In fact the
matter has become more confused.

What I require from you is a clear request which specifies exactly the
information you require. Until I received this clarification your
request will not be processed.

Kind regards

Jane Holden
Corporate Services Officer
Town Hall, Duke Street
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria LA14 2LD
Tel: 01229 876452
Fax: 01229 876515

Did you know that under Freedom of Information Act 2000, an email can
form part of a response for information?

show quoted sections

Please refer to the attached correspondence.

Kind regards

Jane Holden
Corporate Services Officer
Town Hall, Duke Street
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria LA14 2LD
Tel: 01229 876452
Fax: 01229 876515

Did you know that under Freedom of Information Act 2000, an email can
form part of a response for information?

Barrow Borough Council - Enhancing the economic and social future
of the Borough.

Think - UK businesses use 2 million tonnes of paper each year - do
you really need to print this e-mail?

This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is
addressed. Any view or opinions presented are solely of the author
and do not necessarily represent those of Barrow Borough Council.
If you are not the intended recipient you may not use, disclose,
distribute, copy, print or rely on this e-mail. If you have received
this e-mail in error please contact the sender.

Dear Jane Holden,

I think that we have resolved the members issue. Para 6 relates to
the staff of the Council.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Hardwicke Carruthers

Please refer to the attached correspondence.

Regards

Jane Holden
Corporate Services Officer
Town Hall, Duke Street
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria LA14 2LD
Tel: 01229 876452
Fax: 01229 876515

Did you know that under Freedom of Information Act 2000, an email can
form part of a response for information?

Barrow Borough Council - Enhancing the economic and social future
of the Borough.

Think - UK businesses use 2 million tonnes of paper each year - do
you really need to print this e-mail?

This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is
addressed. Any view or opinions presented are solely of the author
and do not necessarily represent those of Barrow Borough Council.
If you are not the intended recipient you may not use, disclose,
distribute, copy, print or rely on this e-mail. If you have received
this e-mail in error please contact the sender.