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

Dear Sir,

I acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request dated 23rd.
August, 2008. I have forwarded your request to the relevant services
for a response. It is the Council's intention to reply to your request
on or before the 21st. September, 2008.

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. L. Oliver
Legal Services Support Officer (FOI)
Corporate Services
Chelmsford Borough Council
T: (01245) 606435
www.chelmsford.gov.uk

The contents of this message should not be taken as necessarily being the views, opinions, policies or procedures of Chelmsford Borough Council and does not give rise to any contract, undertaking or agreement. E-mail is not a secure form of communication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this message has been correctly addressed, it and any associated files may contain privileged or confidential information or details intended only for the sender and intended recipient. If this transmission is received by anyone other than the intended recipient please delete the message and any associated files and destroy any printed copy. Please notify the sender by a return e-mail or, if known to you, telephone the sender and make them aware that the transmission has been received by someone other than the intended recipient.

For the attention of Stuart Hardwicke Carruthers

Dear Sir

I refer to your Freedom of Information request dated 23 August 2008 on
council functions.

I am currently putting together a response but need clarification on
precisely what information you are seeking in your query

"Please also provide details of your total administrative costs for
2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008".

Is that the cost of staff salaries and wages, and/or all associated
on-costs, including National Insurance contributions, superannuation
payments, accommodation expenses, IT costs etc?

Perhaps you would define what you mean by "administrative costs".

Brian Mayfield

Democracy Team Manager

Corporate Services

Chelmsford Borough Council

Tel 01245 606923

www.chelmsford.gov.uk

An Excellent Council

The contents of this message should not be taken as necessarily being the views, opinions, policies or procedures of Chelmsford Borough Council and does not give rise to any contract, undertaking or agreement. E-mail is not a secure form of communication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this message has been correctly addressed, it and any associated files may contain privileged or confidential information or details intended only for the sender and intended recipient. If this transmission is received by anyone other than the intended recipient please delete the message and any associated files and destroy any printed copy. Please notify the sender by a return e-mail or, if known to you, telephone the sender and make them aware that the transmission has been received by someone other than the intended recipient.

Dear MAYFIELD, Brian,

Your understanding of what forms administrative expenses is similar
to mine (wages + on costs)

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Hardwicke Carruthers

Dear Madam,

With reference too your Freedom of Information request of 24th. August,
2008. I have received a response from ouor Democratic Services and
would reply as follows:-

There has been only one case in the last 10 years where the Ombudsman
found there was maladminstration causing injustice. Chelmsford Borough
Council accepted the findings in full and complied with the
recommendation in full.

Yours faithfully,
Mrs.L. Oliver
Legal Services Support Officer
Corporate Services
Chelmsford Borough Council
T: (01245) 606435
www.chelmsford.gov.uk

The contents of this message should not be taken as necessarily being the views, opinions, policies or procedures of Chelmsford Borough Council and does not give rise to any contract, undertaking or agreement. E-mail is not a secure form of communication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this message has been correctly addressed, it and any associated files may contain privileged or confidential information or details intended only for the sender and intended recipient. If this transmission is received by anyone other than the intended recipient please delete the message and any associated files and destroy any printed copy. Please notify the sender by a return e-mail or, if known to you, telephone the sender and make them aware that the transmission has been received by someone other than the intended recipient.

Dear Sir,

With reference to your Freedom of Information request of the 23rd.
August, 2008. Please see the attached details in reply to your request.

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. L. Oliver
Legal Services Support Officer (FOI)
Corporate Services
Chelmsford Borough Council
T: (01245) 606435
www.chelmsford.gov.uk

l

The contents of this message should not be taken as necessarily being the views, opinions, policies or procedures of Chelmsford Borough Council and does not give rise to any contract, undertaking or agreement. E-mail is not a secure form of communication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this message has been correctly addressed, it and any associated files may contain privileged or confidential information or details intended only for the sender and intended recipient. If this transmission is received by anyone other than the intended recipient please delete the message and any associated files and destroy any printed copy. Please notify the sender by a return e-mail or, if known to you, telephone the sender and make them aware that the transmission has been received by someone other than the intended recipient.

Dear Sir,

Further to my earlier e-mail. The information in respect of complaints
will be available by the 23rd. September, 2008.

Regards
Mrs. L. Oliver
Legal Services Support Officer (FOI)
Corporate Services
Chelmsford Borough Council
T: (01245) 606435
www.chelmsford.gov.uk

The contents of this message should not be taken as necessarily being the views, opinions, policies or procedures of Chelmsford Borough Council and does not give rise to any contract, undertaking or agreement. E-mail is not a secure form of communication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this message has been correctly addressed, it and any associated files may contain privileged or confidential information or details intended only for the sender and intended recipient. If this transmission is received by anyone other than the intended recipient please delete the message and any associated files and destroy any printed copy. Please notify the sender by a return e-mail or, if known to you, telephone the sender and make them aware that the transmission has been received by someone other than the intended recipient.

To Whom it May Concern

I refer to my e-mail of the 10th. September, 2008. Could you please
ignore it as it was sent to you in error. My apoligies for this error
and any problems it may have caused.

Regards
Mrs. L. Oliver
Legal Services Support Officer
Corporate Services
Chelmsford Borough Council
T: (01245) 606435
www.chelmsford.gov.uk

The contents of this message should not be taken as necessarily being the views, opinions, policies or procedures of Chelmsford Borough Council and does not give rise to any contract, undertaking or agreement. E-mail is not a secure form of communication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this message has been correctly addressed, it and any associated files may contain privileged or confidential information or details intended only for the sender and intended recipient. If this transmission is received by anyone other than the intended recipient please delete the message and any associated files and destroy any printed copy. Please notify the sender by a return e-mail or, if known to you, telephone the sender and make them aware that the transmission has been received by someone other than the intended recipient.

Dear OLIVER, Lillie,

No worries.. mistakes happen.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Hardwicke Carruthers