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

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Dear sirs,

Response overdue. Complaint procedure engaged

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS

Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers,

Thankyou for your request to this authority.

Firstly - I must sincerely apologise as to the severe delay on response to
your request - this has been down to a number of factors - which I am
hoping to have resolved shortly.

I have recieved in part some answers to your request - and am still waiting
on another department with respect to the complaints section of your
request.

If you have any queries realting to your request - please do not hesitate
to contact me directly on 01442 228538
Once again I apologise for the delay - and will be sending further
information to you as soon as I recieve it.

Yours Sincerely

John Worts
Service Support Manager (ICT)

Stuart Hardwicke
CARRUTHERS
<request-2006-bb7 To
7c6bc@whatdotheyk FOI requests at Dacorum Borough
now.com> Council <[Dacorum Borough Council request email]>
cc
23/08/2008 16:14
Subject
Freedom of Information request -
council functions

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'm not convinced that these three definitions cover the total work of a
councillor (for instance ward surgeries; opening tenders; Portfolio
Holders, managing the business; partnership working with other bodies;
policy panels, etc.) However, the recent Independent Remuneration Panel
assessed that the members spend between 6 and 18 hours per week (average
13) on Council duties. Lets start with that figure as 100%. It is worth
pointing out that as far as remuneration for this time goes a 50%
'voluntary' principle applies - members assume that as they are elected
representatives 50% of their time is volunteered

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.
The council consists of 51 members (52 in 2005/06) and totals paid to local
councillors to meet all their duties (including expenses) for 2005/2006,
2006/2007 and 2007/2008 were £348,773.48, £362,986.11 and £361,593.08
respectively.

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. (Still waiting for this)

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. (Still waiting for this)

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. (Still waiting for this)

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) (Still waiting for this)

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. (Still waiting
for this)

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.(Still waiting for this)

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. (conservative administration) Daniel Zammit (ERO
& Chief Executive)

Yours faithfully

Stuart HARDWICKE CARRUTHERS

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Carruthers,

Can you please clarify what is meant by the following in your request.

1. directly resolving complaints against the exexcutive (Council
Staff)......

what is meany by executive ?

Is it senior council staff i.e Chief Executive, Directors, Heads of Service
or all council staff?

Also - in your question around financial cost of administering complaints
systems - your statement .."total adminisrative costs" - this seems to be
wide ranging in scope - and we are seeking clarification on if you require
specific areas of administrative costs.

Thank you in anticipation.

Yours Sincerely

show quoted sections

Dear Sir or Madam,

I understand the term executive refers to all staff employed by the
Council.

Administrative costs is the total cost of providing staff to
service the will of the administration.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS

Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers,

I am now in a position to supply you the relevant information not
originally answered in my reply to you dated 13/11/08

"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." Please see attached document
(Complaints.doc)
(See attached file: Complaints.doc)
We do not hold information on complaints considered by elected
representatives - as our complaints system does not record this.

"
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." 1, DO NOT HOLD "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". 1

"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."
2005/06 - £164,842 payments made

2006/07 - £180,914 payments made

2007/08 - £218,055 payments made

"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)" 0

"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)."
Aprox 1 Member of staff per department or directorate dealing with
complaints (we do not have dedicated complaints officer because complaints
responsibilities fall as part of their other responsibilities).
Admin Staff that deal with Complaints as part of their responsibilities
fall into Band 4 or 5 on average with respect to salaries. I attach our
2008 Pay scales spreadsheet for your attention.
(See attached file: 2008 Pay Scales.xls)
FOI & DPA logged on an access database - all requests handled separately by
the Council's Service Support Manager (ICT) or Information, Security &
Standards Officer.
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,"
2005/06 (Embedded image moved to file: pic26962.jpg)
2006/07 (Embedded image moved to file: pic24464.jpg)
2007/08 (Embedded image moved to file: pic05705.jpg)
"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."
2005/06 - £111K
2006/07 - £113K
2007/08 - Still awaiting this for you.

Please additionally identify if the Chief
Executives wages included performance related payments". Increments
set in agreement with UNISON nominally ~2 - 2.45% for the last three years.

Administrative costs can be found on our website -
http://www.dacorum.gov.uk/default.aspx?p... under 'Statement of
Accounts'

I hope this satisfies your request. I will endeavour to get back with the
07-08 figure for Chief Executive.
Please note - the post "Clerk to the authority" is obsolete, and its duties
subsumed in part to the monitoring officer - Head of Legal Services.

If I can be of any further assistance - please feel free to contact me

Yours Sincerely
John Worts
Service Support Manager (ICT)
01442 228538
[email address]

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Hardwicke-Carruthers,

As promised - pleae find enclosed a fuller breakdown of our Chief
Executives Salary for the following years;

2005/06

Basic Pay £106,589
NI £12,685
Super £14,376
Car £4,800

2006/07

Basic Pay £109,632
NI £13,042
Super £14,471
Car £4,800

2007/08

Basic Pay £111,825
NI £13,269
Super £15,980
Car £4,800

Yours Sincerely
John Worts

show quoted sections