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 Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

Re: Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Thank you for your request dated 23rd August for information.

Your request has been passed to the Corporate Services department who endeavour to provide you with a response within 20 working days or in any case by the 23rd September. If a time extension is required you will be contacted accordingly.

If you have any queries about this matter please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Jennifer Ball
Freedom of Information Officer
Doncaster Council
Customer Services Performance Team
Corporate Services
College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3DA

Tel 01302 737644
Fax 01302 737510
Email [email address] <mailto:[email address]>

N.B. Your name address and details of your information request will be recorded and held by Doncaster Council for monitoring and statistical purposes.

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Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

I am writing to you to inform you that the Council departments dealing with your Freedom of Information request require a timescale extension I apologise for the short notice of this extension however this is due to some of the information you have requested not yet being available in order to complete your response. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you we will endeavour to provide you with a full response by Friday the 26th September at the latest.

Thank you

Yours sincerely

Jennifer Ball
Freedom of Information Officer
Doncaster Council
Customer Strategy & Development
Neighbourhoods & Communities
Tel: 01302 737644
Fax: 01302 737510
Address:
Performance Team
The Council House
Floor 2
College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3DA
Email: [email address]

From: Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS
[[FOI #2015 email]]
Sent: 23 August 2008 16:30
To: Freedom of Information Requests
Subject: Freedom of Information request - council functions

Dear Sir or Madam,

1. 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);

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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. 6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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)

9. 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). 10. 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 Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request for information please find below Doncaster Councils responses to the questions you have raised we sincerely apologise for the delay in replying.

1. 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.

The Council does not have a central time record for its members, we do centrally record attendance at meetings. After carefully considering your request for this information the Council has decided that to collate and respond to this part of your request would exceed the appropriate limit as defined in the Freedom of Information Act 2000, section 12(1). This limit is currently set at £450 which equates to approximately two and a half days work.

2. 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.

Elected Representatives Costs

05/06 £1.011m
06/07 £1.040m
07/08 £1.063m

Please note:-
These costs include those of the elected Mayor who isn't a Councillor. These costs exclude those related to co-opted members. This means the figures are slightly different to those reported in the Councils annual Statement of Accounts.

3. 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.

Year Number of Complaints
2005-06 2,732
2006-07 1,615
2007-08 1,347

The Council has a Corporate Complaints procedure in which all complaints are dealt with by Council management.

4. 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.

None

5. 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.

None

6. 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.

The Council has not previously held a central record of the compensation paid out to complainants, this is due to individual service areas meeting the agreed compensation payments from their service area budgets. Therefore after carefully considering your request for this information the Council has decided that to collate and respond to this part of your request would exceed the appropriate limit as defined in the Freedom of Information Act 2000, section 12(1). This limit is currently set at £450 which equates to approximately two and half days work.

7. 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)

The amount of money paid for 2005/2006 was £1900
The amount of money paid for 2006/2007 was £2782
The amount of money paid for 2007/2008 was £6260

All the recommendations have been met in full. These costs have been met from the Council's services budgets apart from one amount in 2005/6 and one in 2006/7.

9. 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).

Year Cost of Administering Complaints(FTE)Number of Staff to Administer(FTE)
2005-06 £130,505.45 5
2006-07 £93,045.48 3.3
2007-08 £144,951.90 4.8

10. 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.

Total Number of Staff Employed by DMBC
2005/2006 15238
2006/2007 15084
2007/2008 15162

The Council does not hold information on the total cost of administrative staff.

Any pay increases (including increments) in pounds sterling made to the MD over last 3 years.

2005/06 - 2.95% (£4658 gross), plus one increment of £5,000 for achieving satisfactory performance against targets set for previous financial year
2006/07 - 2.95% (£4277 gross) national annual pay award (no increments payable)
2007/08 - 2.475% (£4004 gross) national annual pay award (no increments payable)

The Managing Director post does not attract Performance Related Pay.

I hope that this information is useful to you.

Reviewing any decisions made:

You can ask us to review any decisions made about your request. You do this by writing to
Information & Communications,
Nether Hall Road,
Doncaster,
DN1 2PN
e-mail: [email address]

You can apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision about our compliance or otherwise with the Freedom of Information legislation. Please contact the Commissioner for details on how to do this - telephone 01625 545700, address: Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Internet: <http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/>

Yours sincerely

Jennifer Ball
Freedom of Information Officer
Doncaster Council
Customer Strategy & Development
Neighbourhoods & Communities
Tel: 01302 737644
Fax: 01302 737510
Address:
Performance Team
The Council House
Floor 2
College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3DA
Email: [email address]

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