Free Masons - Directors/ Officer/Employees

S Smith (Account suspended) made this Freedom of Information request to Kent County Council

The request was refused by Kent County Council.

From: S Smith (Account suspended)

3 March 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please state whether or not staff

(Directors/Officers, etc)

who are paid from the public purse, by the Tax Payers are:

1) Members of the Free Masons?

2) Required to declare their membership on their declarations of
interest form?

3) Please name all staff who are members of the Free Masons?

4) Any penalty for non-compliance?

Yours faithfully,

S Smith

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Kent County Council

4 March 2009

Dear Mr Smith

Thank you for your email.

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 31st
March 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/09/210 - in any
communication regarding this particular request.

Best regards

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

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From: S Smith (Account suspended)

9 April 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am sure you are aware that under the Freedom of Information Act
Kent County Council should have replied by now, can you please give
an indication, as to how long your response will be delayed?

Yours sincerely,

S Smith

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From: S Smith (Account suspended)

23 April 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Kent County Council's
handling of my FOI request 'Free Masons - Directors/
Officer/Employees'.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/fr...

Yours sincerely,

S Smith

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From: S Smith (Account suspended)

24 April 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please can you explain why there is such a delay;
could it be that there are so many that you require extra time?

Yours sincerely,

S Smith

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Kent County Council

24 April 2009

Attachment FOI 09 210 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF REQUEST FOR REVIEW RECEIVED 15th APRIL 2009.html
22K Download

Attachment FOI 08 698 RESPONSE TO FOI REQUEST RECEIVED 22nd SEPTEMBER 2008.html
11K Download

Dear S Smith

We responded to this particular Freedom of Information request on 14th
April 2009 and you requested an internal review later that evening. We
acknowledged your request for review the following day and we anticipate
that our Legal team will be in a position to reply to you by 13th May
2009.

Please see the attached email containing your original request dated 3rd
March, your addition to your request dated 7th March, our response to your
request dated 14th April, your request for internal review and our
acknowledgement to that.

If you feel that we are not complying with legislation and/or our review
process is ineffective, I suggest you escalate your complaint to the
Information Commissioner.

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...

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Kent County Council

24 April 2009

Attachment FOI 09 210 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF REQUEST FOR REVIEW RECEIVED 15th APRIL 2009.html
22K Download

Attachment FOI 08 698 RESPONSE TO FOI REQUEST RECEIVED 22nd SEPTEMBER 2008.html
11K Download

Dear S Smith

You have already requested an internal review of this request on 14th
April. We acknowledged your request for review the following day and we
anticipate that our Legal team will be in a position to reply to you by
13th May 2009.

Please see the attached email containing your original request dated 3rd
March, your addition to your request dated 7th March, our response to your
request dated 14th April, your request for internal review and our
acknowledgement to that.

If you feel that we are not complying with legislation and/or our review
process is ineffective, I suggest you escalate your complaint to the
Information Commissioner.

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...

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From: S Smith (Account suspended)

6 May 2009

To: Kent County Council
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Free Masons -
Directors/ Officer/Employees

Dear Sir or Madam

Unfortunately, it appears that a previous FOI relating to Elected
Members being Freemasons ,is being mixed up with this one and
refers to staff only i.e.3rd March 2009, which seems to have been
completely ignored with no response being supplied by Kent County
Council within the legal time frame.

To avoid further
confusion,please keep the two FOI requests separate.

Many thanks

Yours sincerely,

S Smith

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Kent County Council

8 May 2009

Attachment FOI 09 210 FOI 08 698.pdf
357K Download View as HTML

Dear S Smith,

Re: FOI/08/698 & FOI/09/210 Re: Free Masons and your complaint

I have undertaken a review of your complaint concerning the handling of
your two FOIA requests concerning staff and Councillors declaring
membership of the Free Masons. Please find attached a letter detailing the
outcome of my review. Should you have any queries please do not hesitate
to contact me.

Regards,

Wendy Morse

Solicitor

Commercial & Environmental Group

Legal & Democratic Services

Kent County Council County Hall Maidstone ME14 1XQ

E: [1][email address] T: 01622 694416 F: 01622
694402 W: www.kent.gov.uk/Legal

This communication may contain advice or information, that attracts legal
professional privilege and may be exempt from disclosure under the Data
Protection Act 1998 or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Accordingly,
do not disclose this communication to a third party without first taking
legal advice from the sender.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

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From: S Smith (Account suspended)

13 May 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

It is interesting to note the KCC leader is prepared to declare
when asked directly but not all elected members or staff.

What messeage does Kent County Council feel this sends out to the
Public, one of transparency or something to hide?

Yours sincerely,

S Smith

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Kent County Council

20 May 2009

Dear S Smith,

Thank you for your two further emails below.

As set out in previous responses to your enquiries concerning
declarations of membership of the Free Masons, both Councillors and
members of staff are required to declare membership.

If you have a problem with the way Kent County Council operates then
making FOIA requests is not the correct way to challenge this. Any
complaint should be sent to your Kent County Councillor, or
alternatively you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman if you wish
to allege malpractice.

Unless you have a query concerning the outcome of my review of the
handling of your two FOIAs I am unable to assist further with this
matter. Please be advised that any future correspondence on this same
subject will also be treated as vexatious within the meaning in section
14(1) FOIA and no further information will be provided.

Regards,

Wendy Morse
Solicitor
Commercial & Environmental Group
Legal & Democratic Services
Kent County Council County Hall Maidstone ME14 1XQ

E: [email address] T: 01622 694416 F: 01622 694402
W: www.kent.gov.uk/Legal

This communication may contain advice or information, that attracts
legal professional privilege and may be exempt from disclosure under the
Data Protection Act 1998 or the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Accordingly, do not disclose this communication to a third party without
first taking legal advice from the sender.

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