function council

Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS made this Freedom of Information request to Mendip District Council

The request was partially successful.

From: Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS

23 August 2008

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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From: customerservices
Mendip District Council

26 August 2008

Dear Mr Hardwicke-Carruthers,

Thank you for your enquiry. In order to further your query and ensure we can deliver the service, please supply us with the following additional information:

Name:
House Number/Name:
Street Name:
Town/Village:
Postcode:

Please supply us details of your preferred contact method:

Email address:
Telephone number:

We will await your response in due course.

Lindsey Skelton-Smith
Customer Services, Advice and Information
Mendip District Council, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5BT
Tel. 01749 648999
e-mail [email address]

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From: Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS

26 August 2008

Dear customerservices,

My FoI request has been validly made. There is as far as I can
identify no requirement to provide the information that you
request. You are already aware that I made the request through the
Whatdotheyknow site.

Please would you identify in addition why you are seeking to
collect additional personal information.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart HARDWICKE CARRUTHERS

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From: customerservices
Mendip District Council

27 August 2008

Mr Hardwicke-Carruthers,

If you do not wish to provide us with the additional information we
requested you are under no obligation to do so. The reason as to why
Mendip District Council ask for this information is to keep track of
when we received a request from a Customer and when we responded and
with what information etc. We receive hundreds of emails/e-forms a week
and by logging the requests under a name and an address is it quicker
for us to be able to see what has happened to the case and ensure a
satisfactory response has been received by the Customer.

Lucy Knowles

Development Officer
Customer Services Advice and Information
Mendip District Council,
Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet,
Somerset,BA4 5BT

TTDirect Telephone: 01749 341432
00E-mail: [email address]

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From: Lyons, Fiona
Mendip District Council

27 August 2008

Attachment image002.gif
3K Download

Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data

My Ref FOI/2008/428 Direct Line: 01749 341247
Please Reply to: Fiona Lyons Ext: 247
e-mail [email address] Fax: 01749 341542

27 August 2008

Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

Re: Freedom of Information Act 2000

Request for access to information Reference Number: FOI/2008/428

Function Council

I acknowledge your request for access to information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 as detailed above.

Under the Act the Council has 20 working days to comply with your request,
subject to any exemptions that may apply. This deadline will expire on 23
September 2008.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries regarding
your request.

Yours sincerely

Fiona Lyons

Data Protection Officer

Fiona Lyons

Data Protection Officer

Mendip District Council,

Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet,

Somerset BA4 5BT

* E-mail: [3][email address]

The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only.
This email may contain information which is confidential or privileged.
Unless you are the named addressee you may not copy or use it, act in
reliance on it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you have received this
email in error please notify Mendips Strategic ICT Dept on 01749 341270 or
by email at [email address] and then destroy it.

The Council reserves the right to monitor, record and retain any incoming
and outgoing emails for security reasons and for monitoring internal
compliance with the Council*s policies including the policy relating to
email use. Email monitoring and / or blocking software may be used, emails
may also be disclosed to other people under legislation, particularly the
Freedom of Information Act 2000

Unless this email relates to Mendip District Council business it will be
regarded by the Council as personal and will not be authorized or sent on
behalf of the Council. The sender will have sole responsibility for any
legal actions or disputes that may arise.

Mendip District Council makes every effort to keep its network secure and
free from viruses. However you do need to check this email and any
attachments to it for viruses and accuracy as the Council can take no
responsibility for any viruses, errors or omissions which are transferred
or arise as a result of the transmission of this email.

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From: Lyons, Fiona
Mendip District Council

22 September 2008

Attachment 428 Response.pdf
206K Download View as HTML

Link: [1]File-List

My Ref FOI/2008/428
Please Reply to: Fiona Lyons
e-mail [email address]

22 September 2008

Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

Re: Freedom of Information Act 2000

Request for access to information - FOI/2008/428

Function Council

With reference to your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000,
please find the information you have requested on the attached Response.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further assistance
in this matter.

Yours sincerely

Fiona Lyons

Data Protection Officer

Mendip District Council,

Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet,

Somerset BA4 5BT

The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only.
This email may contain information which is confidential or privileged.
Unless you are the named addressee you may not copy or use it, act in
reliance on it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you have received this
email in error please notify Mendips Strategic ICT Dept on 01749 341270 or
by email at [email address] and then destroy it.

The Council reserves the right to monitor, record and retain any incoming
and outgoing emails for security reasons and for monitoring internal
compliance with the Council*s policies including the policy relating to
email use. Email monitoring and / or blocking software may be used, emails
may also be disclosed to other people under legislation, particularly the
Freedom of Information Act 2000

Unless this email relates to Mendip District Council business it will be
regarded by the Council as personal and will not be authorized or sent on
behalf of the Council. The sender will have sole responsibility for any
legal actions or disputes that may arise.

Mendip District Council makes every effort to keep its network secure and
free from viruses. However you do need to check this email and any
attachments to it for viruses and accuracy as the Council can take no
responsibility for any viruses, errors or omissions which are transferred
or arise as a result of the transmission of this email.

show quoted sections

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From: Lyons, Fiona
Mendip District Council

22 September 2008

Attachment Public Notice of Allowances Claimed year end 31.03.08.pdf
63K Download View as HTML

Attachment Mendip District Council Constitution Section 03 Members of the Council.pdf
29K Download View as HTML

Attachment Public Notice of Allowances Claimed year end 31.03.06.pdf
52K Download View as HTML

Attachment Public Notice of Allowances Claimed year end 31.03.07.pdf
48K Download View as HTML

Link: [1]File-List

My Ref FOI/2008/428
Please Reply to: Fiona Lyons
e-mail [email address]

22 September 2008

Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

Re: Freedom of Information Act 2000

Request for access to information - FOI/2008/428

Function Council

With reference to my earlier e-mail please find attached additional
information relating to your request as referred to in the Response
document.

Yours sincerely

Fiona Lyons

Data Protection Officer

Mendip District Council,

Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet,

Somerset BA4 5BT

The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only.
This email may contain information which is confidential or privileged.
Unless you are the named addressee you may not copy or use it, act in
reliance on it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you have received this
email in error please notify Mendips Strategic ICT Dept on 01749 341270 or
by email at [email address] and then destroy it.

The Council reserves the right to monitor, record and retain any incoming
and outgoing emails for security reasons and for monitoring internal
compliance with the Council*s policies including the policy relating to
email use. Email monitoring and / or blocking software may be used, emails
may also be disclosed to other people under legislation, particularly the
Freedom of Information Act 2000

Unless this email relates to Mendip District Council business it will be
regarded by the Council as personal and will not be authorized or sent on
behalf of the Council. The sender will have sole responsibility for any
legal actions or disputes that may arise.

Mendip District Council makes every effort to keep its network secure and
free from viruses. However you do need to check this email and any
attachments to it for viruses and accuracy as the Council can take no
responsibility for any viruses, errors or omissions which are transferred
or arise as a result of the transmission of this email.

show quoted sections

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