functions council

Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS made this Freedom of Information request to Rushmoor Borough Council

The request was partially successful.

From: Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS

24 August 2008

Dear Sir or Madam,

Sirs

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

Link to this

From: Diane Milton
Rushmoor Borough Council

26 August 2008

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email dated 24 August. There are a few matters I
would be grateful if you will clarify:

Firstly, can you please be more specific about what you mean by
Councillors "acting for the political parties they represent". In
general, where councillors are dealing with party political matters,
they are not dealing with the functions of a public authority and so the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply to those activities.

Also, you ask about the total number of complaints made to the Council;
can you be more specific about what you regard as a complaint made to
the Council. Do you include, for instance, the person who complains to
the Council about the noisy parties held by his neighbours, or the anti
social behaviour of drunken teenagers in the local park? Or do you mean
complaints about the Council, its officers and/or councillors?

I am not clear what you are asking for in relation to complaints about
the executive. Under the Council's constitution, which you will find on
our website, "the executive" is the Cabinet, which comprises elected
members and not Council staff. Please can you explain what it is you
are looking for.

It is not clear what you mean by a "complaints system not fit for
purpose", so can you explain. Regardless of that, however, information
about the political makeup of this authority is published on our website
and I attach a link to assist you:
http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/index.cfm?art...

You may not be aware, so may I just explain, that the right to access
information under the Freedom of Information legislation extends only to
information that is held in our records. There is no requirement to
create a record in order to answer a request and whilst I do not myself
know whether we hold it or not, I suspect that that may be the case with
some of what you have asked for.

I await hearing from you; we will not be able to begin processing your
request until we do so. It would be helpful if you can provide a
contact phone number in case we need to contact you further.

Yours faithfully,

Diane Milton
Legal Services Manager and Freedom of Information Officer
Rushmoor Borough Council

http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk
Tel 01252 398603

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http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk

Link to this

From: Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS

26 August 2008

Dear Diane Milton,

If a Councillor is not resolving complaints against a) the employed
staff or b) sitting on a Committee they are effectively engaged in
c) party political business. They are paid to do these things by
the public body through an allowance and/or expenses.

a) + b) + c) = total time budget of Cllrs.

allowance + expenses to meet their functions = cost

then in which case if they are not engaged in party political
activities (employed by your council) they will not be paid for
these will they..

If the Council does not know what a complaint is.. point proved..
You were reporting user satisfaction with your complaints systems
as part of BVPI4. I might have my own view as to what a complaint
is.. and what complaint systems you have.. (and administer)..

My understanding is that the Executive are all the Council
members.. and that the administration are the paid staff of the
Council (excluding the elected representatives)..

I would not dream of requesting you to create a record to answer
the request.. I am simply asking for basic management information
in relation to your complaints system.. and it's performance.. and
management.. Obviously if you don't have a record you are able to
answer the question's posed... and simply identify that there is no
record in relation to each point... obviously this might raise
record management issues.

I look forward to you processing my request and returning the
requested information within the statutory timescale.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart HARDWICKE CARRUTHERS

Link to this

From: Diane Milton
Rushmoor Borough Council

27 August 2008

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email dated 26 August.

As I said in my last email, purely party political matters (which do not
involve staff) are not a function of a local authority, are not paid for
under the allowance scheme and are not within the remit of the Freedom of
Information Act.

With respect to complaints, the important thing is what do you regard as a
complaint. It is your request and we need to understand what you mean.
There is a difference in the way we handle and record (a) complaints made
to the Council about the Council / staff / elected members and (b)
complaints about third parties (eg noise nuisance) made to the Council
which amount to a request for a Council service. You simply ask for
numbers of all complaints submitted to the Council so I will interpret
your request as relating just to those which are included in our formal
complaints system.

As a matter of law, this Council's executive is the Cabinet (ie some
elected members but not all members.) With that in mind, therefore, when
you ask for details of "complaints against the executive (Council staff)",
our interpretation is that you are asking for information about complaints
about the Cabinet.

I will now pass your request to relevant officers to consider and respond
within 20 working days.

Yours faithfully,

Diane Milton
Legal Services Manager and Freedom of Information Officer
Rushmoor Borough Council

[1]http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk
Tel 01252 398603

CONFIDENTIALITY & DISCLAIMER NOTICE

This email and any attachments are intended only for the individual or
entity to which they are addressed and may be confidential.

If this email has been sent to you in error, please accept our apologies
and inform the sender, delete the message and destroy all copies.
Unauthorised copying, distribution or other use of the information it
contains is strictly prohibited.

The content of email to and from the Council may be monitored for reasons
of good business practice and for monitoring compliance with the Council*s
staff policies. Email monitoring / blocking software may also be used.

Please note that under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and related
legislation, the Council may be required to disclose information contained
in any email or other correspondence and that complete confidentiality
cannot be guaranteed.

This footnote confirms that this email has been swept by the MessageLabs
Email Security System for the presence of computer viruses. We advise that
in keeping with good ICT practice you should confirm for yourself that
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Rushmoor Borough Council
http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk

References

Visible links
1. http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/

Link to this

From: Stuart Hardwicke CARRUTHERS

27 August 2008

Dear Diane Milton,

I am seeking information about complaints against the staff. This
has been made clear to you...

I also acknowledge that you are unable to identify the basis of
complaints against the Council.. and don't appear to record these.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart HARDWICKE CARRUTHERS

Link to this

From: Diane Milton
Rushmoor Borough Council

28 August 2008

Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

Further to your email of 27 August clarifying your request for
information, I would inform you that your request has now been forwarded
to the relevant departments for processing within 20 working days.

Yours sincerely

Diane Milton
Legal Services Manager and Freedom of Information Officer
Rushmoor Borough Council

CONFIDENTIALITY & DISCLAIMER NOTICE

This email and any attachments are intended only for the individual or entity to which they are addressed and may be confidential.

If this email has been sent to you in error, please accept our apologies and inform the sender, delete the message and destroy all copies. Unauthorised copying, distribution or other use of the information it contains is strictly prohibited.

The content of email to and from the Council may be monitored for reasons of good business practice and for monitoring compliance with the Council’s staff policies. Email monitoring / blocking software may also be used.

Please note that under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and related legislation, the Council may be required to disclose information contained in any email or other correspondence and that complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

This footnote confirms that this email has been swept by the MessageLabs Email Security System for the presence of computer viruses. We advise that in keeping with good ICT practice you should confirm for yourself that this email and attachments are virus free.

Rushmoor Borough Council
http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk

Link to this

From: Caroline Nicholson
Rushmoor Borough Council

23 September 2008

Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

Further to your request for information under the Freedom of Information
Act, I have taken each point I was able to identify and you will find the
answers in bold under the relevant question.

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);

Records are not kept on the three activities identified. However a
description of the roles which members of this authority are expected to
undertake are contained in Article 2 of the Council's Constitution which
you will find on our website -
[1]http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/index.cfm?art...

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.

Councillors' Allowances Payments in 2005/06 Municipal Year (June 2005 -
May 2006)

COUNCILLOR

BASIC

ALLOWANCE

(£)

SPECIAL

RESPONSIBILITY

(£)

TRAVEL AND SUBSISTENCE

(£)

TOTAL

(£)
Cr N.M. Baines 4449.96 6718.39 0.00 11168.35
Cr C. Balchin 4126.98 0.00 162.84 4289.82
Cr M.W. Banner 4126.98 0.00 0.00 4126.98
Cr Mrs D.B. Bedford 4449.96 6718.39 0.00 11168.35
Cr D. Cappleman 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr C.W. Card 4449.96 2374.16 0.00 6824.12
Cr M.S. Choudhary 4449.96 6718.39 0.00 11168.35
Cr D.E. Clifford 4449.96 3621.13 0.00 8071.09
Cr P.I.C. Crerar 4449.96 0.00 92.44 4542.40
Cr. Carolyne Culver 2356.57 0.00 0.00 2356.57
Cr G. Dawson 1483.32 0.00 0.00 1483.32
Cr Mrs. P.M. Devereux 4126.98 2095.80 0.00 6222.78
Cr N.M.J. Dewey 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr K. Dibble 4449.96 2374.16 0.00 6824.12
Cr Sue Dibble 4449.96 0.00 54.60 4504.56
Cr R.L.G. Dibbs 4449.96 7638.81 823.05 12911.82
Cr A.M. Ferrier 4449.96 6718.39 48.80 11217.15
Cr C.D. Fraser-Fleming 4449.96 0.00 41.63 4491.59
Cr. Sue Gadsby 2472.20 0.00 0.00 2472.20
Cr Patricia Hodge 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr B. Jupp 4449.96 0.00 34.78 4484.74
Cr R.J. Kimber 4449.96 0.00 95.91 4545.87
Cr J.P. Kirby 4126.98 0.00 0.00 4126.98
Cr J.H. Marsh 4449.96 1879.76 0.00 6329.72
Cr S.J. Masterson 4449.96 3621.13 0.00 8071.09
Cr J.P. Matthews 4449.96 0.00 17.39 4467.35
Cr P.J. Moyle 4449.96 10191.46 5.50 14646.92
Cr Mrs. J.P. Murphy 4126.98 0.00 0.00 4126.98
Cr S.P.J Murphy 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr K.H. Muschamp 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr Mrs L.J. Neal 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr G. Paparesti 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr M.J. Roberts 4449.96 0.00 212.55 4662.51
Cr. P.F. Rust 1543.13 0.00 0.00 1543.13
Cr P. Sandy 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr M.D. Smith 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr J.L. Starling 4126.78 0.00 0.00 4126.78
Cr P.G. Taylor 4449.96 3621.13 0.00 8071.09
Cr G.J. Tucker 4449.96 4070.89 150.74 8671.59
Cr J.J. Wall 4449.96 3621.13 0.00 8071.09
Cr N.J. Watkin 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr D.M. Welch 4449.96 3621.13 266.48 8337.57
Cr J.P. Weston 4449.96 0.00 0.00 4449.96
Cr F.J. Williams 4449.96 6718.39 0.00 11168.35

TOTALS 183915.54 82322.64 2006.71

268244.89

Councillors' Allowances Payments in 2006/07 Municipal Year (June 2006 -
May 2007)

COUNCILLOR

BASIC

ALLOWANCE

(£)

SPECIAL

RESPONSIBILITY

(£)

TRAVEL AND SUBSISTENCE

(£)

TOTAL

(£)
Cr. N.M. Baines 4575.00 4163.47 0.00 8738.47
Cr. Mrs. D.B. Bedford 4575.00 6869.67 0.00 11444.67
Cr. D. Cappleman 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. C.W. Card 4575.00 2601.59 0.00 7176.59
Cr. M.S. Choudhary 4575.00 6869.68 0.00 11444.68
Cr. D.E. Clifford 4575.00 3922.18 0.00 8497.18
Cr. P.I.C. Crerar 4575.00 0.00 161.98 4736.98
Cr. N.M.J. Dewey 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. K. Dibble 4575.00 2580.55 0.00 7155.55
Cr. Sue Dibble 4575.00 0.00 77.58 4652.58
Cr. R.L.G. Dibbs 4575.00 7806.45 1728.55 14110.00
Cr. A.M. Ferrier 4575.00 6869.68 180.71 11625.39
Cr. C.D. Fraser-Fleming 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. Sue Gadsby 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. Patricia Hodge 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. Mrs. L.J. Hoppitt 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. A. Jackman 4897.98 0.00 0.00 4897.98
Cr. B. Jupp 4242.94 0.00 41.88 4284.82
Cr. R.J. Kimber 4575.00 0.00 119.68 4694.68
Cr. A. Mackie 4897.98 0.00 0.00 4897.98
Cr. Hazel Manning 3960.10 0.00 0.00 3960.10
Cr. J.H. Marsh 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. S.J. Masterson 4575.00 3796.80 0.00 8371.80
Cr. J.P. Matthews 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. P.J. Moyle 4575.00 10408.10 266.42 15249.52
Cr. S.P.J Murphy 4242.94 0.00 0.00 4242.94
Cr. K.H. Muschamp 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. E.J. Neal 4897.98 0.00 0.00 4897.98
Cr. G. Paparesti 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. E.J. Poole 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. M.J. Roberts 4897.98 0.00 410.29 5308.27
Cr. P.F. Rust 4575.00 0.00 84.32 4659.32
Cr. P. Sandy 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. M.D. Smith 4575.00 0.00 0.00 4575.00
Cr. P.G. Taylor 4575.00 4007.73 0.00 8582.73
Cr. M.J. Tennant 4897.98 0.00 11.97 4909.95
Cr. D.J. Thomas 4897.98 0.00 0.00 4897.98
Cr. G.J. Tucker 4575.00 6849.68 317.76 11742.44
Cr. J.J. Wall 4575.00 3995.51 0.00 8570.51
Cr. N.J. Watkin 4575.00 3885.51 0.00 8460.51
Cr. D. Welch 4575.00 4056.62 158.63 8790.25
Cr. F.J. Williams 4575.00 6869.68 0.00 11444.68
TOTALS 192808.86 85552.90 3559.77 281921.50

Councillors' Allowances Payments in 2007/08 Municipal Year (June 2007 -
May 2008)

COUNCILLOR

BASIC

ALLOWANCE

(£)

SPECIAL

RESPONSIBILITY

(£)

TRAVEL AND SUBSISTENCE

(£)

TOTAL

(£)
Cr. N. Baines 4650.00 4231.79 0.00 8881.79
Cr. Mrs. D.B. Bedford 4650.00 7009.28 0.00 11659.28
Cr. T. D. Bridgeman 2721.25 0.00 0.00 2721.25
Cr. D. Cappleman 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. C.W. Card 4650.00 2473.68 0.00 7123.68
Cr. A. Chainey 4238.63 0.00 0.00 4238.63
Cr. M.S. Choudhary 4650.00 7009.28 0.00 11659.28
Cr. D.E. Clifford 4650.00 3998.56 0.00 8648.56
Cr. P.I.C. Crerar 4650.00 0.00 140.31 4790.31
Cr. N.M.J. Dewey 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. K. Dibble 4650.00 2473.68 0.00 7123.68
Cr. Sue Dibble 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. R.L.G. Dibbs 4650.00 7957.25 1824.50 14431.75
Cr. A.M. Ferrier 4650.00 1506.55 224.05 6380.05
Cr. C.D. Fraser-Fleming 4650.00 0.00 41.29 4691.29
Cr. Sue Gadsby 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. Patricia Hodge 3872.50 0.00 0.00 3872.50
Cr. Mrs. L.J. Hoppitt 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. A. Jackman 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. B Jupp 430.44 0.00 16.86 447.30
Cr. R.J. Kimber 4650.00 3646.19 48.96 8345.15
Cr. A. Mackie 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. Hazel Manning 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. J.H. Marsh 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. S.J. Masterson 4634.58 4769.23 58.03 9461.84
Cr. J.P. Matthews 1928.75 0.00 0.00 1928.75
Cr. P.J. Moyle 4650.00 10609.64 417.00 15676.64
Cr. S. P. Murphy 430.44 0.00 0.00 430.44
Cr. K.H. Muschamp 4650.00 3683.52 0.00 8333.52
Cr. E.J. Neal 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. G. Paparesti 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. B. W. Parker 4238.63 0.00 0.00 4238.63
Cr. E.J. Poole 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. M.J. Roberts 4650.00 0.00 352.45 5002.84
Cr. P.F. Rust 4650.00 0.00 268.23 4918.23
Cr. P. Sandy 762.5 0.00 0.00 762.5
Cr. M.D. Smith 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. M. Staplehurst 4978.51 0.00 0.00 4978.51
Cr. P.G. Taylor 4650.00 6747.88 0.00 11397.88
Cr. M.J. Tennant 4650.00 3671.08 0.00 8321.08
Cr. D.J. Thomas 4650.00 0.00 0.00 4650.00
Cr. G.J. Tucker 3872.50 5775.94 246.97 9895.41
Cr. J.J. Wall 430.44 402.15 0.00 832.59
Cr. N.J. Watkin 4650.00 3961.23 0.00 8611.23
Cr. D. Welch 4650.00 402.15 158.63 5210.78
Cr. F.J. Williams 4650.00 7009.28 0.00 11659.28
TOTALS 190639.17 87338.36 3797.28 281774.65

The Council has had 42 members through 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08
although there would be the occasional casual vacancy (e.g.. a Member has
died).

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.

Information is not collated centrally and is not contained in our records.

I would further like to know how many of these complaints were formally
considered by an elected representative for each of these years.

None - Members do not consider complaints

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,

N/A

and how many of these formal determinations by the elected representatives
identify that there was no wrong-doing by the Executive.

N/A

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.

N/A

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.

Information is not collated centrally and is not contained in our records.

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)

None

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).

This information is not held in our records

Please also provide details of your total administrative (interpreted to
be total salary bill for authority) costs for 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and
2007/2008 and the total number of staff employed by your authority,

Staff employed & total salary bill

05/06 - 321 £9,610,411.00

06/07 - 317 £10,183,691.00

07/08 - 308 not yet published but estimated to be £10,485,740.00

as well as any pay increase (including increments) made to the Council's
Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) in pounds sterling (the answer is
displayed as a %) for each of these years.

Chief Executive increase

05/06 - 2.9%

06/07 - 4.8%

07/08 - 2.9%

Please additionally identify if the Chief Executives wages included
performance related payments.

No - the Chief Executive does not receive PRP

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.

N/A

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).

We are a Conservative controlled Authority.

Please name the current Electoral Registration and Returning Officer, and
identify if they are also Head of Paid Service, and Clerk to your
Authority.

Electoral Registration & Returning Officer - Andrew Lloyd appointed Nov
96

Head of Paid Service - Andrew Lloyd

Clerk to the Authority - we do not have a
position
with
this title

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.

A new corporate procedure is currently being developed.

I hope that this answers your question satisfactorily, but if you are
unhappy with the reply you have received, I attach a link to the Council's
Complaints Procedure, which is the means by which you may request the
Council to review it.

[2]http://eforms.rushmoor.gov.uk/AF3/an/def...

Alternatively a printed copy of the Comments and Complaints Leaflet is
available if you wish.

If, following a review you are still dissatisfied, you can ask the
Information Commissioner to decide whether your request for information
has been dealt with in accordance with the legislation. The address is:

FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545 745
08456 30 60 60
Fax: 01625 524 510

An online complaints form is available on the ICO website at
[3]www.ico.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Mrs D Milton

Freedom of Information Officer

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