Legal Advice to Chief Executive

Dear Sir or Madam,

1) Did the Chief Executive make a request for legal advice, or was
he provided with legal advice (and if so, who from?) concerning
discontinuance of recording, monitoring and investigation of
complaints etc. concerning activities arising from and occurring
at, Redlands Farm and Airfield in Wanborough, before directing
Swindon Borough Council in November 2006 that he considered it
"inappropriate to continue to respond to complaints about Redlands
unless significant new matters are raised and [...] instructed both
the Director of Planning and the Director of Enforcement and Health
accordingly." He stated "We will continue to investigate new or
material breaches of the conditions attached to the Planning
Permission for the site in accordance with our Enforcement Policy."

2) a)Did the Borough Solicitor advise the Chief Executive of the
illegality or legality of making such a direction to Swindon
Borough Council staff and specifically b) whether such an
instruction would be legally compliant?

3) Was this decision made public to the residents of the Borough of
Swindon and surrounding localities either by notification in the
local press or by notification to local Parish Councils?

4) Who was informed of this decision other than Swindon Borough
Council staff?

Yours faithfully,
K.Lacey

Dear Sharon Druett,

You have previously replied to an FOI request citing Section 42.

As there is a planning application concerning Redlands Farm
currently undetermined which has been subject material changes, and
which relates to activities subject to the Chief Executives
directive, there is some public interest in this matter and a need
for a decision about these FOI requests before the planning
application is brought before the planning committee.

Many local people are concerned about what legal advice has been,
and is, being provided in regard to planning applications
concerning Redlands Farm. There have been instances where Swindon
Borough Council has not been legally compliant. It is in the public
interest that the information that I have requested is released. A
failure to provide,according to a Barrister consulted about this
issue, what should be standard legal advice, suggests that the
Council has something to hide.
A section 42 exemption allows the Council to escape responsibility
of reply if the information provided could be used in legal
proceedings against it.

Actions taken by the Council regarding Redlands Farm have already
exposed the Council legally.

Yours sincerely,

K.Lacey