Compromise agreements 2012 - 2014

The request was successful.

Dear Blackpool Borough Council,

Please could you disclose the number of staff exits which have
included the use of gagging orders otherwise technically known as
compromise or settlement agreements during the period 2012 - 2013, and 2013 - 2014.

Figures for 2012- 2013 were reported in a request on 4 September 2013, but only reported in part.

Please could you also provide a breakdown of the numbers and costs of
such agreements for the years indicated.

Please could you indicate how many agreements in each
year involved a member of staff exiting the organisation whose role
involved working with children or other vulnerable groups.

Yours faithfully,

John Rudkin

Dear Blackpool Borough Council,

My FOI regarding Compromise Agreements 2012 - 2014 has not been answered within the normally prescribed period (answer was to be provided by July 7th 2014). Please can you let me know what the delay is?

Yours faithfully,

John Rudkin

Debbie Botham, Blackpool Borough Council

Dear Mr Rudkin

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – INFORMATION REQUEST

I am writing to confirm that we have now completed our search for the
information you requested in the email below which was received by the
Council on 10 June 2014. 

Blackpool Councils approach to compromise agreements is to safeguard the
Council, to ensure the prudent and legal use of public monies and to
satisfy statute and case law. A compromise agreement is a negotiated
settlement in the context of an employment dispute. A payment is made to
an employee in return for an agreement that they will not pursue specific
legal claim(s) against the Council and includes terms such as
confidentiality and usually an agreed reference. An employee is only
allowed to sign a compromise agreement with the council after they have
received independent legal advice to ensure they are fully aware of the
nature of the agreement in its entirety. The Council does not use
compromise agreements in cases that relate to matters or complaints other
than those of an employment dispute. For example issues or concerns about
safeguarding practices or service failures are not the subject of
compromise agreements.

The table below shows the total number and costs of Compromise Agreements,
excluding those known to be purely redundancy related for the financial
year 20102/13 and 2013/14. These figures include staff in schools but
exclude Academy Schools. 

Financial Year  No of Agreements         Total Cost    
2012/13 18       £        188,421.61   
2013/14 25       £        329,507.70   
Grand Total     43       £        517,929.31   

In 2012/13, a total of 12 of these Agreements involved a member of staff
exiting the organisation whose role involved working with children or
other vulnerable groups. In 2013/14 the total was 18.

The legislation allows you to use the information supplied to you for your
own personal use.  Please be aware that any commercial use or other use
such as publication or sale may be a breach of copyright under the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 unless you obtain the copyright
holder’s prior permission.

Not all of the information that the Council supplies to you that is
subject to copyright, will be the Council’s copyright.  You should seek
consent from the Council or the copyright holder as appropriate.  If you
wish to reuse the information supplied you should contact the Council for
advice on this.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request you may ask for
an internal review and you should submit this in writing to: FOI Internal
Review, Blackpool Council, Town Hall, Blackpool, FY1 1NA.  Your request
for internal review should be submitted within 40 working days of receipt
by you of this response.

If you are not happy with the outcome of the review, you have the right to
apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. 
You can contact the Information Commissioner at: Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF, ([1]www.ico.org.uk).

If you have any queries about this letter you can contact me, or write to:
FOI, Town Hall, Blackpool, FY1 1NA, or email us at
[2][Blackpool Borough Council request email].  Please remember to quote your
reference number when you contact us.

Yours sincerely

Debbie Botham
Human Resources Systems and Information Officer
Human Resources, Communication and Engagement
Chief Executive's Directorate
Tel. 01253 47 7242
Fax. 01253 47 7201
Email. [3][email address]
Blackpool Council ¦ Human Resources, Communications and Engagement ¦
Progress House ¦ Clifton Road ¦ Blackpool ¦ FY4 4US

_____________________________________________

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John Rudkin left an annotation ()

Coincidentally, this appeared in the local press today: http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/b...

Make you own minds up.