Council expenses for Treforest Councillor John Bell

The request was refused by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.

Dear Rhondda Cynon Taff Council,

John Bell was the County Borough Councillor for Treforest between 2008 and 2012. During this time John Bell claimed expenses under the allowances for councillors for Members of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.

Could you please provide a breakdown of the expense payments made to John Bell when he was the County Borough Councillor for Treforest.

At minimum I would like the amounts John Bell received each year and what these were for, such as the basic allowance and payments for dependents. If it is possible to have copies of claims forms for the dependents allowance and stay within statutory limits and data protection laws at the same time that would be helpful.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Bishop
Crocels News

Gummer, Claire, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Dear Mr Bishop

Thank you for your request for information which is receiving attention.

We are looking into this matter and shall contact you again in due course.

Yours sincerely

Claire

Claire Gummer
Corporate Governance Team
Legal & Democratic Services
Rhondda Cynon Taff C.B.C.
The Pavilions
Cambrian Park
Clydach Vale
Tonypandy
CF40 2XX

Tel: (01443) 424111
Fax: (01443) 424114
Email: [email address]

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Freedomofinformation, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Dear Mr Bishop

I refer to your Freedom of Information Request in respect of former County Borough Councillor John Bell's expenses and allowances.

The information that you have requested is available on the Council's website, therefore we are applying the exemption set out under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, namely the information is accessible by other means.

Accordingly, in accordance with Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ("the Act") this email acts as a Refusal Notice.

You can access the information by using the following link:

http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/councildemoc...

Yours sincerely

Claire
 
Claire Gummer
Corporate Governance Team
Legal & Democratic Services
Rhondda Cynon Taff C.B.C.
The Pavilions
Cambrian Park
Clydach Vale
Tonypandy
CF40 2XX
 
Tel:  (01443) 424111
Fax: (01443) 424114
Email:  [email address]

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Dear Claire,

Thank you for your response.

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

I am writing to request an internal review of Rhondda Cynon Taff Council's handling of my FOI request 'Council expenses for Treforest Councillor John Bell'.

I thank you for providing access to the expenses of Cllr John Bell, who was the county borough councillor for Treforest. Your response, however, omits access to the claims forms used by Cllr John Bell.

I would be grateful if you could supply these with any personally identifiable information removed. You will note that such information has been deemed public information in relation to the expenses of Members of Parliament.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Bishop
Editor-in-chief, Crocels News

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

Yours faithfully,

Crocels News

Gummer, Claire, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Dear Mr Bishop

I will pass your request for an internal review of your Freedom of Information Request to the Service Director of Legal & Democratic Services, who will be in touch in due course.

Yours sincerely

Claire
 
Claire Gummer
Corporate Governance Team
Legal & Democratic Services
Rhondda Cynon Taff C.B.C.
The Pavilions
Cambrian Park
Clydach Vale
Tonypandy
CF40 2XX
 
Tel:  (01443) 424111
Fax: (01443) 424114
Email:  [email address]

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Dear Claire Gummer

We are still waiting for a response to this internal review on the claims made by John Bell when he was councillor for Treforest. It is the claim form for the dependents allowance, less any personal details, we are requesting.

Yours sincerely,

Crocels News

Dear Gummer, Claire,

We are still waiting for your reply to our request for internal review.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Bishop
Crocels News

Dear Claire Gummer,

We are still waiting the outcome of the internal review into whether we can have a copy of the form used by former Treforest councillor John Bell to claim the dependents allowance for his family member's care while he attended meetings. We aprreciate you have to protect the identities of third parties when supplying this public information.

Yours sincerely,

Crocels News

dennis fallon left an annotation ()

How can they simply ignore a valid request and still keep their jobs?

M Davies left an annotation ()

They also seem to pick out and ignore anyone sending the same requests to multiple Authorities. I understand now when I read an article in a newspaper where they state that all Local Councils were sent an FOI Request but only x amount responded.