External legal costs and advice

The request was successful.

Dear Mr Tillman,

I am requesting detailed costs breakdowns, preferably invoices, for external legal advice for the following;

1. Any employment issues regarding the Chief Executive of the council from October 2013 to date. Please include any costs incurred prior and during the police investigation early in 2014 and also the Chief Executive's application for severance which he has now withdrawn.
If any costs were incurred, please identify the legal firms involved

2. Detailed invoices from Mr Tim Kerr QC and also Slater and Gordon Solicitors (Formerly Russell Jones and Walker)

Please contact me via this website if you require clarification.

Yours sincerely,

Jacqui Thompson

FOIA, Carmarthenshire County Council

Dear Mrs. Thompson,

Thank you for your request for information, which was received on 20th February, 2015 and is being dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

We are therefore required to provide you with a response within 20 working days, which will be on or before 20th March, 2015

If we require any clarification or further details, we will contact you as soon as possible - if this is the case, then the timescale for response specified above may be subject to change.

In the meantime, if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me, remembering to quote the reference number provided above in any communications.

Yours sincerely
John Tillman
Swyddog Gwybodaeth a Diogelu Data
Adran y Prif Weithredwr
Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin

Information & Data Protection Officer
Chief Executive's Department
Carmarthenshire County Council
Mewnol/Internal: 4127
Allanol/External: 01267 224127

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FOIA, Carmarthenshire County Council

Dear Mrs Thompson,

Further to our acknowledgement of your request, below, I would be grateful if you could provide clarification regarding the second part of your request.

Please confirm whether or not this is concerned with a particular time period and/or, does it relate solely to the defamation proceedings and the subsequent PIR?

If you need any assistance with this, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

John Tillman
Swyddog Gwybodaeth a Diogelu Data
Adran y Prif Weithredwr
Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin

Information & Data Protection Officer
Chief Executive's Department
Carmarthenshire County Council

Mewnol/Internal: 4127
Allanol/External: 01267 224127

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Dear Mr Tillman,

For clarification of point 2, I would like the detailed invoices to cover time periods, clearly including, but not exclusively limited to the defamation proceedings and the PIRs.

Tim Kerr QC - From July 2013 to date
Slater and Gordon/Russell Jones and Walker - From July 2011 to date.

Thank you,
Jacqui Thompson

Dear Mr Tillman,

Just a reminder that according to your dates, this request should have been answered by the 20th March

Thank you,
Jacqui Thompson

FOIA, Carmarthenshire County Council

Dear Mrs Thompson,

Thank you for your email.

I apologise for the delay in providing a response to your request - we will do so as soon as practicably possible.

Yours sincerely

John Tillman
Swyddog Gwybodaeth a Diogelu Data
Adran y Prif Weithredwr
Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin

Information & Data Protection Officer
Chief Executive's Department
Carmarthenshire County Council

Mewnol/Internal: 4127
Allanol/External: 01267 224127

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Dear Mr Tillman,

If it is not yet possible for you to respond to this request could you please indicate when it will be practicable, and kindly explain the reason for the delay?

Thank you,

Jacqui Thompson

FOIA, Carmarthenshire County Council

Dear Mrs Thompson,

Thank you for your email.

I am in the process of establishing whether the information I have been provided with is complete and will revert to you as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

John Tillman
Swyddog Gwybodaeth a Diogelu Data
Adran y Prif Weithredwr
Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin

Information & Data Protection Officer
Chief Executive's Department
Carmarthenshire County Council

Mewnol/Internal: 4127
Allanol/External: 01267 224127

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Dear Mr Tillman,

Thank you for the update,

Yours sincerely,

Jacqui Thompson

Dear Mr Tillman

I would be grateful if you could now respond to this request as there has been a considerable delay,

Thank you

Jacqui Thompson

Dear Mr Tillman,

I would be grateful for an update on the continued reason for the delay. Your previous update indicated that you had been given the information but were not satisfied that it was complete.
As this was 14 days ago I wondered if this was still the case. If so, I would be grateful for the information you already hold and for any additional information to be forwarded as soon as possible.
If not, and there are any other reasons for the delay, please advise.

Thank you
Jacqui Thompson

Dear Mr Tillman,

Please could you provide me with an explanation for the ongoing delay in responding to my request. Your correspondence dated 2nd April indicates that you now have the information I have requested therefore I would be grateful if you could now provide the response.

Thank you

Jacqui Thompson

Jennifer Brown left an annotation ()

Jacqui, if the CCC officers and it's Administration & Law don't want something made public it appears there is nothing Mr Tillman can do about it. Though this doesn't excuse his not responding to your latest communications. Good luck with the request I'll be interested to see how you get on.

caebrwyn left an annotation ()

Thank you Jennifer, after this lengthy wait, and purely by coincidence I'm sure, I had an email update this afternoon from Mr Tillman apologising for the delay and to say that my request is 'continuing to receive attention'.

Jennifer Brown left an annotation ()

That is good news (I think). I hope Mr Tillman understands just how much the public depend on his department to look after their interests. Just as there is sometimes a need for an employee to whistleblow in the public interest so there is a need for the data protection officer to put the public interest before loyalty to his public service employer. I believe he worked hard to obtain data concerning myself back in 2012; it is not his fault some officers may have deliberately misled, withheld or denied the existence of documentation. Good luck to both you and Mr Tillman in having the request fulfilled.

FOIA, Carmarthenshire County Council

2 Attachments

Dear Mrs Thompson,

I refer to your request for information, which was received on 20th February, 2015. Please accept my apologies for the delay in providing this response.

The specific information you requested was as follows:

"1. Any employment issues regarding the Chief Executive of the council from October 2013 to date. Please include any costs incurred prior and during the police investigation early in 2014 and also the Chief Executive's application for severance which he has now withdrawn.

If any costs were incurred, please identify the legal firms involved

2. Detailed invoices from Mr Tim Kerr QC and also Slater and Gordon Solicitors (Formerly Russell Jones and Walker)"

In response, please find attached files which contain the relevant information held by the Council.

Yours sincerely

John Tillman
Swyddog Gwybodaeth a Diogelu Data
Adran y Prif Weithredwr
Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin

Information & Data Protection Officer
Chief Executive's Department
Carmarthenshire County Council

Mewnol/Internal: 4127
Allanol/External: 01267 224127

Mae'r e-bost hwn ac unrhyw atodiadau yn gyfrinachol ac wedi'u bwriadu at ddefnydd yr unigolyn y'u cyfeiriwyd ato/ati yn unig. Os derbyniwch y neges hon trwy gamgymeriad, rhowch wybod i'r sawl a'i hanfonodd ar unwaith, dilëwch y neges o'ch cyfrifiadur a dinistriwch unrhyw gopïau papur ohoni. Ni ddylech ddangos yr e-bost i neb arall, na gweithredu ar sail y cynnwys. Eiddo'r awdur yw unrhyw farn neu safbwyntiau a fynegir, ac nid ydynt o reidrwydd yn cynrychioli safbwynt y Cyngor. Dylech wirio am firysau eich hunan cyn agor unrhyw atodiad. Nid ydym yn derbyn unrhyw atebolrwydd am golled neu niwed a all fod wedi'i achosi gan firysau meddalwedd neu drwy ryng-gipio'r neges hon neu ymyrryd â hi.

This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed.
If received in error please notify the sender immediately, delete the message from your computer and destroy any hard copies. The e-mail should not be disclosed to any other person, nor the contents acted upon.

Any views or opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Council.

You should carry out your own virus check before opening any attachment. We accept no liability for any loss or damage which may be caused by software viruses or interception/interruption of this mail.

Dear Mr Tillman.

Thank you very much for your response.

I have two brief queries;

1. I requested invoices, with detail of the work done, from Mr Kerr QC, these are not included in your response. Please could you forward these documents.

2. As no information nor documents have been provided concerning any external legal costs relating to the severance application made by the chief executive and/or any other employment issues, could you please clarify the status regarding that part of my request?

Thank you

Jacqui Thompson

Jennifer Brown left an annotation ()

Glad part of your request has been fulfilled. I hope you stick to your guns as it is the public's money the CCC uses so we have every right to know how they are spending it on our behalf. When information is kept from us there is always a suspicion that there has been a conflict between protecting the public interest or protecting the self interest of individual public servants. Good Luck!

Dear Mr Tillman,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of Carmarthenshire Council's handling of my FOI request 'External legal costs and advice'.

Although some of the information I requested has been belatedly supplied, for which I am grateful, I do not believe you have provided a full response.

I requested invoices, with detail of the work done, from Mr Kerr QC, these are not included in your response and neither is there an explanation. Please could you forward these documents.

No information nor documents have been provided concerning any external legal costs relating to the severance application made by the chief executive and/or any other employment issues. This was the first part of my request.

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

Yours faithfully,

Jacqui Thompson

FOIA, Carmarthenshire County Council

Dear Mrs Thompson,

Thank you for your email.

As you have since submitted a request for an internal review, these matters will be dealt with as part of that process.

Yours sincerely

John Tillman
Swyddog Gwybodaeth a Diogelu Data
Adran y Prif Weithredwr
Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin

Information & Data Protection Officer
Chief Executive's Department
Carmarthenshire County Council

Mewnol/Internal: 4127
Allanol/External: 01267 224127

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Robert Edgecombe, Carmarthenshire County Council

Dear Mrs Thompson,
 
Your email of the 14^th May addressed to Mr Tillman, and requesting an
internal review in this matter, has been passed to me to deal with.
 
As you know, I normally aim to respond with 20 working days of receipt of
such a request. That means I will provide a substantive response by the
11^th June at the latest. In the circumstances however I am hopeful I will
be able to respond to you much sooner than that.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Robert Edgecombe
Legal Services Manager
 

Mae'r e-bost hwn ac unrhyw atodiadau yn gyfrinachol ac wedi'u bwriadu at
ddefnydd yr unigolyn y'u cyfeiriwyd ato/ati yn unig. Mae'n bosib bod yr
e-bost hefyd yn cynnwys gwybodaeth gyfreithiol freintiedig. Os derbyniwch
y neges hon trwy gamgymeriad, rhowch wybod i'r sawl a'i hanfonodd ar
unwaith, dilëwch y neges o'ch cyfrifiadur a dinistriwch unrhyw gopïau
papur ohoni. Ni ddylech ddangos yr e-bost i unrhyw un arall, na gweithredu
ar sail y cynnwys. Eiddo'r awdur yw unrhyw farn neu safbwynt a fynegir, ac
nid ydynt o reidrwydd yn cynrychioli safbwynt y Cyngor. Dylech wirio am
firysau eich hunan cyn agor unrhyw atodiad. Nid ydym yn derbyn unrhyw
atebolrwydd am golled neu niwed a all fod wedi'i achosi gan firysau
meddalwedd neu trwy ryng-gipio’r neges hon neu ymyrryd â hi. Ni fydd y
Cyngor yn derbyn dogfennau a gyflwynir yn y cyfeiriad e-bost hwn at
ddibenion cyfreithiol, oni chytunir ar hynny yn ysgrifenedig ymlaen llaw
gyda'r sawl sy'n eu hanfon.

This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for
the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. This e-mail may also
contain legally privileged information. If received in error please notify
the sender immediately, delete the message from your computer and destroy
any hard copies. The e-mail should not be disclosed to any other person,
nor the contents acted upon. Any views or opinions expressed are those of
the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Council. You
should carry out your own virus check before opening any attachment. We
accept no liability for any loss or damage which may be caused by software
viruses or interception/interruption of this mail. The Council will not
accept service of documents at this e-mail address for legal purposes,
unless agreed in advance in writing with the sender.

Robert Edgecombe, Carmarthenshire County Council

7 Attachments

 
Dear Mrs Thompson,
 
Please find enclosed my response to your request for an internal review in
this matter.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Robert Edgecombe
 

Mae'r e-bost hwn ac unrhyw atodiadau yn gyfrinachol ac wedi'u bwriadu at
ddefnydd yr unigolyn y'u cyfeiriwyd ato/ati yn unig. Mae'n bosib bod yr
e-bost hefyd yn cynnwys gwybodaeth gyfreithiol freintiedig. Os derbyniwch
y neges hon trwy gamgymeriad, rhowch wybod i'r sawl a'i hanfonodd ar
unwaith, dilëwch y neges o'ch cyfrifiadur a dinistriwch unrhyw gopïau
papur ohoni. Ni ddylech ddangos yr e-bost i unrhyw un arall, na gweithredu
ar sail y cynnwys. Eiddo'r awdur yw unrhyw farn neu safbwynt a fynegir, ac
nid ydynt o reidrwydd yn cynrychioli safbwynt y Cyngor. Dylech wirio am
firysau eich hunan cyn agor unrhyw atodiad. Nid ydym yn derbyn unrhyw
atebolrwydd am golled neu niwed a all fod wedi'i achosi gan firysau
meddalwedd neu trwy ryng-gipio’r neges hon neu ymyrryd â hi. Ni fydd y
Cyngor yn derbyn dogfennau a gyflwynir yn y cyfeiriad e-bost hwn at
ddibenion cyfreithiol, oni chytunir ar hynny yn ysgrifenedig ymlaen llaw
gyda'r sawl sy'n eu hanfon.

This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for
the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. This e-mail may also
contain legally privileged information. If received in error please notify
the sender immediately, delete the message from your computer and destroy
any hard copies. The e-mail should not be disclosed to any other person,
nor the contents acted upon. Any views or opinions expressed are those of
the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Council. You
should carry out your own virus check before opening any attachment. We
accept no liability for any loss or damage which may be caused by software
viruses or interception/interruption of this mail. The Council will not
accept service of documents at this e-mail address for legal purposes,
unless agreed in advance in writing with the sender.

Dear Mr Edgecombe,

Thank you for your response,

Yours sincerely,

Jacqui Thompson

Jennifer Brown left an annotation ()

Well done! I take it you are happy with the response. Sometimes it pays to be persistent and stick to your guns.