Public Consultation

Magherafelt District Council did not have the information requested.

Dear Magherafelt District Council,

Early in 2011 Magherafelt council contracted in a consultancy agency to survey the public in two meetings. One was held in Magherafelt council building the other was in Walsh's Hotel Maghera. I am requesting information as per the following:

1- how much this cost
2- how many people were invited to the public consultation
3- how many people attended the consultation
4- the final report from these meetings
5- minutes of the 2 meetings held showing a full list of responses ( i understand responses must be redacted)
6- In what way has the exercise benefited the council, provided examples

Yours faithfully,

hugh mc cloy

Maria Dale, Magherafelt District Council

Dear Hugh

Further to your email of 13 August 2012 regarding meetings held in early 2011. Could you please provide further information regarding these meetings? I am sure you are aware that Council hold numerous meetings and we would require clarification in order to determine which meetings are relevant to your enquiry.

Maria Dale
Policy and Development Officer
Magherafelt District Council -50 Ballyronan Road - Magherafelt - BT45 6EN
T: (028) 79397979 - - F: (028) 79397980 -
W: www.magherafelt.gov.uk E: [email address]

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Dear Maria Dale,

I am sure there was not to many meetings in where the council paid a private consultation firm to carry out a survey in early 2011 that had meetings in both locations.

I know this took place as I was at them.

I cannot remember the name but surly there is a record of expenses for this that could direct you to the survey i am looking

Yours sincerely,

hugh mc cloy

Maria Dale, Magherafelt District Council

2 Attachments

Dear Hugh

Thank you for your email which we received on the 14 August 2012 regarding public consultations held in March 2011.

Your request has been dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The information you requested is as follows;

1- how much this cost

The cost for the public meetings, were incorporated within the total cost of the consultation and Good Relations Audit exercise. The Council does not therefore have the specific costs for the public meetings.

2- how many people were invited to the public consultation

408 Community Groups were invited and advertisements were placed in the local papers.

3- how many people attended the consultation

Meeting held 14 March 2011 - 28 attendees.
Meeting held 21 March 2011 - 17 attendees.

4- the final report from these meetings

Please find attached documents.

5- minutes of the 2 meetings held showing a full list of responses
( i understand responses must be redacted)

Council does not hold minutes for these meetings which were facilitated by an external consultant. The findings from these meetings however, are incorporated within the attached documents.

6- In what way has the exercise benefited the council, provided
examples

The public meetings and other research provided information so that Council could develop a Good Relations Strategy and develop services were appropriate.

I trust that you will find the response satisfies the duty of disclosure imposed by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, I would advise you that if you are unhappy with the response or if you are unhappy with the way we have handled your request you have the right to seek a review of this matter by writing to:

The Chief Executive
Magherafelt District Council
50 Ballyronan Road
Magherafelt
BT45 6EN

If after such a review you are still unhappy with the response, you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner who will undertake an independent review. The Information Commissioner may be contacted at the following address:

Information Commissioner's Officer
51 Adelaide Street
BELFAST
BT2 8FE

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Regards

Maria Dale
Policy and Development Officer
Magherafelt District Council -50 Ballyronan Road - Magherafelt - BT45 6EN
T: (028) 79397979 - - F: (028) 79397980 -
W: www.magherafelt.gov.uk E: [email address]

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Dear Maria Dale,

Would it be possible to have a colour version of this, as the document is colour coded having it in balcka nd white is of no real use.

Yours sincerely,

hugh mc cloy

Maria Dale, Magherafelt District Council

Dear Hugh

We can supply you with a colour version of the attachments. However, there is a charge of 15p per sheet for colour copies. The total cost for the information you require is £29.25. Upon receipt of this amount of money to Magherafelt District Council, I will forward colour copies to you.
Kind regards

Maria Dale
Policy and Development Officer
Magherafelt District Council -50 Ballyronan Road - Magherafelt - BT45 6EN
T: (028) 79397979 - - F: (028) 79397980 -
W: www.magherafelt.gov.uk E: [email address]

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Rodney Breen left an annotation ()

The District Council has supplied you with the information you asked for, in the form of a PDF. However, you have pointed out that this document was scanned in black and white and there are some elements which need to be seen in colour in order to be understood.

They are entitled under the Act to charge you for photocopying, since colour copies are expensive. They have not however offered you the option of a colour PDF, which should be possible to produce without charge. In the interests of transparency, they should offer you this option - you can then decide which pages to print in colour, at your own expense.

I would suggest you write back and ask for the document to be provided as a colour PDF.