Audio Recordings / Openness& Transparency Act

The request was refused by Cullompton Town Council.

Dear Cullompton Town Council,
In 2018 at a Committee meeting of the town council, it was noted that....
QUOTE Policy Review:
iii.Protocol on Audio/Visual Recording at Council Meetings (Appendix E). It was agreed to include a clause in the Policy forbidding any member of the council or a member of the public from recording the proceedings correctly placed under Part 2 in accordance with Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960. Proposed Councillor Iain Emmett, seconded Councillor Eileen Andrews. It is recommended that increased signage is placed in the Town Hall making attendees aware that the recording of meetings may be taking place either openly or covertly.

It was further recommended that a clause is inserted in the Policy stating that the"Clerk will Audio Record all meetings of the Council and its Committees, purchasing a recording device for Council Meetings as appropriate. " END QUOTE
1. Could you please supply a list of all audio recordings completed by Date Order & Committee name please.
2. Could you please provide aa audio copy of the Policy & Finance Meeting that took place today 11th July 2019, Thank you.

Openness and Transparency Act.
Date of Report: 27-Sep-2018 A report was submitted to Cullompton Town Council concerning this legislation and various recommendations were recommended to which the Town Council should comply with.
AS this matter within the report was of Public Interest and should in the main be complied with, can you please confirm when this was officially approved by the town council and implemented into general use.

I am aware that the original meeting had 2 members leave during the meeting and it was NOT Quorate to pass this to Full Council as a recommendation, could you please confirm .....
1.That this has now been passed as a full policy and produce details of date / committee approving it and when it was fully implemented.
2. Please provide copy of full approved policy.
(All documents can be produced electronically to save postage etc.

Yours faithfully,

Mr M Thompson

Judy Morris, Cullompton Town Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Thompson

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

 

Please find attached acknowledgement letter re Freedom of Information
request.

 

Kind regards

 

Judy Morris

 

 

Email:

[1][Cullompton Town Council request email]

 

Telephone:

01884 38249

 

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Cullompton Town Council

Town Hall

1 High Street

Cullompton

Devon

EX15 1AB

 

 

 

References

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1. mailto:[Cullompton Town Council request email]

Judy Morris, Cullompton Town Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Thompson

Please find attached the response to your Freedom of Information request.

Kind regards

Judy Morris

Email:
[Cullompton Town Council request email]

Telephone:
01884 38249

This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the person to whom it is addressed.  Access to this message by any other person is not permitted.  It may be confidential and also legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender at once and delete the message from your systems.  If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful.

Senders and recipients should be aware that emails and their contents may have to be disclosed in response to a request made under UK Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation.

This email message has been scanned for the presence of computer viruses. However, Cullompton Town Council does not accept any liability for any coorruption, interception, amendment, tampering or viruses occurring to this message.  The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the prescence of viruses.

Cullompton Town Council
Town Hall
1 High Street
Cullompton
Devon
EX15 1AB

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Dear Cullompton Town Council,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of Cullompton Town Council's handling of my FOI request 'Audio Recordings / Openness& Transparency Act'.

Item 1, you replied [ The recommendation of the Working Group has not been adopted by the full Council and the policy for recording of meetings will be reviewed at a meeting of the Working Group due to be held on Wednesday 24 July 2019. ]
The minutes of said meeting are not published and available, please provide.

Your comment [The recordings are destroyed once the Minutes have been approved and the only meeting for which the Council currently holds a recording is the full council meeting held on 27 June 2019. ]
My question "Why do you not keep records and publish as all other good councils do on their websites ?
Audio Recording were approved and The clerk/assistant to clerk & Deputy clerk have all used portable recording equipment specifically purchased for recording meetings prior to authorisation of £6000 to purchase and replace old equipment, this was approved spending for recording ALL MEETINGS, otherwise would not be cost-effective.

Local Government Openness and Transparency Act.
There is a requirement that all councils comply and a policy should be adopted and placed on Council website !

I ask that this review is done by an Independent person NOT connected to council as correct procedures are not being followed.

Thank you.

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

Yours faithfully,

Mike Thompson

Dear Judy Morris,
I ask that you reply to my request for Independent review on this web site as it is intended for public viewing,
there is meant to be openness and transparency, which appears is not happening.

Yours sincerely,

Mike Thompson

Judy Morris, Cullompton Town Council

Dear Mr Thompson

Thanks for letting me know, will post the response to the whatdotheyknow website.

Kind regards

Judy Morris

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Judy Morris, Cullompton Town Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Thompson

 

Please find attached the Council’s response to your request for an
internal review of the Council’s handling of your request for information
under the Freedom of Information Act.

 

Kind regards

 

Mrs Judy Morris

 

 

Email:

[1][Cullompton Town Council request email]

 

Telephone:

01884 38249

 

This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the
person to whom it is addressed.  Access to this message by any other
person is not permitted.  It may be confidential and also legally
privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the
sender at once and delete the message from your systems.  If you are not
the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any
action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it is prohibited and
may be unlawful.

 

Senders and recipients should be aware that emails and their contents may
have to be disclosed in response to a request made under UK Data
Protection and Freedom of Information legislation.

 

This email message has been scanned for the presence of computer viruses.
However, Cullompton Town Council does not accept any liability for any
coorruption, interception, amendment, tampering or viruses occurring to
this message.  The recipient should check this email and any attachments
for the prescence of viruses.

 

Cullompton Town Council

Town Hall

1 High Street

Cullompton

Devon

EX15 1AB

 

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Cullompton Town Council request email]

Dear Judy Morris,
I asked for an Independent review, this has NOT been done.
The local Government Act is legislation that Councils MUST comply with, the web site is not complying and has no policy to ensure it complies with Stature Law which is above council policy
Yours sincerely,

Mike Thompson

Judy Morris, Cullompton Town Council

Dear Mr Thompson

The independent review was carried out by the Council's Policy, Finance and Personnel Committee which upheld the decision of the Clerk not to release the information as the Council does not hold the information.

The Freedom of Information Act requires every public authority to have a publication scheme. The Council has a publication scheme which is available on the Council's website at:

https://v6-5admin.visionict.com/Sites/12...

The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 sets out the minimum data that the local authority should be publishing, the frequency it should be published and how it should be published.

The Council's Standing Orders (also available on the Council's website at the link above) state as follows (Item 20 - page 20) "The Council shall publish information in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government (Transparency Requirement)(England) Regulations 2015.

The Council does have a policy, albeit contained within its Standing Orders, which are the governing documents for the way in which the Council transacts its business) which states that the Council will comply with the Transparency Regulations.

I hope this clarifies the situation for you.

Kind regards

Judy Morris

Email:
[Cullompton Town Council request email]

Telephone:
01884 38249

This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the person to whom it is addressed.  Access to this message by any other person is not permitted.  It may be confidential and also legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender at once and delete the message from your systems.  If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful.

Senders and recipients should be aware that emails and their contents may have to be disclosed in response to a request made under UK Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation.

This email message has been scanned for the presence of computer viruses. However, Cullompton Town Council does not accept any liability for any coorruption, interception, amendment, tampering or viruses occurring to this message.  The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the prescence of viruses.

Cullompton Town Council
Town Hall
1 High Street
Cullompton
Devon
EX15 1AB

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