Thank you for your information request received today.

 

I am currently reviewing your request and investigating whether there is
any information available for disclosure.  The council, in accordance with
Section 10 of the Freedom of Information Act (2000), will reply to your
request promptly and in any event not later than the twentieth working day
following the date of receipt.

 

Please contact me again if you require any assistance with your request
and I will do my best to provide the relevant help and advice.

 

Kind Regards

 

 

Information Governance Officer

Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council

 

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Dear Ms Bowen,

 

Information Request:  EFOI 5724

 

Thank you for your information request dated 24^th September 2017 received
in our office on the same day.

 

Please can you provide information on the number and nature of complaints
made against councillors since 1st January 2012?

I would like to know: type of complainant (for example member of the
public),  political party of member,  category of complaint and outcome of
the complaint.

 

I have reviewed your request and investigated whether there is any
information which can be disclosed to you.  Please find below the
information the council holds, and which I am pleased to provide to you.

 

Within the time period requested (2012 to 2017), there have been a total
of 9 complaints received as follows:

 

Case 1 – complaint by member of the public against a conservative
councillor for alleged comments on social media – complaint dismissed at
preliminary investigation stage but councillor chose to issue a public
apology

 

Case 2 – complaint by a conservative councillor against a liberal democrat
councillor for alleged personal attacks – complaint dismissed at
preliminary investigation stage but mediation held between both
councillors

 

Case 3 - complaint by a member of the public against a conservative
councillor for alleged treatment of a council officer in a public meeting.
Complaint not pursued as not ratified by the officer concerned

 

Case 4 – complaint by pressure group against the planning committee
collectively (conservative and liberal democrat councillors) in respect of
a planning decision. Complaint dismissed at preliminary investigation
stage as committee decision adjudged to comply with planning rules and
policies

 

Case 5 – complaint by member of the public against the chair of planning
committee (liberal democrat councillor) for alleged leading of the
committee. Complaint dismissed at preliminary investigation stage. Chair
adjudged to have acted within the rules of meeting conduct

 

Case 6 – complaint from the conservative group against the leader of the
council (liberal democrat councillor) for breaching purdah rules in a
public statement in the run up to a by-election. Statement adjudged to be
irrelevant to the election but leader cautioned about potential purdah
breaches

 

Case 7 -  warning issued by Monitoring Officer to a conservative
councillor regarding comments made in a public setting about Council
decisions that could be misconstrued by the public

 

Case 8 – complaint by residents group against the planning committee
collectively (conservative and liberal democrat councillors) in respect of
a planning decision. Complaint dismissed at preliminary investigation
stage as committee decision adjudged to comply with planning rules and
policies

 

Case 9 – complaint by member of the public against a conservative
councillor for alleged use of influence in a matter relating to a family
member. Complaint dismissed at preliminary investigation stage as it
became clear that this did not relate to council activity

 

In all the above cases, the findings were in the remit of the Monitoring
Officer following liaison with one of the two Independent Standards
members.  

 

I trust that this deals with your enquiry to your satisfaction, but if you
feel that Eastbourne Borough Council has misunderstood or not responded
appropriately to your request, you have two courses of action:

 

o You can clarify the terms of your original request to allow this to be
looked at again  (if you expand your request this will be dealt with
as a new request)
o All applicants have a 'right of appeal'.  An appeal should be focused
on the original request and should identify how the council’s response
failed to answer your Information Request.  Appeals must be made in
writing (or e-mail) within 40 working days of receipt of this response
and addressed to the Information Governance Appeals Officer, to the
address below. 

 

Information Governance Appeals Officer

Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council

1 Grove Road

EASTBOURNE

BN21 4TW     

                                  

E-mail  : [1][email address]

 

After the council’s internal appeals procedure has been exhausted, a
further appeal about the same Information Request can be directed to the
Information Commissioner for adjudication.  Full details will be provided
should an appeal proceed to this stage.

 

Please note:

If you are considering re-using the information disclosed to you through
this request, for any purpose outside of what could be considered for
personal use, you are required under the Public Sector Re-use of
Information Regulations 2015 to make an Application for Re-use to the
organisation you have requested the information from.  Applications for
Re-Use should be directed to the address detailed in the footer below.

 

Please contact me again, quoting your reference number, if you require any
further assistance with your current request and I will do my best to
provide the relevant help and advice.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Kevin Rance
Information Governance Officer

Tel: +44(0)1273 471600

[email address]

Lewes and Eastbourne Legal Services acting on behalf of Lewes District
Council and Eastbourne Borough Council

 

Lewes District Council: Southover House, Southover Road, Lewes BN7 1AB 
[2]www.lewes.gov.uk. Minicom 01273 484488

Eastbourne Borough Council: 1 Grove Road, Eastbourne BN21 4TW 
[3]www.eastbourne.gov.uk. Text Relay 18001 01323 410000

 

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