Complaints made against the county council
To whom it may concern,
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from your county council. All requests for information within this FOI relate to the years between 2007 and 2017. I would also request the information for 2018, between the dates January 1st 2018 and August 28th 2018.
Please provide the following information:
1) For the years provided, how many complaints against the councilhave been registered by your county council? For reference, a complaint against a council may consist purely on an administrative error or it may also include a potentially criminal act and/or infringements of a complainants civil rights (legal and/or human rights).
2) In relation to the above questions, how many ended up being dealt with the following:
A) The Local Government Ombudsmen
B) The Police
C) Solicitors and/or the courts
D) Internally between the county council and the person(s) who issued the complaint.
Please provide the information in the form of an Excel document.
If it is not possible to provide the information requested due to the information exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in Section 12, please provide advice and assistance, under the Section 16 obligations of the Act, as to how I can refine my request.
If you can identify any ways that my request could be refined I would be grateful for any further advice and assistance.
If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or phone and I will be very happy to clarify what I am asking for and discuss the request, my details are outlined below.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Alessandro Sorrentino
Dear Mr Sorrentino
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2004
REFERENCE: IG 00855
Thank you for your request for information regarding complaints, which was
received on 29 August 2018.
The council aims to provide you with the information within the statutory
timescale of 20 working days in this case the date is 26 September 2018.
Subject to the information not being exempt or containing any references
to third parties.
The council will, as a matter of routine make information available in
electronic format. Where it is not practical to do this information will
be provided in hard copy (paper). If information is required in
alternative formats e.g. language, audio, large print, etc., please
indicate this as soon as possible so the council can consider your
request.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information
Regulations 2004 define a number of exemptions/exceptions which may
prevent information being released to you automatically. The council will
make an assessment about the application of any exemptions/exceptions and
issue you with a decision letter, which will include details of your right
to appeal.
If the information you request contains reference to a third party the
council will consult with them prior to making a decision about the
release of information.
In accordance with the council’s [1]Charging Policy a fee may be charged
for supplying information. If a fee is payable you will be issued with a
fees notice. The applicable fee must be paid in full before the
information is processed and released. The statutory time limit for
responses is suspended until the council has received and processed your
payment. If payment is not received within three months of issuing the
fees notice your request will be closed.
If you have any queries or concerns about this email then please contact:
Information Governance Team
Corporate, Customer & Community Services
Cumbria County Council, Cumbria House, 117 Botchergate, Carlisle, CA1 1RD
Email: [2][Cumbria County Council request email]
Telephone: 01228 221234
This e-mail contains confidential information (which may also be legally
privileged) and is intended solely for the use of the intended named
recipient. If you are not the intended recipient you may not disclose,
copy, distribute or retain any part of this message or its attachments. If
you have received this message in error please notify the originator
immediately by using the reply facility in your e-mail software. Incoming
and outgoing emails may be monitored in line with current legislation. All
copies of the message received in error should be destroyed. Any views or
opinions expressed are solely those of the original author. This email
message has been scanned for viruses, and declared to be virus free at the
point of exit from Cumbria County Council's network.
http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/_
References
Visible links
1. http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/council-democr...
2. mailto:[Cumbria County Council request email]
Dear Information Governance,
The Information Commissioner’s guidance for authorities says that a public authority should not take more than an additional 20 working days to consider the public interest (Refusing a request: writing a refusal notice, paragraph 45, page 11).
Are you now at a position where you are able to provide me with a copy of the balancing of the public interest test, in relation to this request?
At the very least please may you provide me with an estimation as to when the public interest test will be completed.
Yours sincerely,
Alessandro Sorrentino
Dear Mr Sorrentino
Thank you for your email. Please accept our apologies for the delay. I have contacted the manager providing the response and requested an update on progress.
Regards
Carol
Information Governance Team
Corporate, Customer & Community Services
Cumbria County Council
Cumbria House | 117 Botchergate | Carlisle | CA1 1RD
t. 01228 221234
www.cumbria.gov.uk
Dear Mr Sorrentino
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 / ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REGULATIONS
2004
REFERENCE: IG 00855
Please see attached for a response to your request for information.
Yours sincerely
Carol
Information Governance Team
Corporate, Customer and Community Services • Cumbria County Council
Cumbria House • 117 Botchergate • Carlisle • CA1 1RD
E: [1][Cumbria County Council request email]
T: 01228 221234
This e-mail contains confidential information (which may also be legally
privileged) and is intended solely for the use of the intended named
recipient. If you are not the intended recipient you may not disclose,
copy, distribute or retain any part of this message or its attachments. If
you have received this message in error please notify the originator
immediately by using the reply facility in your e-mail software. Incoming
and outgoing emails may be monitored in line with current legislation. All
copies of the message received in error should be destroyed. Any views or
opinions expressed are solely those of the original author. This email
message has been scanned for viruses, and declared to be virus free at the
point of exit from Cumbria County Council's network.
http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/_
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[Cumbria County Council request email]
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now