Dear Mr Martin,

Thank you for your request for information. Please could you clarify if
all the questions are relating to complaints and FOI requests we have
received specifically regarding Honiton Town Council and its councillors?

I will put your request on hold until we hear from you.

Yours sincerely,

Sara

Ms S Harvey

Information and Complaints Officer

East Devon District Council

[1][email address]

01395 571659

[2]www.eastdevon.gov.uk

From: Thomas Martin [mailto:[FOI #701508 email]]
Sent: 24 October 2020 00:45
To: FOI EDDC <[East Devon District Council request email]>
Subject: FOI ref 101000988791 - Complaints regarding Honiton Town Council
- due 23.11.2020

Dear Council,

Please confirm:

1. How many complaints you have received regarding councillors in Honiton
Town Council in the past two years
2. Which councillors were complained of
3. How many complaints regarding the mayor
4. What was the general reason for the complaints
5. How many complaints were upheld
6. How many complaints were not upheld
7. How many complaints that have been made and not dealt with
8. How many FOI requests the council has received that it has responded to
and has not
9. General length of time it takes to deal with complaints
10. General length of time it takes to deal with FOI requests

Yours faithfully,

Thomas Martin

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Dear Mr Martin,

Thank you for your FOI enquiry. Please see our response to your FOI query
below.

1. How many complaints you have received regarding councillors in Honiton
Town Council in the past two years - 13

2. Which councillors were complained of - This Information is exempt under
sections 40 & 41 of the FOI Act 2000.

The identity of Councillors who were the subject of a complaint would be
classed as the personal data of third parties (someone other than the
applicant) and therefore it would not be disclosed, as disclosure would
contravene the first data protection principle that personal information
shall be processed lawfully and fairly. Any information held in relation
to a Councillor who is the subject of a complaint is obtained for the
purpose of considering the complaint and Councillors and complainants are
advised that the information will remain confidential and will not be
disclosed to the wider public. Confidentiality is not always maintained –
for example where the Councillor wishes the decision to be published or
where it progresses to a Standards Hearing – but in this instance there
were no complaints during the period referred to that would fall outside
of the requirement to be kept confidential.

3. How many complaints regarding the mayor - This Information is exempt
under sections 40 & 41 of the FOI Act 2000.

The identity of Councillors who were the subject of a complaint would be
classed as the personal data of third parties (someone other than the
applicant) and therefore it would not be disclosed, as disclosure would
contravene the first data protection principle that personal information
shall be processed lawfully and fairly. Any information held in relation
to a Councillor who is the subject of a complaint is obtained for the
purpose of considering the complaint and Councillors and complainants are
advised that the information will remain confidential and will not be
disclosed to the wider public. Confidentiality is not always maintained –
for example where the Councillor wishes the decision to be published or
where it progresses to a Standards Hearing – but in this instance there
were no complaints during the period referred to that would fall outside
of the requirement to be kept confidential.

4. What was the general reason for the complaints – The complaints have
been made because the complainants consider that the Councillor’s
behaviour has fallen short of the behaviour expected under Honiton Town
Council’s code of conduct for elected members. 

5. How many complaints were upheld - 0

6. How many complaints were not upheld - 3

7. How many complaints that have been made and not dealt with – 10 are
still open

8. How many FOI requests the council has received that it has responded to
and has not – All FOI requests have been responded to. Since 1^st April
2020 we have responded to 261 FOI requests. There have been 3 FOI requests
relating specifically to HTC Councillor Complaints since 1^st April 2020.

9. General length of time it takes to deal with complaints – 12.6 working
days to respond to service complaints received since 1^st April 2020

10. General length of time it takes to deal with FOI requests – 11.8
working days to respond to FOI requests received since 1^st April 2020

I hope this information is helpful but, if you feel dissatisfied with the
way we have responded to your request, please contact our Monitoring
Officer, Mr Henry Gordon Lennox, to request an internal review
[1][email address]

You may also approach the Information Commissioner for advice at
[2]www.ico.org.uk

Yours sincerely,

Sara

Ms S Harvey

Information and Complaints Officer

East Devon District Council

[3][email address]

01395 571659

[4]www.eastdevon.gov.uk

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