Councillor Expenses

Dear Jilly

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request for Information

Thank you for your request for information about Councillors expenses

"the total amount Councillors have claimed in expenses over each of the last 7 years.
I have attached the published schedules for the Scheme for Payment of members Allowances for the years 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 and the link to the councils website for the year 2011/12 and 2012/13 http://www.westlancs.gov.uk/about-the-co.... If you have any queries concerning the information provided, please do not hesitate to contact me

Also a breakdown by each party for each year. ( we do not breakdown payments by party)

Could I also know the smallest individual item claimed for and the most expensive. (in order to provide this, over the period requested would exceed the appropriate limit, because would need to look at every claim to
I believe that these are public records given it is public expenditure and should be able to be completed in the time allowed.

From our preliminary assessment, it is clear that we will not be able to answer your request without further clarification. Under section 1(3) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), a public authority need not comply with a request unless any further information reasonably required to locate the information is supplied. If a request is too broad or general in nature, then public authorities have a duty to provide advice and assistance to the applicant in order to focus the request. Can you please clarify if you mean every Councillor ? If so in order to provide you with the information on the scale that you have requested would require would exceed the appropriate limit, because I would have to look at every claim.

Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the appropriate limit, which for local government is set at £450. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours determining whether the department holds the information, locating, retrieving and extracting the information.

We estimate that it will take us in excess of 18 hours to determine appropriate material and locate, retrieve and extract the information in reference to your request. Therefore, your request will not be processed further.

You may wish to refine your request by narrowing its scope by being more specific about what information you particularly wish to obtain, including any dates or period of time relevant to the information required. Please contact me to discuss and I may be able to assist you.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original letter and should be addressed to: Mr Terry Broderick, Borough Solicitor.

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of an internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Sylvia

Sylvia Smith
Snr Admin & Electoral Services Officer
West Lancashire Borough Council
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Tel: 01695 585031
Fax: 01695 585050
West Lancashire Borough Council,
52 Derby Street, Ormskirk, L39 2DF
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www.westlancs.gov.uk

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