Interim Monitoring Officer arrangements
Dear Somerset Council,
Please note that the Customer Services Manager Rebecca Martin has asked that all of my information requests be submitted as FoIs. NB As FoIs are usually a last resort in an open, transparent and accessible council, I double-checked and she tells me that her initial advice stands.
The legally qualified Monitoring Officer (MO) is leaving the council at the end of October.
The Interim Monitoring Officer is to be Exec Director Alyn Jones.
Q1a. Does Mr Jones hold any legal or similar qualifications that would make him suitable for the role of MO?
Q1b. Was the Leader and elected executive consulted before this interim arrangement was decided by the Chief Executive?
Q2. What training has Mr Jones had relating to the MO role before he takes up that role?
Q3. If Mr Jones needs legal or similar advice whilst he is the Interim MO who will that be provided by and at what hourly/daily cost?
Q4. Will Mr Jones receive a bonus or honorarium for carrying out the MO role (just confirm he will without disclosing the amount )?
Q5. If Mr Jones has been previously involved in a previous matter, complaint or issue before becoming MO and thus has an obvious conflict of interest, will Mr Jones recuse himself and how will the proper role of MO be carried out to ensure impartiality?
Yours faithfully,
Dave Orr
Information Requests
Information request
Our reference: 16281345
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Please Note: When responding to this email please do not edit the subject
line as this will affect the correct routing of your correspondence.
Dear Dave Orr
Environmental Information Regulations 2004
Thank you for your request for information about Interim Monitoring
Officer arrangements which we received on 21 October 2024 .
We are currently dealing with your request under the Environmental
Information Regulations 2004 and we aim to send our response to you on or
before 18 November 2024 .
The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 may restrict the release
of some or all of the information you have requested. If this is the case
we will carry out an assessment and will inform you of any exceptions
that apply.
In some cases, a fee may be payable. If this happens, we will send you a
fees notice detailing a summary of the proposed cost, and terms of
payment, which would need to be paid before we are able to proceed.
If you have any further queries or would like to discuss your request
please contact me quoting your reference detailed at the top of this
email.
Please note: the structure of local government in Somerset has changed
from a 2-tier to a unitary structure. Somerset Council now covers all
services previously provided by the County Council and the four former
District Councils - Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton and South
Somerset. If you use a distribution list to submit FOI/EIR requests,
please ensure that addresses ending @mendip.gov.uk, @sedgemoor.gov.uk.
@somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk and @southsomerset.gov.uk are deleted and
that all requests for information are made using [1][Somerset Council
request email].
Yours faithfully
Jo Adams
Data Protection Records and Information Request Officer
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[somerset%20council%20request%20email]
Information Requests
Information request
Our reference: 16281345
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Please Note: When responding to this email please do not edit the subject
line as this will affect the correct routing of your correspondence.
Dear Dave Orr
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Thank you for your request for information about Interim Monitoring
Officer arrangements which we received on 21 October 2024 .
We are currently dealing with your request under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 and we aim to send our response to you on or before
18 November 2024 .
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 may restrict the release of some or
all of the information you have requested. If this is the case we
will carry out an assessment and will inform you of any exemptions that
apply.
In some cases, a fee may be payable. If this happens, we will send you a
fees notice detailing a summary of the proposed cost, and terms of
payment, which would need to be paid before we are able to proceed.
If you have any further queries or would like to discuss your request
please contact me quoting your reference detailed at the top of this
email.
Please note: the structure of local government in Somerset has changed
from a 2-tier to a unitary structure. Somerset Council now covers all
services previously provided by the County Council and the four former
District Councils - Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton and South
Somerset. If you use a distribution list to submit FOI/EIR requests,
please ensure that addresses ending @mendip.gov.uk, @sedgemoor.gov.uk.
@somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk and @southsomerset.gov.uk are deleted and
that all requests for information are made using [1][Somerset Council
request email].
Yours faithfully
Jo Adams
Data Protection Records and Information Request Officer
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[somerset%20council%20request%20email]
Information Requests
Information request
Our reference: 16281345
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Dear Dave Orr
Thank you for your request for information received on 21 October 2024 .
Please find attached our response to your request.
Yours sincerely
Jo Adams
Data Protection Records and Information Request Officer
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this 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