FOI reference 4545

Dear Ms Blackmann,

Thank you for your e-mail of 10 February 2011 requesting information about
Trade Union funding. Your request was received by Communities and Local
Government on 10 February 2011.

I am considering your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
You should expect to receive a reply by 10 March 2011. In some
circumstances a fee may be chargeable. If that is the case, I will let you
know the likely charges before proceeding.

If you have any queries regarding this letter, please contact me. Remember
to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

I am enclosing with this letter a link to our Access to Information
leaflet on our website at;

I am enclosing with this letter a copy of our Access to Information
leaflet which explains how the Department handles formal requests for
information. I hope you will find it useful.

Yours sincerely

Nicholas Pellegrini

<<accesstoinfo-leaflet1.pdf>>
Nick Pellegrini
P,C&C - Employee Relations
T: 0303 444 1618 | F: 020 7944 3589
Communities and Local Government
Eland House| Bressenden Place| London |SW1E 5DU
[1]www.communities.gov.uk

N.B. I am not in the office on Fridays

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
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References

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1. http://www.communities.gov.uk/

FOI reference 4545

3 March 2011

Dear Ms Blackmann

I am writing in response to your e-mail of 10 February 2011 requesting
information about the funding of trade unions in the Department of
Communities and Local Government. Your request was received by Department
of Communities and Local Government on 10 February 2011 and has been
considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I confirm that Department for Communities and Local Government holds the
information that you have requested and that I am able to provide you with
the following information.

This Department does not pay any money directly to the trade unions
representing staff. We pay the salary and related costs (travel and
subsistence etc) for a number of DCLG headquarters staff undertaking
industrial relations and trade unions activities in this Department on a
full and part-time basis. In addition, a number of staff receive facility
time alongside their normal Departmental roles. All these staff are
provided with accommodation, IT equipment and use of meeting rooms on the
same basis as other Departmental staff.

The Department officially recognises three trade unions which represent
the staff of the Department. These are the FDA, Prospect and the Public
and Commercial Services Union (PCS). Each trade union provides
representation for different grades and professions, with some degree of
overlap. Once the Department has agreed the total allocation of facility
time the trade unions operating under the umbrella of the Departmental
Trade Union Side (DTUS) together agree the sub-division of facility time.

The Cabinet Office advises that overall facility time provisions should
represent 0.2% of a Department's overall headcount. The Department has
followed this advice and intends to do so in the future. The Department is
currently undergoing a restructuring process which will reduce the
Department's headcount. Once this process has been completed the
Department will review facility time provisions, but still intend to
follow the Cabinet Office's advice. We would therefore expect to see a
proportional reduction in facility time provision in line with the reduced
staff numbers.

Communities and Local Government as an organisation aims to be as helpful
as possible in the way it deals with requests for information under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information
Regulations 2004. If, however, you are not satisfied with the way in which
your request has been handled or the outcome, you may request an internal
review within two calendar months of the date of this letter. Information
about the Department's review procedures and how to apply for an internal
review of your case is on the Department's website at
[1]http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/.... This
also explains your right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner
for a decision in the event that you remain dissatisfied following the
Department's review.

Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted this
Department's Internal Review procedure. The Information Commissioner`s
address and contact details are set out on the above website.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely

Nick Pellegrini

Nick Pellegrini
P,C&C - Employee Relations
T: 0303 444 1618 | F: 020 7944 3589
Communities and Local Government
Eland House| Bressenden Place| London |SW1E 5DU
[2]www.communities.gov.uk

N.B. I am not in the office on Fridays

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/...
2. http://www.communities.gov.uk/