London Councils - reminder - meh meh meh

From: Liz R (Account suspended)

23 June 2011

Dear London Councils,

Do you have any policy/recorded information on how much councils
are allowed to spend on private legal
services/barristers/solicitors brought in privately or is it at the
discretion of the legal department involved?

I'm asking due to RBKC's legal department paying 10k per day (TEN
THOUSAND POUNDS PER DAY) for a QC to oppose an unrepresented
DISABLED parent when the parent was at a tribunal to win her child
an electronic communications device worth over one hundred pounds
(as well as try to remove her child from what she considered an
abusive institution) - she still won the device but sadly the
schools (Jigsaw and Treehouse) refused to use it and the child
remained without it (why would a special needs school like that,
want to stop or prevent a child from speaking or communicating
supported by rbkc SEN Dept?)

RBKC also sent it's entire Special Needs Department heads to oppose
this unrepresented disabled mother who was attempting to gain a
communication device for her child) as well as all the head staff
of the schools attending.

Why would they want to stop a child from speaking?

Anyway - do you have any policy/information on the spending
of privately paid Legal Services by London Councils, what is the
policy or is there one, that regulates spending/over-spending by
local councils for outside legal services please?

Ten thousand pounds per day for a private barrister seems
excessive.

Also, do you have any policy for London Councils/ RBKC regarding
'bringing the council into disrepute' policy/training/information?

Some feel that management at RBKC particularly would rather maim
residents than allow rbkc to have complaints filed or justice done
in favour of a resident with a valid complaint? It does seem that
the council need to appear to be right NO MATTER WHAT, and wondered
where this inhuman, horrific abuse comes from?

Yours faithfully,

Liz R

Link to this
From: FOI-DPA Complaints
London Councils

27 June 2011

Dear Ms R

Thank you for your request for information regarding on how much councils are required to spend on private legal services/barristers/solicitors.

Your request has now been considered, but I regret that London Councils does not hold any information in respect of the above request.

You also asked 'do you have any policy for London Councils/ RBKC regarding 'bringing the council into disrepute' policy/training/information?

This request has also been considered but I regret that London Councils does not hold any information in respect of this request either.

London Councils is not a local authority but rather a body which represents the 33 London boroughs. London Councils does not have its own code of conduct for Members. Members are bound by their respective local authority's Members' code of conduct while acting as a representative of their authority on any London Councils Member Body. We do have a Code of Conduct for our Officers but it does not apply to the Officers working for Kensington and Chelsea.

These requests for information are about policies which, where they are in place, are approved by individual Councils so you will need to refer your request to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

If you have any queries or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.

If you wish to make a complaint about the way we have handled your enquiry under the Freedom of Information Act, please make your complaint in writing to Christiane Jenkins, Director, Corporate Governance, London Councils, 59½ Southwark Street, London SE1 0AL or email [email address].

Regards,

Emily Salinger

Emily Salinger
Project Manager, Business Planning & Performance
Corporate Governance Division
London Councils
59½ Southwark Street
London, SE1 0AL
Tel: 020 7934 9836
Fax: 020 7934 9665
Website: www.londoncouncils.gov.uk
London Councils is committed to fighting for more resources for London and getting the best possible deal for London's 33 councils. We lobby government and others, develop policy and run a range of services designed to make life better for Londoners.

show quoted sections

Link to this
From: Liz R (Account suspended)

27 June 2011

Dear FOI-DPA Complaints,

Thanks, before you go, please clarify which parts of which 'Code of
Conduct for Officers' does not apply to Kensington and Chelsea or
RBKC and which departments does it not apply to and which
legislation says that such a Code of Practice should not apply to
one (is it just rbkc or are there other councils the Code of
Practice 'doesn't apply to'? Why doesn't apply? If it doesn't apply
to rbkc, why does it apply to other councils?) - specific council,
in this case, RBKC?

'We do have a Code of Conduct for our Officers but it does not
apply to the Officers working for Kensington and Chelsea.' Why not?

Yours sincerely,

Liz R

Link to this
From: FOI-DPA Complaints
London Councils

27 June 2011

Dear Ms R,

We have a Code of Conduct which is an internal policy which applies to London Councils staff. London Councils is a membership organisation which all the London Boroughs belong to but it employs its own staff and has its own terms and conditions of employment. London Councils does not develop Human Resources procedures which apply to individual Boroughs.

I apologise if this distinction was not clear before.

Kensington and Chelsea may have a Code of Conduct which applies to their Officers and/or Members but we do not hold that information.

Please feel free to contact me again if you need further clarification.

Regards,

Emily Salinger

show quoted sections

Link to this
From: Liz R (Account suspended)

27 June 2011

Dear FOI-DPA Complaints,

Thank you, just one point I'd appreciate you to clarify please? Are
you confirming there's no cap on spending for legal services in any
council but there is at 'London Councils'?

Yours sincerely,

Liz R

Link to this
From: FOI-DPA Complaints
London Councils

28 June 2011

Dear Ms R

Thank you for your e-mail. To answer your question below please note that no information is held in respect of the request for a policy or information regarding expenditure on "private legal services/barristers/solicitors" both for London Councils and other local authorities in London. I hope this answers your question.

If you have any queries or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.

If you wish to make a complaint about the way we have handled your enquiry under the Freedom of Information Act, please make your complaint in writing to Christiane Jenkins, Director, Corporate Governance, London Councils, 59½ Southwark Street, London SE1 0AL or email [email address].

Many thanks

Sylvia Edohasim
Corporate Complaints and Freedom of Information Officer

show quoted sections

Link to this
From: Liz R (Account suspended)

29 June 2011

Dear FOI-DPA Complaints,

Thanks.

I interpret that answer as a 'yes, there is no cap on legal
spending in any London Council' if you are OK with that
interpretation, I can leave it there? Thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Liz R

Link to this
From: FOI-DPA Complaints
London Councils

30 June 2011

Dear Liz

For us London Councils there is no cap. This may differ though for other boroughs, it will be best then if you asked the particular borough directly.

I hope this helps.

Many thanks
Sylvia

Sylvia Edohasim
Corporate Complaints and Freedom of Information Officer

show quoted sections

Link to this
From: Liz R (Account suspended)

30 June 2011

Dear FOI-DPA Complaints,

Thank you Sylvia, best to all,

Yours sincerely,

Liz R

Link to this
Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
Download a zip file of all correspondence
Liz R (Account suspended) only:
Write a reply
Update the status of this request
Request an internal review
London Councils only:
Respond to request
Follow this request

There is 1 person following this request

Follow
RSS icon RSS feed of updates
Offensive? Unsuitable?

Requests for personal information and vexatious requests are not considered valid for FOI purposes (read more).

If you believe this request is not suitable, you can report it for attention by the site administrators

Report this request
Act on what you've learnt

Tweet this request
 Wordpress Start your own blog
 Get help investigating
 Write to your politician
 Pledge with others
Similar requests

Information on personal budgets
To London Councils by Lucy Series 7 September 2011

Bonus payments paid by grade
To London Councils by Jeremy Ginnerly 27 December 2011

Freedom Pass
To London Councils by Mr T Chipperfield 14 August 2012

Cost of the PATAS service
To Parking and Traffic Appeals Service by matthew smart 15 May 2012

Structure Charts & Consultancy Spend
To London Councils by C. Swann 19 September 2012

Staff at The Haven Respite Care Unit run by RBKC staff?
To Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council by Liz R (Account suspended) 4 February 2010

Support for BME Employees
To London Councils by C E Bradshaw 18 August 2011

Freedom Pass for all from age 60 - When, How, How Much?
To London Councils by Michael Douglas 13 June 2012

Members of London Council giving Evidence at trial of Malcolm Webster
To London Councils by LS Palmer (Account suspended) 22 July 2011

PATAS Statistics - Removed Vehicles
To London Councils by Mr. O'Brien 30 July 2012

More similar requests

Event history details