Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance.

Further to Minute No. 33 of the meeting of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 7 December 2016, the Council considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance which provided details of a proposed policy and procedure for dealing with Vexatious or Unfocussed Complaints and Data Requests.

It was moved by Councillor Roche, seconded by Councillor McGinnity and following debate

RESOLVED:

That the policy and procedure for dealing with Vexatious or Unfocussed Complaints and Data Requests be approved.

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance.

Further to Minute No. 20 of 21 September 2016, the Committee considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance providing Members with a proposed policy and procedure about Vexatious or Unfocussed Complaints and Data Requests. The report introduced the matter and a draft Vexatious or Unfocussed Complaints and Data Requests Policy and Procedures document was attached to the report, which included organising principles; anticipated outcomes; definitions; the Council’s response to unfocussed or vexatious behaviours; a flow chart; a mutual agreement template; a vexatious status letter; and background information.

It was reported that reference to “relevant Senior Manager” within the draft Policy and Procedures document, referred to Heads of Service within the Council and that the matter had been reported to the Strategic Leadership Board.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the contents of the report be noted; and

(2)       the draft policy be recommended to the Council for consideration.

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance providing Members with a proposed policy and procedure about vexatious or unfocussed complaints and data requests. The report indicated that complaints that fell under this category represented a very small proportion of the vast correspondence exchanged between the Council and members of the public each year. The proposed policy and procedure aimed to establish a set of principles for both staff and complainants to either resolve difficulties or for staff to gather sufficient evidence to be able to cease responding to individual’s correspondence. If approved, the relevant documentation would be added to the Council’s transparency pages and appropriate links made on the Council’s website to ensure the documentation was accessible to all. Both the Local Government Ombudsman’s office and the Information Commissioner’s Office recommended such a published statement as good practice.

Copies of the proposed policy and procedures were circulated at the meeting and Members were advised that informal procedures currently took place.

RESOLVED:

That consideration of the proposed policy and procedures for vexatious or unfocussed data requests be deferred to the next meeting of this Committee, to enable Members to have sufficient time to consider the proposals.