Glasgow - Openness and Transparency

I submitted this FOI request to Glasgow City Council on 3 January 2018 and under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 the Council had up to 20 working days to respond.

The Council's FOI Team contacted me on 10 January 2018 (a whole week later) to say that they could not read the Table I had submitted and could I send this to them in a different format.

I duly did this the following day (11 January) and asked the Council to confirm that they could now read my Table which they did, so all seem fine.

But having heard nothing well beyond the 20 working day limit I submitted a FOI Review Request which gave the Council a further 20 working days to get its act together. 

Even now they are still making excuses, despite having shot past yet another FOI deadline and so I have given them until 5pm on Monday and if I do not receive a satisfactory answer by then I will take the matter up with the Scottish Information Commissioner.

Read this emails below and decide for yourself, but this doesn't sound to me like a Council that is really serious about winning a reputation for being "world class" in terms of openness and transparency.

3 January 2018

Annemarie O'Donnell

Chief Executive

Glasgow City Council

By email to - annemarie.odonnell@ced.glasgow.gov.uk

Dear Ms O'Donnell

FOISA Request

I would like to make the following request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. 

I refer to the following table which details some of the the costs incurred by Glasgow City Council in dealing with ongoing equal pay claims. The figures were originally published by The Sunday Herald newspaper in response to a freedom of information request, I believe.

YEAR	Counsel	External Solicitor	Other professional fees and expenses	Other items	Internal staff costs	Contra award	TOTAL
2007/08		15188					15188
2008/09		46999					46999
2009/10		48122					48122
2010/11	36725	9069					45794
2011/12	276461	70646	9520	450	124776	0	481853
2012/13	345129	156720	44049	26585	124776	0	697259
2013/14	140202	82712	18015	4046	93582	0	338557
2014/15	96289	42681	0	26575	118070	74275	357890
2015/16	54619	14235	0	0	83876	0	152730
2016/17	28340	44853	0	0	83876	0	157069
2017/18	30093	95826	0	0	83876	0	209795
TOTAL	1007858	627051	71584	57656	712832	74275	2551256

Please provide me with the following information:

1) Please provide a breakdown of the 'Other professional fees and expenses' into their component parts?

2) Please provide a breakdown of the 'Internal staff costs' into their component parts?

3) Please provide a breakdown of 'Counsel' fees into those attributed to the 'Scottish bar' and the 'English bar'?

4) Please provide a breakdown of the 'External Solicitor' fees and whether or not these include the solicitor advocate's fees?

5) Please provide a breakdown of the 'Counsel Fees' and 'External Solicitor Fees' in terms of the apportionment of these costs between:

a) Tribunal fees?

b) Court of Session fees?

c) Cots of general advice?

6) Please confirm the day rate or rates charged by 'Counsel' and by the 'External Solicitor' 

I look forward to your reply and would be grateful if you could respond to me by e-mail at: markirvine@compuserve.com

Kind regards

Mark Irvine 

  

Dear FOI Team

Re: TSR FOI Review 6553624 - Regarding FOISA request. (OFFICIAL)

I refer to your letter dated 13 April and my response of 17 April to which, I note, I have still to receive a reply.

I would be grateful if you can send me all of the information gathered to date in response to my request because that would at least represent some progress.

I would also ask that you confirm a date on which all of the outstanding information will finally be provided.

If I do not receive a satisfactory response by 5pm on Monday 23 April 2018, I will pursue the matter to the Scottish Information Commissioner.

Kind regards

Mark Irvine 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Irvine <markirvine@compuserve.com>
To: FOI_CEDReviews <FOI_CEDReviews@glasgow.gov.uk>
Sent: Tue, Apr 17, 2018 11:48 am
Subject: Re: TSR FOI Review 6553624 - Regarding FOISA request. (OFFICIAL)

Dear FOI Team

I refer to your letter dated 13 April 2018 and would be grateful if you can confirm when the Council will be in a position to respond to my Review Request?

Kind regards

Mark Irvine

-----Original Message-----
From: FOI_CEDReviews <FOI_CEDReviews@glasgow.gov.uk>
To: Mark Irvine <markirvine@compuserve.com>
Sent: Fri, Apr 13, 2018 2:08 pm
Subject: TSR FOI Review 6553624 - Regarding FOISA request. (OFFICIAL)

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Irvine,

In reference to your email to Carole Forrest of 15 March 2018.

We write to confirm the response to your request for information is in progress, however, there has been a delay in obtaining some of the information required due to a number of factors, including staff leave.

We write to confirm the response will be issued as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience in this matter.

With regards

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION TEAM

Chief Executives Department

Glasgow City Council