This page is to provide access to information requested by others which you may also be looking for which is not readily available elsewhere on our site. If you are still unable to find what you want please contact the Clerk using the "Contact Us" page below.
We always redact and anonymise any published information under the GDP regulations. Sometimes a phone call might suffice: 01827 880548.
Questions around the £10k allocated at the extraordinary meeting held 23rd June 2023 (Requested July 2023)
FOIA applies to information we hold in recorded form at the time a request is made. The Council did not hold a record of the particular information you requested and for this reason refuses your request under the Act. Instead, we provide a response which will advise and assist you with your inquiry:
The Council have set aside a budget £10,000 in respect of a current tribunal action that relates a possible contempt of court for failing to publish NDP documents under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
The current tribunal action relates to an application for contempt of which has been made by two applicants who claim the Council has failed to satisfy their requests to disclose, rather than publish, information and it has failed to do this in the time permitted.
1. Which Councillors agreed to the £10,000 budget? Please confirm if any Councillor abstained?
There is no record held to indicate how individual Councillors present at the meeting voted when the Council made its decision. A recorded vote was not requested.
2. What is the budget for?
The budget was agreed to allow for the funding of additional legal advice up to a maximum of £10,000 if deemed necessary by the Chair.
3. What is the source of the budget?
Funds in the Parish Council's reserves held at the bank.
4. It is my understanding that public money should not be used to fight legal cases brought against the Council by members of the public. In any event I would have thought legal costs (if any are incurred) should be met by the Councils legal expenses cover, provided by the Liability Insurers. Please confirm if the liability insurers are involved?
The Council is duty-bound to provide indemnity for its officers and members of Council. The Council's Liability Insurers had been contacted although there had been no response at the time of this request.
5. If there is a finding that the Parish Council are in Contempt of Court, then any fine the Tribunal may impose is punitive. Please confirm whether any of the allocated budget will be used to pay any or all of any fine?
The allocated funding was specifically for additional legal advice, if required, and was not authorised for any other use.
FOI Request for NDP Finance (Requested April 2023)
How much has the NDP cost? £27,706.56
Our response: The NDP has been funded by grants from Locality/Groundwork (Government) totalling £17,250.
Funds from the Parish Council totalled £3772
Other donation for £2500
How much more will it cost?
Our response: We don't expect to be paying for any further consultancy, Councillors don't get paid for the hours they commit to Council work, we hope there will not be any further costs. Any expenditure has to be agreed in public by the Council.
