------ Original Message ------
From: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Tuesday, January 14th 2025, 09:18
Subject: Re: Chairing /Non Chairing of Planning Application/LRB Committees/Senior Council Salary of £26,686 as compared to basic salary of £21,345(Now as at 1 April 2024)

In my email response to you on 9 December I said I had nothing further to add to my previous response. That still stands.


Kind regards
Cllr Owen O'Donnell
Leader East Renfrewshire Council

------ Original Message ------
To: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Friday, February 7th 2025, 13:03
Subject: Your Responsibilty Regarding Apparent Abuse of Senior Council Remuneration - Chairing of only 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 by Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees

Dear Council Leader Cllr Owen O'Donnell

I would still appreciate your action to confront this apparent abuse of the Senior Councillor Remuneration and would appreciate courtesy of response to this and previous emails below.

The Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees  in only Chairing 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022

- Has apparently taken in 2022 from May 2022 approx £3,264 for chairing 5 meetings out of 12 (with Remuneration £24,467 - Basic £19,571 salary)

- Has apparently taken in 2023 £5,029 for chairing 3 meetings out of 11 (with Remuneration £25,128 - Basic £20,099 salary)

- Has apparently taken in 2024 £5,341 for chairing 1 meeting out of 11 (with Remuneration £26,686 - Basic £21,345 salary)

(Above updated from previous to reflect more accurate figures)

Cllr Wallace also attended and spoke in the motion at the 29 June 2022 Council meeting.

He has written to say you should be contacted as it is your responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds...

'All elected members have a shared responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds... if you feel these issues require further investigation, you may wish to consider raising them with another elected member...'

It would appear, by keeping silent and ignoring the matter, Councillors are actually more concerned in covering over this apparent abuse rather than ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds and investigating the apparent abuse.


If you can prove to me and give reasons why there has been no abuse then I can accept that, rather than you just ignoring the matter, without any investigation.


As you have not given a response, would also appreciate if you confirm my understanding that

- You support the Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees in Chairing only 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 and consider this acceptable behaviour by a Senior Councillor.

- You support and consider it acceptable the Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees taking the remuneration of roughly £13,634, for only Chairing 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 and for meetings they have not chaired

Not Chaired 7 out of 12 meetings in 2022 (From May 2022)
Not Chaired 8 out of 11 meetings in 2023
Not Chaired 10 out of 11 meetings in 2024

Councillors appoint these posts/councillors.

A Motion to appoint is put before Full Council.

All Councillors vote for the Motion or an Amendment if one is submitted.

Therefor ALL Councillors are responsible for these appointments and it is perfectly reasonable to seek your response.

I am informed -

In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, any Elected Member can bring forward a motion to Council to remove a Senior Councillor from such a role. A Senior Elected Member may also decide to step down from their role.

Once appointed as a Senior Elected Member they have entitlement to the allowance set out in the Scheme until they resign or are removed from that position as above.

It would therefore appear you are responsible, can investigate and depending on the outcome of the investigation either -

Bring forward a motion to Council to remove a Senior Councillor from such a role.

Suggest to a Senior Elected Member they step down from their role.

or

Give reasons why 

the Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees taking the remuneration of roughly £13,634, for only Chairing 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 and taking remuneration for meetings they have not chaired

Not Chairing 7 out of 12 meetings in 2022
Not Chairing 8 out of 11 meetings in 2023
Not Chairing 10 out of 11 meetings in 2024

is acceptable and continue as is.

Council Leader Cllr Owen O'Donnell provided these answers to questions, avoiding giving any answers to if the Senior Councillor Remunerstion was being abused.

Q1. Under what circumstances/reasons can a Councillor cease to be entitled to a Senior Councillor Salary?

In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, any Elected Member can bring forward a motion to Council to remove a Senior Councillor from such a role. A Senior Elected Member may also decide to step down from their role.

Q8. Would appreciate if you would give the reasons why the current Chair has and would appear to be classed as a Senior Councillor with the remuneration paid of £25,128 when they have only Chaired 6 of these 18 Planning Application meetings and 2 of these 15 Local Review Body Meetings.

Once appointed as a Senior Elected Member they have entitlement to the allowance set out in the Scheme until they resign or are removed from that position as outlined in my response to question 1 above.

Full Council Meeting - 25 May 2022

It would appear there is no archive recording available for this meeting on Council website.

From meeting minute -

(xvi) Appointment of Planning Applications Committee Chair and Vice Chair
Councillor O’Donnell, seconded by Councillor Devlin, moved that Councillor Cunningham be appointed Chair of the Planning Applications Committee.

Councillor Buchanan, seconded by Councillor Convery, moved as an amendment that Councillor Ireland be appointed Chair of the Planning Applications Committee.

On the roll being called, Provost Montague and Councillors Anderson, Campbell, Cunningham, Devlin, Edlin, Macdonald, McLean, Morrison, O’Donnell, Pragnell and Wallace voted for the motion.

Councillors Bamforth, Buchanan, Convery, Ireland, Lunday, and Merrick voted for the amendment.

Accordingly, the motion was declared carried and Councillor Cunningham appointed Chair of the Planning Applications Committee.

The Council unanimously agreed that Councillor McLean be appointed Vice Chair of the Planning Applications Committee.


Full Council Meeting - 29 June 2022

You can view recording on Council youtube channel here -



From the minute -

Apologies:
Councillors Betty Cunningham and Jim McLean


NOTICE OF MOTION – SENIOR COUNCILLOR ALLOWANCES
48. In accordance with Standing Order 25, the following notice of motion had been submitted by Councillor O’Donnell, seconded by Councillor Anderson.
That a Senior Councillor Allowance for the Vice Chair of Planning will be created and the Senior Councillor Allowance removed from the position of Convener of Environment.

Councillor Buchanan, seconded by Councillor Bamforth, moved an amendment in the following terms:-
That a Senior Councillor Allowance for the Vice Chair of Planning will not be created and the Senior Councillor Allowance not be removed from the position of Convener of Environment.

On the roll being called, Councillors Anderson, Campbell, Devlin, Edlin, Provost Montague, Morrison, O’Donnell, Pragnell and Wallace voted for the motion.

Councillors Bamforth, Buchanan, Convery, Ireland, Lunday and Merrick voted for the amendment.

Councillor Macdonald abstained.

There being 9 votes for the motion, 6 for the amendment and 1 abstention, the motion was declared carried.

The administration and the leader of Council do not appoint appoint Chair and Vice Chair etc.

A Motion to appoint is put before Full Council.

All Councillors vote for the Motion or an Amendment if one is submitted.

The appointment of Senior Councillors is an initiative that ensures monetory gain for those chosen as Senior Councillors.

Abuse of the system brings all Councillors into disrepute.

I would still appreciate your action to confront this apparent abuse of the Senior Councillor Remuneration.

As said, If you can prove to me and give reasons why there has been no abuse then I can accept that, rather than you just ignoring the matter, without any investigation.

Your help will be appreciated.

Thanks

Made On Line
24/1/2025
6065-3670-0023-7843

This Freedom of Information(FOI) Request concerns the statement made by Council Leader Cllr Owen O'Donnell At the Council meeting on 29 June 2022 at 35:50 into the recording, regarding Vice Chair Senior Councillor appointments -

'we will consider.....look in the coming months ahead...'


'In an email to the Council Leader dated 20/1/2025 the Council Leader declined to give a response to this request -

'...would appreciate if you give this information. It is important we are able trust Council Leader when when they make commitments -

At the Council meeting on 29 June 2022 at 35:50 into the recording, regarding Vice Chair Senior Councellor appointments, you said -

'we will consider.....look in the coming months ahead...'

What was the result of these considerations?

What was the result of looking at this in the coming months ahead (after 29 June 2022)?

Please give details of when the above was undertaken.

What work was carried out and what were the result/conclusions?'


Please provide all details,documents,papers,reports etc regarding

- these considerations and the results of 'looking at this'

- result of these considerations

- the result of looking at this in the coming months ahead (after 29 June 2022)?

- details of when the above was undertaken.

- what work was carried out and what were the result/conclusions

This should also include all correspondence/emails/texts etc to/from/between Council Officials/Councillors/any other persons.


------ Original Message ------
From: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Friday, February 21st 2025, 16:34
Subject: Freedom of Information (FOI) request (Reference 6065 3670 023 7843

I refer to your Freedom of Information (FOI) request (Reference 6065 3670 023 7843) concerning comments made by the Leader of the Council during the East Renfrewshire Council meeting on 29 June 2022 about Vice Chair/Senior Councillor appointments and future considerations on this matter.

I can inform you that we have conducted extensive searches of meeting documents and diaries.

Additionally, I have consulted with members of the Democratic Services Team who were employed at the time of that Council meeting. Unfortunately, I have not found any recorded information pertaining to these further considerations.

Consequently, in accordance with Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2022, I can confirm that, on the balance of probabilities, no recorded information is held by the Council regarding this matter.

In line with our responsibilities under the legislation to advise and assist, I would highlight that although there is no recorded information, it is possible that further discussions on this matter could have occurred verbally among Elected Members without any officers being present.

I hope that the above information is helpful. East Renfrewshire Council offers the opportunity to apply to the Council for a review of how we have dealt with your enquiry. If you wish to proceed to review, please apply in writing within 40 working days to:

Chief Legal Officer
East Renfrewshire Council
Council Headquarters
Rouken Glen Road
Giffnock G46 6UG,
or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

marking your letter or email “Freedom of Information, request for review”. In your response, please state the exact nature of the matter you wish to be reviewed.

The review will be carried out within 20 working days of receipt. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, you have the right to then appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner who has extensive powers to investigate such matters.

The address is:

Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
St. Andrews
Fife KY16 9DS

Yours sincerely


Barry
Barry Tudhope
Democratic Services Manager
East Renfrewshire Council
Department of Business Operations and Partnerships
Council Headquarters, Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road
GIFFNOCK, G46 6UG