FOI Request Review of Chief Executive Expenses
Request 101001576474
Original Request and Response http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_114297.html
Thanks for the information provided. I now wish to request a review. My original request asked for “all information” on the subject. What you have provided me with is a ‘summary’ of that information.
I specifically asked for “receipts for anything in excess of £50”. While all the claims you have provided me with exceed that amount, you have not provided me with the original paperwork.
Response 01-09-2017
Following your request for a review of our response to the FOI you submitted, 101001563679 a review meeting was held at the council offices on 21st August 2017. In attendance were the Records and Heritage Manager, Senior Solicitor, Principal Accountant and the Information Coordinator.
Your review request was discussed and it was agreed that the officer handling your original request had interpreted the request in way you did not mean. The person handling the requests had interpreted it as if you only required accommodation information. We interpret from your request for review that you require information on all claims, with receipts provided for claims in excess of £50, and not just those for accommodation. We are pleased, therefore, to include details regarding all claims.
Secondly, your review request reiterates your request for receipts and original paperwork. The reason these receipts were not included in the original response is that we do not hold receipts for the claims listed in the original response. An explanation of this follows in the next paragraph. Given the wider scope of our search to claims beyond just accommodation we have found some claims for which we do hold expenses records and they have been included (redaction has occurred to remove signatures, credit card details etc) for the period requested which make up the ‘original paperwork’ in this instance.
Explanation of lack of receipts for accommodation claims.
The following is a statement from our Procurement team regarding the accommodation transactions under this request, specifically your concern that we had not provided copies of receipts for these transactions:
“All of the chief executive’s accommodation for the requested period has been booked through the Council’s Travel and Accommodation Booking contract with CLICK Travel. The traveller doesn't pay his own hotel bill, therefore doesn't get a receipt. The contract operates as follows:
CLICK book the room at the confirmed hotel CLICK pay the hotel for the booked room CLICK send the council a monthly consolidated bill (a detailed invoice listing all travel and accommodation booked in the month) The Council pays CLICK for each monthly bill.”
Therefore this information is exempt under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information Not Held. Details of the invoices were previously provided in response to the original request for each travel claim over £50.
Paperwork Attachments now released: Expenses claim forms for period requested HERE HERE HERE
Notes on codes used in the attached paperwork:
100 Taxi
102 Other expenses
103 Reimbursement
101 Car parking
104 General subsistence
105 Conference subsistence
130 Public transport
The standard business miles rate is 45 pence per mile. Business miles are paid at 25% of the standard rate where the claimant has used their own car instead of a hire car for distances over 135 miles.