------ Original Message ------
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Cc: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; paul.o' This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Monday, 11 May, 2020 At 10:17
Subject: RE: Emergency Decision-Making arrangements - Keeping Staff and Residents Updated

Dear Chief Executive(and Alison - Emergency Committee: Cllr Buchanan, Cllr O'kane, Cllr Miller)

Thanks for the 'Thank You'.

Wholeheartedly agree and support the praise for the effort being made by Council and NHS staff.

However, your 'Thank you' is not an update giving facts and figures that decisions have been based on, where questions can be asked and answers sought and some sort of scrutiny undertaken.

Would appreciate response to my requests of 12, 23 & 30 April 2020 below.

It is disappointing that as the Chief Executive is in control of all decision making that they should choose to ignore the concerns of Residents/Council Tax Payers.

These are not extreme suggestions/requests and are not unreasonable considering the lack of representation Residents/Council Tax Payers have and as at present their Councillors have no power.

Other Councils such as Renfrewshire Council are already using current webcast/video technology to give figures/updates, to be open and transparent and allow scrutiny of their decisions.

You can view here -

www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/10204/Emergencies-Board

Again, wholeheartedly agree and support the praise for the effort being made by Council and NHS staff.

The suggestions/comments/requests made here in no way distract from this praise or the work they are carrying out.

Your help with this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Keep well.

Thanks

Our Ref: LM/AT
Your Ref:
Contact: Lorraine McMillan
Tel: 0141 577 3009
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Date: 11 May 2020
Sent by Email:

Chief Executive’s Office
East Renfrewshire Council HQ
Eastwood Park
Rouken Glen Road
Giffnock, G46 6UG

Emergency Decision-Making Arrangements - Keeping Staff and Residents Updated

Thank you for your emails over the last few weeks. I will divide my response into 3 sections:

1. Thank you for your kind words about Council staff. Many of my team have been working extremely long hours over the last few weeks and have appreciated the support of our residents and the many people who have volunteered to support our most vulnerable residents.

2. You have commented on the way that the Council has provided information over the last few weeks.

Can I assure you that we have done everything possible to communicate with our residents using all forms of social media and the press where appropriate.

If there has been a change in a specific service, we have communicated directly with those using the service. You have suggested that I personally use the media of a video or webcast.

It is something I was already considering and have now issued a short video.

Councillor O’Kane and Councillor Buchanan have also issued short videos.

However, our most important communication is to ensure that service users are aware of what is happening to the specific service they are receiving.

3. You have asked for specific information and I will treat that as an FOI request:

a. Coronavirus confirmed cases

- this is information held by the NHS and I understand that it is released at NHS GGC level.

b. Coronavirus confirmed deaths

- this information is issued by NRS every Wednesday and is available on their website, broken down in Local Authority areas.

c. Number of Council workers
i. Number working from home
ii. Number on self -isolation
iii. Number on sick leave

We have 4654 staff. On the 27/4/20 - 409 were affected by coronavirus in some way and were not in a position to work at home.

414 were affected by coronavirus in some way but are able to work from home.

In addition, we have asked all staff who can work from home to do so and many are able to do that.

Some staff will work from home part time, only coming into their place of work when absolutely necessary.

d. Number of vulnerable children at high risk and Number of children of essential workers attending schools.

467

e. Number of teachers attending schools to look after vulnerable children and
children of essential workers.

For the week beginning the 27/4/20 the number varied between 62 and 70

f. Services continuing to be provided -
i. Services NOT continuing to be provided
ii. Details of problem areas.

We have provided detailed information on the services affected on the
Coronavirus section of our website.

This information is regularly updated

g. Availability of protective masks/clothing etc for all council frontline staff and all council staff who continue to provide council services in public places.

– Sufficient PPE is available for all Council staff to operate in line with relevant Government Guidance.

This is an area we keep under review

Whilst it is your legal right to ask for and receive information under Freedom of Information legislation, it would be greatly appreciated if you would consider minimising the number of requests you make over the next few months or even delaying requests.

Such requests take staff away from serving the most vulnerable members of our community at this difficult time.

Through our communications team we are already doing everything we can to provide the information that the general public and our residents are most interested in.

When Council meetings resume again in the near future, formal reporting on our response to Coronavirus will be included and I hope that you will find this useful.

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:

The Chief Officer Legal & Procurement
Council Headquarters
Rouken Glen Road
Giffnock G46 6UG,

marking your letter “Freedom of Information, request for review”, and stating the exact nature of the matter you wish to be reviewed.

The review will be carried out within 20 working days of receipt of your appeal.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, you have the right to then appeal to the Scottish Information who has extensive powers to investigate such matters.

His address is:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
St. Andrews
Fife KY16 9DS


Yours sincerely
Lorraine McMillan
Chief Executive

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Cc: "Buchanan, Tony (Cllr)" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >; "Miller, Stewart (Cllr)" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >; "O'Kane, Paul (Cllr)" <Paul.O' This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Monday, 11 May, 2020 At 17:07
Subject: RE: Emergency Decision-Making arrangements - Keeping Staff and Residents Updated

Dear Chief Executive(and Alison - Emergency Committee: Cllr Buchanan, Cllr O'kane, Cllr Miller)

Thank you for your letter attached to the email from Alison Tait received on 11 May 2020.

However, I will correct you on a few points.

I did not submit a Freedom of Information(FOI) request.

I did make a suggestion that the Chief Executive Officer makes use of Webcast/video facilities and give 'live' regular updates to the Residents/Council Tax Payers/Staff of East Renfrewshire.

I suggested that this be a regular 'live' update and include suggested relevant information and figures.

I did not ask for specific information for myself.

I did not ask you to provide the information and figures to me.

You chose to treat my suggestion as a Freedom of Information request.

I have noted your instruction to dissuade Residents/Council Tax Payers from making Freedom of Information Requests.

Concerning FOI requests, I am aware of the pressures staff are working under and FOI response timscales have been extended,

- I am only aware of one recent request(Ref:221500) to date and that has been with you for 50 working days. This request for clarification was made on 27 February 2020 but was also turned into a FOI request by yourselves on 17 March 2020 and has yet to receive a response.

- I was unaware that I was going to be making any requests over the next few months......................

The Scottish Information Commissioner(SIC) has published on their Website regarding making FOI requests

'Covid-19 and FOI: Requesting information'

here -

www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Covid-19.aspx

The Scottish Information Commissioner has also written on their Website -

'Public authorities are still required to respond "promptly" to the requests for information they receive however, as well as to requests for review. The temporary 60-working day timescale for responses is a maximum timescale only. '

I have forwarded your letter to the Scottish Information Commissioner for his information, highlighting your instructions to dissuade Residents/Council Tax Payers making Freedom of Information requests.

It is still my opinion, it is beneficial in the current situation, that the Chief Executive Officer makes use of Webcast/video facilities and give 'live' regular updates to the Residents/Council Tax Payers/Staff of East Renfrewshire giving facts and figures that decisions have been based on, where questions can be asked and answers sought and some sort of scrutiny undertaken.

It is disappointing that you choose not to give these 'live' updates.

I believe you still have not made a sound case as to why you refuse to give the suggested 'live' updates.

These are not extreme suggestions/requests and are not unreasonable considering the lack of representation Residents/Council Tax Payers have at present and their Councillors have no power.

As said, other Councils such as Renfrewshire Council are already using current webcast/video technology to give figures/updates, to be open and transparent and allow scrutiny of their decisions. Not just to give a 'thank you'.


You can view here -

www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/10204/Emergencies-Board

Again, wholeheartedly agree and support the praise for the effort being made by Council and NHS staff.

The suggestions/comments/requests made here in no way distract from this praise or the work they are carrying out.

As we are currently in lockdown and are all in this together none of this is unreasonable.

As you choose not to give the 'live' updates, a reply with your views/opinion and answering these various points would be greatly appreciated.

Keep well.

"Whilst it is your legal right to ask for and receive information under Freedom of Information legislation, it would be greatly appreciated if you would consider minimising the number of requests you make over the next few months or even delaying requests.

Such requests take staff away from serving the most vulnerable members of our community at this difficult time.

Through our communications team we are already doing everything we can to provide the information that the general public and our residents are most interested in."



Lorraine McMillan Chief Executive Officer
Salary £116,239

"Whilst it is your legal right to ask for and receive information under Freedom of Information legislation, it would be greatly appreciated if you would consider minimising the number of requests you make over the next few months or even delaying requests."

From the Scottish Information Commissioner.
"Asking for information during the Covid-19 pandemic
Freedom of information is an important tool for ensuring that Scottish public authorities are accountable for the work that they do and the decisions they make.

The FOI principles of openness and transparency are key in helping to retain and strengthen public trust.The "right to information" provided by FOI therefore remains critically important during the Covid-19 pandemic."

"Such requests take staff away from serving the most vulnerable members of our community at this difficult time."

Hmmmm, so the Culture and Leisure staff who currently have no role are now working on the front line, namely the Director and his Secretary?

The Director of the Environment and his Personal Assistant are now on the front line?