Disclosure Log

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Question

1. Impact of Austerity on the Monitoring Officer’s Office and Governance Functions • A breakdown of the annual budget allocated to the Monitoring Officer’s office, including any reductions, restructuring, or reallocation of funds. • The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff employed in the legal and governance teams under the Monitoring Officer. • Any records of staffing reductions, restructuring, redundancies, or changes in job roles within these teams due to financial pressures. 2. Use of Temporary, Agency, or Locum Lawyers • The number of temporary, agency, or locum lawyers engaged by the council’s legal and governance teams. • Annual expenditure on temporary, agency, or locum legal staff. • Any internal assessments or reports discussing the reliance on temporary legal staff due to budget cuts or staffing shortages. 3. Internal Assessments or Risk Reports on Austerity & Governance • Copies of any internal reviews, assessments, or risk reports discussing how austerity has affected the ability of the Monitoring Officer’s office to perform its statutory functions. • Any specific reports highlighting governance risks, challenges in legal compliance, or concerns raised by senior officers regarding financial constraints on governance functions. 4. Complaints, Legal Challenges & External Oversight • Records of legal challenges involving council governance decisions, particularly where the Monitoring Officer played a role in advising or intervening. • Copies of any reports submitted by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) relating to governance failings or misconduct in the council. • Data on formal complaints received regarding alleged breaches of governance standards, including those specifically related to the conduct of the Monitoring Officer. • Any investigations or disciplinary actions taken against the Monitoring Officer or legal/governance staff in relation to governance or ethical concerns.

Answer

1. Impact of Austerity on the Monitoring Officer’s Office and Governance Functions None • A breakdown of the annual budget allocated to the Monitoring Officer’s office, including any reductions, restructuring, or reallocation of funds. None – it is contained within the legal budget • The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff employed in the legal and governance teams under the Monitoring Officer. None • Any records of staffing reductions, restructuring, redundancies, or changes in job roles within these teams due to financial pressures. None 2. Use of Temporary, Agency, or Locum Lawyers • The number of temporary, agency, or locum lawyers engaged by the council’s legal and governance teams. None • Annual expenditure on temporary, agency, or locum legal staff. None • Any internal assessments or reports discussing the reliance on temporary legal staff due to budget cuts or staffing shortages. N/A 3. Internal Assessments or Risk Reports on Austerity & Governance • Copies of any internal reviews, assessments, or risk reports discussing how austerity has affected the ability of the Monitoring Officer’s office to perform its statutory functions. N/A • Any specific reports highlighting governance risks, challenges in legal compliance, or concerns raised by senior officers regarding financial constraints on governance functions. None 4. Complaints, Legal Challenges & External Oversight • Records of legal challenges involving council governance decisions, particularly where the Monitoring Officer played a role in advising or intervening. Monitoring Officer has an advisory/oversight role in all significant decisions but there has not been any legal challenge where MO has needed to intervene • Copies of any reports submitted by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) relating to governance failings or misconduct in the council. None • Data on formal complaints received regarding alleged breaches of governance standards, including those specifically related to the conduct of the Monitoring Officer. None • Any investigations or disciplinary actions taken against the Monitoring Officer or legal/governance staff in relation to governance or ethical concerns. None