Email received – 21 May 2013 09:43
Dear
Mrs Oliver,
I
am writing in response to your request for information (ref FOI
7165).
The
relevant Council Service(s) has searched for the requested information and our
response is as follows.
Over the past two
years to end of March 2013:
1) How many
“compromise agreements” have been signed?
382
2) What
evidence exists that employees access “independent” advice?
The signature of a
solicitor on the compromise agreement and receipt of their invoice. Independent
legal advice is a requirement within the compromise agreement
itself.
3) Can the
council guarantee that they do not provide any advice as to where employees
should seek advice regarding such agreements?
We do not provide
advice or recommendations. However, some employees do ask for the names of
solicitors other employees have used, in which case we direct them to their own
trade unions for advice and provide a list, but we are clear that this does not
constitute a recommendation and they can choose whichever solicitor/legal
adviser they wish, and it is their responsibility to ensure they are fully aware
of what the charges will be.
4) Are redundancy
payments calculated under a standard format or are there circumstances where
this might be varied?
Yes they are
calculated to a standard formula.
5) If so, what
criteria is used to justify the variation from the norm?
Yours
sincerely,
Simon
Oldfield
Freedom
of Information/ Data Protection Officer & RIPA
Coordinator
Stockport
Council
Town Hall
Stockport
SK1 3XE
Tel:
0161 474 4048
Fax: 0161 474 4006
From: Simon
Oldfield On Behalf Of FOI Officer
————————————————————-
From: Sheila
Oliver
Sent: 03 May 2013
19:47
To: FOI Officer
Subject: Fw: Compromise agreements
7010 – Response
Dear FoI
Officer
And supplementry to
my question below:-
Over the past two years to end of March 2013:
!) How
many “compromise agreements” have been signed?
2) What evidence exists
that employees access “independent” advice?
3) Can the council guarantee
that they do not provide any advice as to where employees should seek advice
regarding such agreements?
4) Are redundancy payments calculated under a
standard format or are there circumstances where this might be varied?
5)
If so, what criteria is used to justify the variation from the
norm?
Kind
regrds
Sheila
—– Original
Message —–
From: Sheila
Oliver
To: FOI Officer
Sent: Friday, May 03, 2013
6:43 PM
Subject: Re: Compromise
agreements 7010 – Response
Dear FoI
Officer
Would the below
mentioned confidentiality clause preclude
whistleblowing?
By the way, £420,000
was spent on the A6 to Airport Road consultation exercise. How many of the jobs
of your decent colleagues could that money have safeguarded? But it has all
been blown on a doomed to failure roadscheme. And the Council says I waste
money!
Kind
regards
Sheila
—– Original
Message —–
From: FOI Officer
To: ‘Sheila
Oliver’
Cc: FOI Officer
Sent: Thursday, May 02,
2013 1:58 PM
Subject: FW: Compromise
agreements 7010 – Response
Dear
Mrs Oliver,
I
am writing in response to your request for information (ref FOI
7010).
The
relevant Council Service(s) has searched for the requested information and our
response is as follows.
The Council uses
compromise agreements as part of our standard approach for employees leaving on
voluntary redundancy grounds. Compromise agreements are signed by the employee
after taking independent legal advice, and by the employer. The standard
compromise agreement sets out the reason why the employee is leaving, any
payments due to the employee and details the property and information that need
returning to the Council as well as a standard confidentiality
clause.
Yours
sincerely,
Simon
Oldfield
Freedom
of Information/ Data Protection Officer & RIPA
Coordinator
Stockport
Council
Town Hall
Stockport
SK1 3XE
——————————————————–
From: Sheila
Oliver
Sent: 03 April 2013
18:04
To: FOI Officer
Subject: Compromise
agreements
Dear FoI
Officer
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9967901/14m-bill-for-gagging-axed-public-officials.html
Please see this
newspaper article. Has SMBC signed any such
agreements?
Kind
regards
Sheila
