Responsible Financial Reporting Officers

Summary

The requester asked for a list of Responsible Financial Officers for all local authorities, boards, and joint committees. The Treasury disclosed the officer for most statutory boards but refused to provide information for local authorities, joint committees, and two specific statutory bodies as they do not hold that data.

Key Facts

• The Responsible Financial Officer for most Statutory Boards is Sheila Lowe, the Treasury Chief Financial Officer.
• The Isle of Man Post Office (IOMPO) and Manx Utilities Authority (MUA) are exceptions where the Treasury does not hold the RFO information.
• The Treasury does not hold information regarding Responsible Financial Officers for Local Authorities or Joint Committees.
• The request was processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.
• Applicants are advised to submit separate requests to Local Authorities, IOMPO, and MUA for the missing information.

Data Disclosed

• 495933
• 2018-06-06
• 2018-06-15
• 14 June 2018
• Section 4(1)
• Section 11(3)(a)
• IM1 3PU
• (01624) 685605

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information not held)

Original Request

Can you please provide a list of the names of Reporting Financial Officers for every local Authority, Board and Joint Committee

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Seyrsnys Fysseree

The Treasury Government Office, Douglas Isle of Man, IM1 3PU

Telephone: (01624) 685605 Email: FOI.Treasury@gov.im

Government Website: www.gov.im

Our ref: 495933 14 June 2018

Dear ###

This request is being handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

We write further to your request which was received on 6 June 2018 and which states:

"Can you please provide a list of the names of Reporting Financial Officers for every local Authority, Board and Joint Committee"

We sought further clarification from you relating to some definitions within your request which you provided as follows; • The term ‘Reporting Financial Officer’ was changed to ‘Responsible Financial Officer’. • The term ‘Board’ related to Statutory Boards and Local Authority Boards. • The term ‘Joint Committee’ related to committees formed from Local Authorities. We can advise you that the Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) for Statutory Boards (with the exception of the Isle of Man Post Office (IOMPO) and Manx Utilities Authority (MUA)) is the Treasury Chief Financial Officer, Sheila Lowe, in accordance with Section 4(1) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2018. In relation to the other aspects of your request regarding Local Authorities, Joint Committees and both IOMPO and MUA, we can confirm that Treasury does not hold the information you have requested, therefore a practical refusal reason applies under Section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act. However, you may wish to submit a Freedom of Information request to the Local Authorities, IOMPO and MUA who may be able to provide you with the information you have requested.

You can submit this request to the Local Authorities and Statutory Boards through the portal at the following address; https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/make-a-freedom- of-information-request/ Please quote the reference number 495933 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely