For the financial years 2019-20 and 2020-21 to date:
1. How much money has the council spent in total on commissioned portraits (i.e. a painting, drawing or engraving of a person)?
2. How much money has the council spent in total on purchased portraits (i.e. a painting, drawing or engraving of a person)?
3. For portraits commissioned who was the subject (e.g. member of staff, council leader etc)?
4. If possible, I would be grateful for a breakdown of spending
– Cost of each portrait
– Name of artist
– Room hire costs
– Number of sittings
– Any other fees / charges incurred
In response to all of the above questions, we can confirm that Devon County Council have not commissioned any portrait, drawing or engraving.
By way of further assistance, we can confirm that an annual photograph is taken of the Chair – it is a photo which is taken in the late winter/early spring of the incumbent’s year of office which runs to May to May so does not correspond exactly with the financial year and neither do the invoices. . .
We received two invoices during the 2019-20 financial year, although one relates to the 2018-19 Chair and the other to the 2019-20 Chair.
Costs as follows:
Invoice May 2019 – £237.06 (for 2018-19 Chair)
Invoice March 2020 – £233.55 (for 2019-20 Chair)
TOTAL = £470.61
In each case the costs cover:
• one sitting of approximately one hour ;
• post production (printing on canvas and framing);
• producing copy prints for the Chair;
• delivery of the portrait to County Hall.
There are no room hire charges as the photograph is always taken at County Hall and the photographer is Elite Photographic.