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Author Topic: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool  (Read 3111 times)

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Dave

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Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2012, 09:58:38 AM »
Have you got a spare £10 million, because I haven't.

No.  I fact, I haven't even got spare £56K, which is what Ms Oliver's FOI requests have cost us all to date.  i.e. 341 FOIs @ £160 each.  (Source: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/user/sheila_oliver)   

Duke Fame

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Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2012, 10:21:15 PM »
i wish i had the time to actually trawl through everything and list the many more examples where FOI requests have been incredibly useful and produced information that authorities wouldnt want us to have.

Truth is every single rule is abused in some way by someone....  its called loopholes...everywhere!  So the argument could be turned against every positive law, legislation and tool we can use.

Still time to change your mind LizLoz

Belly

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Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2012, 09:33:45 PM »
Oh god, here we go again...
Words are trains for passing through what really has no name...

Sheilaoliver

  • Guest
Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2012, 08:30:17 PM »
How about this;-

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/corporation_tax_profits_and_arms#outgoing-172777

A £10 million hole has suddenly appeared in Stockport Homes Pension Fund.  You and I are liable for that £10 million. I am trying to find out what has gone on.  Have you got a spare £10 million, because I haven't.

Sheilaoliver

  • Guest
Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2012, 08:27:39 PM »
How about this:-
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m56_to_a6_bypass

When they  hurridly push through the M56 to A6 bypass and we are to borrow money from the Chinese. How will we pay it back and what currency is the contract likely to be in?  There can be massive currency fluctuations. This is the same team that tried to give us the £1 billion PFI bypass and used Mott McDonald for the traffic modelling. Are you still using Mott McDonald for the traffic modelling, I asked?  Because they did the traffic modelling for the Mottram to Tintwistle Bypass which was found at inquiry to be a pile of rubbish causing the collapse of that inquiry at a cost to you and me of £18 million.

Yes, they still were using Mott McDonald!

Sheilaoliver

  • Guest
Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2012, 08:17:54 PM »
How about this:-

http://democracy.stockport.gov.uk/documents/s9848/Vale%20View%20Executive%20Summary%20Sheet%20and%20Report.pdf


The police are seriously concerned re the traffic issues around the toxic waste dump school. I raised this issues with Goddard, Weldon, Derbyshire, Stunell et al  repeatedly and for years.  Don't be vexatious, they said, and stop wasting money.  There is now no solution to this mess. Traffic orders won't make a scrap of difference and who will be around to police them?

I find it spittingly annoying that Goddard, Derbyshire, Weldon et al should brand me vexatious for correctly identifying a serious  traffic problem for 550 primary school children, when they knew I lost a child myself in a road accident.  Insensitive or what!  I don't expect I will get an apology from Stunell or from the Exec councillors, but I might sue them personally ;o)

There are no grounds for maintaining this ludicrous and dubious vexatious verdict on me. I shall let you know if they ever lift it.  Would you really want to vote for people who treat the exposure of young children to brown asbestos as a mere bagatelle and create an insoluable and appalling traffic danger for them?  You can't trust them with your children, your grandchildren or your vote.

Sheilaoliver

  • Guest
Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2012, 08:08:19 PM »
Lisa

Have a look at this:-

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/blackstone_no_proper_details_of#incoming-239854

Multi million pound project presumably, virtually no record of any meetings that I can find, the site is gassing 78% methane and over 33% CO2 and the council's own experts suggest no site should be developed if it is gassing above 1.5% Methane or CO2. Apparently, the matter is to be decided on 9th January at an Executive Council meeting from which both the public and press will be excluded.

So we can rest assured of safe, open and honest planning in Stockport yet again!  Sleep tight and don't have nightmares.

Lisa Oldham

  • Guest
Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2011, 10:32:12 PM »
i wish i had the time to actually trawl through everything and list the many more examples where FOI requests have been incredibly useful and produced information that authorities wouldnt want us to have.

Truth is every single rule is abused in some way by someone....  its called loopholes...everywhere!  So the argument could be turned against every positive law, legislation and tool we can use.

Harry

  • Guest
Re: Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2011, 04:18:23 PM »
Some of my favourite FOI requests:

How does the council manage to cope with the vagaries of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle?* How does it function given the inherent unpredictability? (Wealden District Council)

How many drawing pins are in the building and what percentage are currently stuck in a pin board? (Hampshire County Council)

What are your plans for the event of an Alien invasion? (Leicestershire CC)

Duke Fame

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Redux: Is the Freedom of Information act a benefit and useful tool
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2011, 10:12:56 AM »
Given the previous thread and seeing FOI in action, I thought it would be interesting to see a new poll.