Councillors having to use FOI requests to get information from their own Environment department
Some excellent research by Paul Fisher has revealed that a total of four elected members have had to use Freedom of Information requests to obtain basic information from their own officers in Environment on no fewer than SIX occasions since May 2010.We are aware of at least one occasion in which a Lead Member had to resort to such a drastic measure to get a response from his own officers in an area of work that was crucial to him in the performance of his own role, for which he receives an allowance from the public purse.A seventh FOI request has been made to the Finance department by an elected councillor.It is to the credit of any member who is prepared to push this far in order to acquire the facts they need, but what the hell is going on in Environment that makes such a last resort measure necessary just so that councillors can do the job they were elected to do?Am I the only person who believes this department to be completely out of control and in need of serious root and branch surgery, and soon?
Phil Andrews ● 4780d2 Comments