Green Belt signs - tendering mystery?

Nothing is ever straightforward in the rotten Labour Borough of Sandwell (aka "Sadwell") is it? Regular readers will know that Labour want to try and make a few quid by placing huge v-shaped "Toblerone" signs on Green Belt land at Ray Hall Lane, Great Barr. To this end, the failing Council rushed through their own planning application with indecent haste, but only after mysteriously taking unspecified pre-application "advice" from advertising signage giants, J C Decaux (which will, no doubt, be expressly set-out during the alleged "tendering process" - see further below).

Our old friend of this blog, Nick Bubalo, head of planning, made the application which, despite objections, speedily passed through the planning process. One Councillor put in a petition against the scheme - when people should have properly registered formal objections instead - and SMBC simply ignored it, as per usual. The whole Council had to approve this sh*te as it involves green belt land and the sonmambulant "socialist" sheep duly obliged.

I asked SMBC on your behalf about the "tendering process" and no less a person than Bubalo himself wrote to reassure me:

"The Toblerone signs will go through the Council's appropriate formal tendering process. This is currently being worked up and will go out tender in due course".

Buy sh*t suckers!

Of course, this blog has pointed to a little local difficulty with the crafty comrades and their "tendering processes" in the past but, subject to SMBC disclosing in full the "advice" from J C Decaux (whom one would normally have expected to want to be involved in this deal) and staff not fiddling the process (and they now know they have police immunity from investigation) then at least all this appeared to be "above board". Pretty simple really - tenders to erect and maintain two large Toblerone signs at specific locations and to pay the taxpayer rent - highest bid within specification surely "takes all". But soft.....

The sleazy "socialist" Council did put up something about this with a deadline date in late February and a named contact. But anyone trying to contact the named person was met with a standard email response that he was out of the office until March ie after the deadline date! With Jan Britton's out of control staff it is hard to say whether this was done deliberately for sinister reasons or is just yet more evidence of pure incompetence.

But worse, the tender offer is NOT to erect these two signs at all but for firms to "express an interest" in doing so together with more signs at up to eight (8!) other, as yet, unspecified sites. In other words, another classic stitch-up could well be in the offing whereby the comrades chat with and snuggle up to a specifically-favoured party and lock-out all other competition. I am in communication with a Company involved in this "process" and so watch this space but there is another nasty smell coming from Ray Hall Lane and, this time, it ain't from the sewage works......

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

PROUD TO BE TROLLED BY ANDREW HIPKISS AND BY THE SANDWELL TROLL NETWORK.

Confidential phone no: 07599 983737                    Facebook: Julian Saunders

Email: thesandwellskidder@gmail.com

Jan Britton Fights For Secrecy!

The thin-skinned "Chief Executive" of Sandwell (aka "Sadwell") Council, Jan Britton, is at it again. He and his staff have tried a number of stunts to close down this blog the most notorious of which, of course, was his reporting of The Skidder to West Midlands Police because this highly-paid shrinking violet was claiming to be "harassed" by me calling him the "g***t a***b*" and putting a parodic photo on this blog of a doppleganger dressed in a pancake costume!

Readers know now that he himself writes a blog which is sent round Sadwell Council but which he is now trying to keep secret. Recently, the Halesowen News reported his use of the blog to criticise social workers for his own management's disastrous failure over a number of years in respect of Children's Services. This shitty attack was picked up and commented on by Private Eye Magazine, no less!

It has also become apparent that he has used the blog to slag me off on at least two occasions. In the circumstances, I put in a Freedom of Information Act request to see this great work. He has been at it for some time (which may be why he seemingly failed to notice Hussain's taxi contract bid, a number of bent deals and, as above, the unfolding tragedy in Children's Services - and he was supposed to be intimately involved in that shaming degringolade) but to be reasonable and proportionate I only requested sight of the great man's thoughts since 1st April, 2015.

Now SMBC are spending time, (our) money and energy fighting to maintain secrecy and refusing to give disclosure and I have been forced to appeal to the Office of The Information Commissioner (ICO) yet again in respect of this failing Council! Set out below is my appeal which I would normally place in a technical blog for the delight of Sadwell nerds only but it is worth you scrolling down to the original response from a public servant employed by us taxpayers, one David Haywood. I am used to vitriolic abuse from a number of people connected with Sadwell but I will leave it to you decide whether  a public servant - whom I have never met and who does not know me - should write to member of the public in this aggressive and insulting manner....

PS Where's the Wragge Report, Mr Britton?

Here is the FOI appeal:

APPEAL TO THE OFFICE OF THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

SANDWELL METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

Background

I provide a community news service scrutinising the activities of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC). Despite the esoteric subject matter of a blog I write (with help from others) on this subject, it has received over 350,000 views to date.

The Chief Executive of SMBC who is, of course, a public servant funded by the taxpayer writes a blog in Council “time” which is then disseminated via the taxpayer-funded computer system to staff. He is also in a politically-restricted post.

I have requested copies of the blog since 1st April, 2015. The Council have refused my request on the ground that it is vexatious and maintained that stance following internal review.

The Council have not claimed that it would be costly to provide this information and it would not be as it would merely entail pressing a few keys on a keyboard. Indeed, I limited the request to the current Council “financial year” (even though the blog has been running for some time) specifically to keep the request reasonable and proportionate.

It should be noted that the Chief Executive, Jan Britton, has used his blog to personally attack me on at least two occasions. Also, following yet another “inadequate” Ofsted report in respect of SMBC’s disastrous Children’s Service Department, he infamously used this medium to attack SMBC’s social workers and to shift the blame for this failure from his management team onto them. This was reported in the local Halesowen News paper and in Private Eye Magazine and was clearly a matter of both public interest and concern.

Where a (politically-restricted) Chief Executive is using taxpayers’ time and equipment to attack and criticise third parties it is clearly a matter of public interest that this material should be placed in the public domain. It is also in the public interest for taxpayers to be able to assess the efficacy of the management style of the Council where it is deliberately shrouding itself in secrecy in so many areas of its activity (I refer, without prejudice to the generality of this assertion, to the information already forced from this organisation via my other FOI requests to date).

I should also add that, as a community journalist, I take grave exception to the tone of SMBC’s highly personal attack on me in their original response of 9th February, 2016. I have never met nor spoken to the purported writer, David Haywood, Service Manager Governance, and I find it extraordinary that this public servant can abuse me in the manner that he has and to presume to comment on my alleged motivation for writing a long-standing and well-received community blog. The fact that my original request was couched in somewhat flippant terms does not absolve SMBC from complying with the provisions of the Act and does not justify personal abuse and vilification.

Original Request - 6th January, 2016

Vincent Alexandervich <thesandwellskidder@gmail.com>	Jan 6
to contact, Jan,

I am aware that the person purporting to be Sandwell Council's "Chief Executive", Jan Britton, writes a "Word on the Street" blog which is disseminated to the unfortunate staff. Clearly this is being prepared by a member of the paid service and is published via the publicly-funded computer system. In those circumstances, please forward copies of all of these blogs for the current "council year" ie from ist April, 2015 until the date of your reply.

Julian Saunders

Original Response - 9th February, 2016

Info Management <Info_Management@sandwell.gov.uk>	Feb 9
to me

This information has been marked as: IL1: PROTECT

Dear Mr Saunders,

Please find attached the Council’s response to your above FoI request.

Regards

Stuart Taylor

Governance Services Manager

Governance

Vincent Alexandervich

thesandwellskidder@gmail.com

Dear Mr Saunders

Freedom of Information Request Ref: 1-729108818

The Council is in receipt of your Freedom of Information Request as follows:

“I am aware that the person purporting to be Sandwell Council's "Chief Executive", Jan Britton, writes a "Word on the Street" blog which is disseminated to the unfortunate staff.  Clearly this is being prepared by a member of the paid service and is published via the publicly-funded computer system.  In those circumstances, please forward copies of all of these blogs for the current "council year" ie from ist April, 2015 until the date of your reply.”

Under the Freedom of Information Act, public authorities do not have to comply with vexatious requests.  Where a request is classified as vexatious, the public interest test does not apply.

A public body may consider and determine that a request is :

- so patently unreasonable or objectionable that it will be obviously vexatious; or

- likely to cause a disproportionate or unjustified level of disruption, irritation or distress.

(source ICO Guidance  20141120)

The blog that you refer to in your request is an informal tool used by the Chief Executive to share his personal views on professional matters as pertaining to the Authority, and deliver messages to employees on matters in which he thinks staff may have an interest.  The blog is not disseminated to all staff.  Access to the blog is by individual choice.  Employees may also choose to subscribe to bulletins.

The Council is aware that you gather information through various sources including FOI which you then use in your several personas to publicly pursue your personal derogation of the Council, named employees and named elected members.  The Council considers that you do this because of a personal grudge.  The Council also considers that your actions cause disruption, irritation and distress and that you take pleasure in doing so.

The Council considers that your current request is without specific purpose, as demonstrated by its broadness.  The Council considers your request is solely designed for the purpose of ‘fishing’ for information without any idea of what might be revealed.

The Council believes that by requesting the entire content of the blog for a twelve month period you are simply looking for subjects that you can then use as ‘hooks’ on which to hang further requests for information in order to pursue your ongoing personal grudge and your repeated desire to disparage the Council, its officers and its elected members at every opportunity under the pretence of acting in the public interest.

The Council also considers that you are looking for personal commentary by the Chief Executive and other senior officers which can then be used, including by being taken out of context, for the sole purpose of undermining their professional standing and further attacking their personal reputation and that of the Council.  The Council considers that providing you with the information you ask for may lead to further irritation and distress to individuals.

The Council considers that the disparaging and opinionated terminology that you use in your request serves to support the negative intention beyond your request.

The Council considers that the effort required to meet a request of vexatious intent is unreasonable and that any reasonable person would not expect the Council to direct its resources from its primary purposes simply to comply with a request of this nature.  The Upper Tribunal in the case of Information Commissioner vs Devon County Council ruled that the purpose of Section 14 [of the Act] must be to protect the resources (in the broadest sense of the word) of the public authority from being squandered on disproportionate use of FOIA.

In accordance with Section 14 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Council has determined your request to be of vexatious intent and will not be responding to the request.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your request, and should be addressed to:

Information Management Unit

Sandwell Council House

Freeth Street

Oldbury

West Midlands

B69 3DE

Email – info_management@sandwell.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of an internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours faithfully

David Haywood

Service Manager - Governance

Request for an Internal Review - 9th February, 2016

Vincent Alexandervich <thesandwellskidder@gmail.com>	Feb 9
to Info

I am patently not a vexatious applicant as my earlier FoI's have shown. Important information - which you have attempted to shield from public view - has been flushed out.

As of today, my well-respected blog relating to the Council has had nearly 340,000 views and it is an important means of letting the people of Sandwell see what is really going on.

The fact that you do not like the style or content of my blog is irrelevant to the operation of Freedom of Information Act 2000.

For the record, I have not made applications via a variety of persona. I previously used What Do They Know to make requests in my own name and then started making applications via this gmail account all signed "Julian Saunders".

If anything is "vexatious" it is your personal attack on me.

In the circumstances, please take this mail as a FORMAL request for an internal review pursuant to the Act.

Julian Saunders

Reply to Request for an Internal Review - 15th March,2016

Request for an Internal Review 1-732085669 [IL0: UNCLASSIFIED]

Inbox

x

Info Management	5:23 PM (16 hours ago)
to me

This information has been marked as: IL0: UNCLASSIFIED

Dear Mr Saunders

Review of Freedom of Information Request Ref: 1-729108818

I have completed the requested review of the following Freedom of Information Request as follows:

“I am aware that the person purporting to be Sandwell Council's "Chief Executive", Jan Britton, writes a "Word on the Street" blog which is disseminated to the unfortunate staff.  Clearly this is being prepared by a member of the paid service and is published via the publicly-funded computer system.  In those circumstances, please forward copies of all of these blogs for the current "council year" i.e. from 1st April, 2015 until the date of your reply.”

I can confirm that the Freedom of Information Act provides that a public body may consider and determine that a request is :

-        so patently unreasonable or objectionable that it will be obviously vexatious; or

-        likely to cause a disproportionate or unjustified level of disruption, irritation or distress.

As a public body, Sandwell Council is permitted to apply the vexatious provisions to a Freedom of Information request.

Where a public body applies the vexatious provisions, it is not obliged to provide detailed reasons.  The Council in its initial response has, however, offered explanations as to why it is applying the provisions and I am satisfied that the Council has acted reasonably by providing an explanation of its application of Section 14 of the Act and that those explanations demonstrate a reasoned approach to the application of Section 14.

In conclusion, I am satisfied that the Council has acted within the rights conferred upon it as a public body.

If you are not content with the outcome of this internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any communications with the ICO.

Yours faithfully

Stuart Taylor

Governance Services Manager

Governance

Ext 3715

End.   16th March, 2016

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

PROUD TO BE TROLLED BY DARREN COOPER AND ANDREW HIPKISS.

email:  thesandwellskidder@gmail.com              facebook:  Julian Saunders

Confidential phone no: 07599 983737

Will Jan Britton Apologise to Hippodrome Volunteers?

Birmingham Hippodrome have been doing some excellent "outreach" work, bringing the arts out onto the streets for all to see. Back in 2014 they had the brilliant idea of bringing the wonderful Brazilian artist Nele Azevedo and her team over to create "Minimum Monument" in Chamberlain Square, Birmingham as a poignant, but transitory, memorial to the sacrifice of men and women in World War One.

Nele's work was the creation of over five thousand small ice figures which members of the public placed on the steps of the Square where they duly melted. In a masterpiece of logistics by The Hippodrome an absolutely amazing team of volunteers (of which I am immensely proud to have been one) spent every afternoon (and two Saturday mornings) FOR A FORTNIGHT making the ice sculptures in moulds. The event was a spectacular success with thousands in the Square and massive media coverage. The morning of the event had been particularly stressful for all concerned in the project due to adverse weather but all was well and we all found the event incredibly beautiful and highly-emotional.

Nele was doing media interviews etc after the event and so the volunteers adjourned to the pub before we all met up again. I put a couple of photos of us all on Twitter and Facebook including this one:

You will note that we are all wearing our "black" t-shirts and trousers/skirts which was our "uniform" for the event. Hold that in your minds if you will....

Regular readers will know that Sandwell Council and it's vicious Labour "leader", Darren Cooper, have put in considerable effort to shut this blog down (even trying to get West Midlands Police to do their dirty work for them.) Cooper and his associates having failed in that endeavour have resorted to attacking and harassing my wife and her employer together with a Birmingham charity of which she is a Trustee. Cooper has harassed my wife directly (eg threatening for unknown reasons to confront her at her place of work) and he and his pal, a local Regional Organiser from Unite the Union, also set about using Twitter to attack her employer, a Birmingham arts charity:

http://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/labour-leader-unite-officer-harass-arts.html

But in early 2015 the out of control staff of Jan Britton - who purports to be "Sadwell's" Chief Executive at over £150k per annum - colluded with the reprehensible Cooper and the Council formally sent two letters signed by Darren Cooper to my wife's employer in a bid to have her at least suspended or preferably sacked for her job. This purely on the fallacious "reasoning" that because she has the dubious honour of being married to me (ahem) she is in some way culpable for what I write (and I happen to be rather proud of some of the exposes made in this blog).

Again, Skidder aficionados will know already that Jan Britton's staff and Cooper lifted the above photo from my Twitter or Facebook account and used it for nefarious purposes in one of the letters to the employer. The question is, why?

http://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/smbc-dis-hippodrome-volunteers.html

Let me take you on a short diversion here, dear readers. Over the last couple of years I have done other voluntary work for arts organisations in Brum including for the charity that employs my wife. During this period my wife and I have been subjected to an enormous trolling campaign on Twitter (which is still ongoing). So far, Twitter has suspended 15 accounts ALL of which Cllr Darren Cooper was DIRECTLY associating with and engaging with (as was his mate from Unite). In a sting operation he was caught out confirming that he knew the identity of one of the trolls and in another case (assuming he was not actually the troll himself) he was caught out passing highly defamatory information direct to the troll.

Back in December, 2014 a very sustained and vicious campaign started together with Unite the Union sending me electronic Christmas cards and staff (who are personal friends of Cooper) from the GMB union spreading malicious and untrue allegations about me. One of the now suspended troll accounts was called @bhamskidder and was being followed  by Darren Cooper several hours before the troll started tweeting!!!!! Some of the tweets attached a photograph which had, again, been lifted from my own Twitter account. A cropped version is shown here and you will note that I am wearing a black t-shirt although I have cut off the logo of my wife's employer for present purposes.

Not a pretty sight I know but a lot uglier with the stuff the trolls put with it ie that I had killed a child whilst drink-driving, defrauded a company I used to work for etc all of which was tagged to my wife's employers to cause trouble for her.

A number of the troll accounts which Darren Cooper directly associated himself with, and interacted very publicly with, also hinted to the charity that I was a paedophile and unfit to work with children. They kept referring to criminal record checks to imply that I was unfit to do voluntary work together with less "subtle" stuff:

02/12/14 That's a shame do you work with kids (copied to the charity);

And this from the troll account Darren Cooper has been caught passing stuff directly to:

Cooper wants to be the new West Midlands Mayor and Britton, the Trojan Elephant, is already second in command of the admin side of the new talkshop - black days indeed lie ahead for arts organisations in Birmingham and the wider region. But Darren Cooper is famously/notoriously intellectually-challenged and his lack of any sort of judgment is legendary. Here he is writing about me to one of the troll accounts directly HIMSELF - making highly-defamatory statements that I have committed unspecified offences (which, of course, I have not):

And the answer to the riddle of the picture of The Hippodrome volunteers? Quite simple - the reckless prat Cooper had seen the picture of me wearing a black t-shirt in one picture and just assumed - whilst writing an important official letter as Leader of Sandwell Council to get a woman outside Sandwell sacked from their job - that the picture in the pub related to the same organisation! Can you believe that? And Jan Britton's equally reckless staff failed to check and just used taxpayer-funded Sandwell Council to send it out.

I have spoken to a number of volunteers in the photograph who confirm that neither Jan Britton nor any member of staff sought their consent to use the photograph to attack and bully a woman and that had he sought such consent it would most certainly not have been forthcoming. They are disgusted that, having worked on such a brilliant project, their image has been hijacked by a Labour local authority in this absolutely appalling way.

What do you say readers? Time for Britton to issue a formal public apology to the volunteers?

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

PROUD TO BE TROLLED BY DARREN COOPER AND ANDREW HIPKISS

email:   thesandwellskidder@gmail.com       facebook:  Julian Saunders

Confidential phone no:  07599 983737