Data Protection

As we know Public Health England have been called in to look into goings on at drug and alcohol support service Change,Grow, Live (CGL) after worrying death statistics and allegations of concerning work practices were published on Wirral Leaks.

https://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/2016/09/08/public-health-england-brought-in-to-investigate-concerns-first-raised-by-wirral-leaks/

CGL are funded to the tune of £7.7 million per annum from public health monies which are now frighteningly administered by Wirral Council. So we were a little surprised that Wirral Council had eventually called in Public Health England , as it seemed they were adopting the same approach as they did with Children’s Services highlighted in the recent Ofsted report. Another case of officers and councillors knowing there were serious issues but going into denial and doing nothing to address concerns.

However we soon began to have doubts as to whether Public Health England were the right body to undertake this investigation. These doubts have intensified after further investigation by ourselves and information provided by sources who share our concerns.

First of all let us introduce you to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) https://www.ndtms.net/default.aspx

Providers such as CGL uses and uploads all their data on to the NDTMS. It has been suggested to us that if CGL stopped using it it would threaten the very existence of the drug and alcohol unit at Public Health England.Their only source of intelligence comes via NDTMS, without it they couldn’t function and they rely on the good will of providers to send them the information. CGL have developed their own version of NDTMS via notepads and mobile devices so keyworkers can work out in the community and input data and then input this data again for NDTMS.

Now this is where it has been suggested to us that things gets interesting : Public Health England may not want to be too hard on CGL as they know they could stop uploading data to the NDTMS and because they are a leading player there would be a huge void in the data received, therefore PHE wouldn’t be able to report to Government or post their endless bits of self -justifying evidence. Could this be a case of data providing protection for CGL?!.

Therefore we would suggest that to avoid any suggestion of compromise a third party needs to investigate CGL alongside Public Health England . It’s been suggested to us that Release would be ideal for the role http://www.release.org.uk/

We also wonder whether investigators will have the power/remit to ask questions as to whether CGL consultants are paid via an offshore account. This allegation has recently been brought to our attention. If true then this would mean CGL consultants only pay tax at 10% compared to 40% in the UK. This would surely place CGL at a competitive advantage when it came to tendering for services and if confirmed there is a possibility that they could be breaking competition law.  https://www.gov.uk/cartels-price-fixing/overview

We’re sure that CGL would be willing in the interests of openness and transparency reassure investigators that this and other allegations made about their practices are completely unfounded.

Public Accountability Wirral-Style

We were looking forward to reporting from tonight’s Birkenhead Constituency Committee but we understand it’s been cancelled again – although we should be grateful that they’ve set up a meeting in November as originally they were due to meet next in  January 2017 – meaning  that would have been more cancellations than meetings this past year. We can only guess that they call it a  ‘Special  Meeting’ because it’s a special occasion when they actually meet!.

Now we don’t want to be seen to be singling out Birkenhead Constituency Committee but we really would like to know what these mockeries of  local democracy actually achieve?. Wallasey seem to be the only one of the 4 constituency committees that actually meets regularly and achieves anything.

However we do have a particular interest in Birkenhead Constituency Committee because let’s face it that’s where most of the absolute worst local politicians -and it has to be said a couple of the best- Cllrs Kelly and Cleary take a bow – who besmirch our blog can be seen up close and personal. The council “leader”  Power Boy Pip can be found there with both of his deputies  Cllr Ann “Going Forward” McLachlan and Cllr George “Combing Forward” Davies  along with Cllr  Angela “CGL who?” Davies , Cllr Matron McLaughlin and of course who could forget ex-council leader Foulkesy ?. Although we have to say we owe an apology to Foulkesy as we claimed in a previous post that he was not renowned for anything. That’s simply not true. He’s renowned for being a LIAR!.

Now that Birkenhead MP Frankenfield has given up the chair to spend more of his valuable time backstabbing Jezza Corbyn and badmouthing “Sir” Philip Green  he’s handed over the reins of the committee to his political agent and bumbling , mumbling go -between –  Cllr George Davies. And we think that in the light of the Thynne 2 report and the Ofsted report that those who were due to attend the Birkenhead Constituency Committee and who were implicated in various failings and misconduct have decided to keep a low profile and which may explain why tonight’s meeting was cancelled.

We’re particularly disappointed  that tonight’s meeting is off as we’d advised one of disgruntled sources to show up and shame them after they’d written to us in desperation to say  : “Why are they allowed to mismanage things so consistently.  As for my local councillor S Foulkes all I’ve received from him (and this was after two requests for acknowledgement of my emails) was an email telling me that council would resume on 1st September, useless is the kindest word I can use.  That said that is more of a reply than I got from Coun Davies, I never even got that from him…..”

That’s why we advise our readers to attend these meetings if only to hold these no-marks to account and remind them they are ACCOUNTABLE TO US.

This is something to which most councillors and the officer class of Wirral Council seem to be oblivious to. This is demonstrated once again by the fact that council sources inform us that :

A Spotlight session has been arranged at which Julia Hassall will lead a briefing for members regarding the outcomes of the recent Ofsted inspection of children’s services in Wirral. The purpose of the session will be to outline the key findings of the Ofsted inspection and the Council’s planned response. There will then be the opportunity for a question and answer session. All members of the Council are invited to attend the session, which will not be open to the public.

The session will be held on Tuesday 11th October, commencing at 6:00pm in Committee Room 1 at Wallasey Town Hall. 

Under the circumstances all we can do is advise our readers to contact their local councillors and ask them to ask pertinent questions on their behalf . http://democracy.wirral.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

It maybe not the way that public accountability should work but at least we can point to an example as to how it should work :

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/data_protection_breach_4

As following our exposure of a serious data protection breach by Wirral Council they were compelled to report their failing to the Information Commissioner’s Office . It’s just a shame that the person who picked up the documents from the pavement had already beaten them to it!.

https://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/environmental-disaster/

NOW THAT IS HOW PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD WORK!

Time for an Intervention

 

Wirral Council are increasingly reminding us of an old soak who’s in denial about their drinking as they stumble from mishap to crisis .

The latest stumble being the failure of their 2015/16 accounts not being signed off pending an investigation of their taking out of some dodgy looking loans : https://wirralinittogether.wordpress.com/2016/09/26/wirral-councils-201516-accounts-will-not-be-signed-off-before-30th-september-deadline-heres-why/

This must be why a Wirral resident is calling for an urgent intervention and what a compelling case they make for detox.

Dear Marcus Jones MP – Minister for Local Government; and, Sir Eric Pickles MP – former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government & Author of ‘Securing the ballot: review into electoral fraud’.

Further to my email of yesterday (pasted below for completeness) regarding the Demand For Government Intervention regarding Wirral Council.

The concern is not only a serious issue for the public. I am not mistaken as to the gravity and critical nature of the issues in Wirral Council, as can be seen by a letter sent by 3 Wirral opposition Councillors, who are virtually marginalised in exercising any influence whatsoever, by the changes the ruling group have made to the Council constitution and scrutiny committee composition, amongst others. Many comparable examples can be provided from virtually all aspects of Wirral Council’s governance, conduct, legislative compliance and delivery.

I insert here a copy of the Councillors letter, to your colleague Edward Timpson MP, which has been published in full in the media (link below), and urge you, and your colleagues to act immediately, while there is something that can be salvaged from the wreckage of democracy in Wirral. Intervention is long overdue, in order to reassure a cowed electorate, that accountability, transparency, honour and integrity still matter in local government, and public service actually matters.

http://m.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/14761154.Council_leader_defends_trip_to_China_amid_Wirral_s_child_safeguarding_crisis/

https://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/2016/09/23/the-big-lie-gets-even-bigger/

For all of the 8 links I have provided, a fuller picture is painted by scrolling to the very bottom of the feature articles and reading the public comments.

Contrary to Greg Clark MP and his statement that the Minister does not have the power to intervene, the Government does have powers to intervene in local authorities. The specific legal power is in Local Government Act 1999, s.10, as modified by Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, Sch 10, para 2 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/schedule/10/paragraph/2

I have provided the link to save time for you, given the critical state of Wirral Council and public disquiet.

————————————————————————–
DEMAND FOR GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION (sent initially on 23.09.16)

Dear Marcus Jones MP – Minister for Local Government; and, Sir Eric Pickles MP – former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government & Author of ‘Securing the ballot: review into electoral fraud’.

DEMAND FOR GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION

I have corresponded with the previous Minister for Local Government Greg Clark MP, regarding my serious concerns relating to the conduct, behaviour and questionable decision-making by Wirral Council, on Merseyside. I assume that correspondence has remained on file, therefore you will know my background.

I will keep this demand for intervention brief for the following reason:-

You will read all of the content…

I provide only 6 weblinks (the tip of a very large iceberg) at the foot of this demand, which are damning in themselves for any accountable authority, never mind the recipient of the LGC’s ‘Most Improved Council of Great Britain 2015’ award, after being ‘on the brink of intervention’ in 2012, and the imposition of an LGA ‘Improvement Board’ until 2014. That questionable ‘award’ is only about 18 months old…, and now Wirral Council sees its standing as “From the brink of intervention, to the pinnacle of local government.” (Eric Robinson CEO Wirral Council; recruitment statement September 2016)

From the weblinks you will see a snapshot of the level, or ‘pinnacle’, at which Wirral Council functions…Marcus Jones MP will already know about the very costly Wirral Council proposed monthly ‘newspaper’ – a trivial matter by comparison. Sir Eric Pickles may not be aware that Wirral Council has also been reported to the Police and Electoral Commission for suspected election fraud at the May elections, and to the Police regarding other issues of theft and fraud.

The framework within which local government exists, functions, and the responsibilities of which are discharged by holder’s of public office, and their employees, are governed by the Laws of the Land, Acts of Parliament, and policies, procedures and constitutions of each authority. If the Government can intervene directly on the strength of a monthly newspaper, I would see it as a dereliction of your public duty (much as I see Wirral Council in this light), if, as the Minister responsible for Local Government, you fail to place Wirral Council into special measures. If Wirral Council’s ‘benchmark’ standard of ‘most improved’ local government behaviour constitutes ‘acceptable’ standards of governance and conduct in public office, we are all in serious trouble.

I put you Mr Marcus Jones and by virtue of her delegation to you, the Prime Minister Theresa May, on notice that you have now been advised of the critical situation facing Wirral residents as a result of the implosion of Wirral Council. The Council has a total disregard for the democratic process, the wishes of many of its residents, and no longer appears to manage its finances for the benefit of the Wirral population. Serious governance deficiencies exist, and incompetence in the tendering and procuring processes, coupled with an almost total absence of due diligence, are now systemically ingrained. Wirral Council now enjoys a deplorable reputation in both providing direct services, and commissioning third-party services to be provided by the private or voluntary sector.

You will see from the weblinks below that I ‘draw a line’ for you from which to make a long-overdue intervention into the machinations of Wirral Council. If you fail to do so the responsibility for the ongoing failings of Wirral Council will fall on your shoulders for ignoring this warning.

The response I received from Greg Clark MP was that the Minister did not have the power to intervene in the day-to-day business of local authorities. Marcus Jones MP has intervened in the day-to-day running of Wirral Council with regard to its cavalier attitude to non-compliance with Government guidelines regarding the monthly publication of a Wirral Council 32 page ‘newspaper’.
Given the range of issues that are of concern relating to Wirral Council, and I have an encyclopædic archive of research, the publication of a monthly newspaper, whilst being important, and a potential illegal act in direct contravention of Government guidelines, pales into insignificance when judged against the appalling situation that exists between Wirral Council (the duty of which, and raison d’être, is to serve its public) and the Wirral public.

I view the ‘newspaper’, and dissemination of information, as ‘day-to-day’ Council business, which is now subject to direct Government intervention, as the proposal ignores and locally overrides Central Government guidelines and legal provisions.

On the basis of the corrosive corporate culture which pervades Wirral Council, its ruling councillors, and the senior management of the council, a corporate cancer exists which is destroying public services. The concept of public service has been effectively erased from Wirral Council’s leadership, with a self-serving political collective, and individual isolationist consolidation, now making numerous political decisions at will. Many dishonestly pre-determined decisions run counter to, and ignore the expressed wants and needs of great swathes of the Wirral population, many ‘window-dressed’ through the manipulation of resident’s surveys ‘interpretation’.

The concept of the democratic process, transparency and accountability no longer exists in Wirral local government. A large number of councillors no longer represent their constituents, and democratic government has been replaced by a dictatorship under the guise of the LGA ‘strong leader model’ of local government.

Total power is now held by the Council Leader after a number of recent changes to the Council’s constitution, and the replacing of scrutiny committee chairs with ruling group members to ensure the casting vote, should it be needed, achieves the ‘correct’ outcome. Replacing the chairs of scrutiny committees effectively removed any opposition to the ruling group’s ‘steamroller’ mentality. Due to the ruling majority’s ‘party-political’ en-bloc voting and abstention regime, Wirral Council, as an organisation, now primarily serves the interests of a number of politicians and senior managers.

Government intervention is neither an option, nor an inconvenience, it is a necessity.

It is also a necessity to intervene, with totally independent agents, without the interference of the Local Government Association, and without the interference of Frank Field MP, who is the MP for Birkenhead only, not the entire Borough of Wirral as he seems to believe.

Wirral Council ruling councillors, and senior managers, are not capable of resolving the Council’s mostly self-inflicted problems. Collectively they have conspired to systematically drive out highly-skilled and experienced, dedicated staff. If the current Councillors and senior managers had the wherewithal to resolve the massive problems that exist in Wirral and Wirral Council, they would never have allowed them to develop in the first place. Nor would they employ a press office of around 27 staff, and feel the necessity to also employ a self-proclaimed ‘reputation manager’.

 

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/14751802.Updated__Ofsted_report_into_child_safeguarding_failures_sends_shockwave_through_Wirral_Council/?ref=mr&lp=12

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/14759476.SPECIAL_REPORT__Council_leader__whistleblower_and_outspoken_critic_give_their_views_on_Wirral_s_child_care_crisis/?ref=mr&lp=3

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/14761154.Council_leader_defends_trip_to_China_amid_Wirral_s_child_safeguarding_crisis/

https://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/2016/09/16/the-big-lie/

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/14733919.74_people_have_died_in_Wirral_while_under_care_of_drugs_and_alcohol_support_charity/

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/14657040.BOMBSHELL__Minister_s_warning_letter_to_Wirral_Council_over_its_newspaper_plan_was__concealed_from_public_/

 

The Urge to Purge

 

Now as you know we  haven’t taken that  much interest in national politics since the Whigs were around.

However we couldn’t let yesterday’s  announcement that Jeremy Corbyn had retained the leadership of the Labour Party go without comment as we were hoping it would land a much needed metaphorical punch in the mouth to some complacent local politicians.

But then we read that within an hour of the announcement that Jezza  had been lured over the River Mersey and was busy making pizza in a community cafe in Birkenhead and we realised that it was going to be more a case of conciliatory limp handshakes.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-corbyns-victory-celebrations-were-8905402

As you can see from the above picture the gang’s all here – there’s Frank Field on the left (which has to be a first) , faithful acolyte and serial failure  Cllr Moira “Matron” McLaughlin , former Wirral Council control room favourite Cllr Chris Meaden , Wirral West MP Margaret Greenwood and of course on his phone recording everything for posterity Liverpool Echo journalist  Liam Murphy – because as we know Murphy is fond of pressing the ‘record’ button.

We wonder whether Frankenfield found time to explain his recent letter to J.K.Rowling slagging off Jezza or whether McLaughlin was able to discuss the publication of Ofsted Children’s Services inspection report and whether there was any connection as to why some of Birkenhead’s kids found themselves being used as  props in a cynical,political photo-op.

Whilst there has been much talk about Corbynistas seeking to purge the Labour Party of MPs who are hostile to their glorious leader – and it must be said Frankenfield has been one of Jezza’s  bitterest critics – it would seem that in the name of party unity all has been forgiven.  All of which leaves us with our own urge to purge – pass the sickbag these two-faced, deeply  manipulative , disloyal local politicians make us want to throw up our pizza.

The Big Lie Gets Even Bigger……

It’s been a week since we published our heartfelt preview of what was then the upcoming Ofsted inspection report of Wirral Council’s Children’s Services

https://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/2016/09/16/the-big-lie/

And now in the aftermath of the publication of the latest in a long line of damning reports it would appear Wirral Council are adopting the timeworn tactic of denial and damage limitation.

As an antidote to these machinations we’re bringing you our further thoughts on the Ofsted report and subsequent developments.

 

China Crisis 

Once again Council leader Phil “Power Boy Pip” Davies demonstrates his renowned strong leader powers and makes plans to bog off to China with his new BFF  – Metro Mayor reject Joe Anderson  – in the aftermath of the Ofsted report crisis. At least his predecessor as council leader Steve Foulkes , who was not renowned for his political insight or indeed renowned for anything , had the good sense to abandon plans to jet off to the far east when the  equally damning Independent Review threw Wirral Council into chaos in 2012.

However it seems Power Boy Pip is undeterred by the fact his leadership is in question and the Council is yet again in turmoil as he embarks on yet another junket. What we’d like to know is what exactly is his “number one priority” – small children or big business?  and what have any of these many trips achieved for the people of Wirral?. Perhaps Pip can also tell us whether the Wirral Chamber of Commerce Queen Paula Basnett and  Contact Company King Asif Hamid are also on the trip and if so – why?.

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/14761154.Council_leader_defends_trip_to_China_amid_Wirral_s_child_safeguarding_crisis/

Walker Walks

We think the first casualty (and we hope not the last) of the Ofsted inspection was Bernard Walker the ‘independent’ chair of  Wirral Safeguarding Boards for both adults and children . Walker must have known the writing was on the wall and walked out when Ofsted walked in (allegedly at the end of his “tenure”). Subsequently Ofsted judged Wirral Safeguarding Children Board as “inadequate” and that it was “not discharging all of its statutory functions ….and the running of board business are not sufficiently independent of the local authority”.  As we know from the Standards & Constitutional Oversight Committee  an ‘independent’ person for Wirral Council is usually a safe pair of hands who won’t rock the boat and won’t ask any awkward questions . And at £500 a day for Walker’s services it would seem it’s the usual consultancy trick of taking the money but not taking the flak. Seems like Walker could talk the talk but couldn’t walk the walk. Under the circumstances might we suggest to Bernard that in the light of the Ofsted report findings that he may want to tinker with his LinkedIn profile – just sayin’.

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/bernard-walker-3333713b

Self Improvement 

“From the brink of intervention, to the pinnacle of local government” (Eric Robinson CEO Wirral Council).

So in the light of the Ofsted report how is that statement standing up Eric? . It’s all sounding a bit hollow isn’t it?. An empty Martin Liptrot -penned soundbite. Ain’t it a shame that the people of Wirral are not buying what you’re selling? . Although they are being asked to stump up another £2 million to help put things right!.

Unfortunately though the supine Department of Education suits think Wirral Council can be entrusted to set up their own improvement board and everything will be tickety-boo in no time. Of course long suffering Wirralians know better as we’ve all been here before . It is less than 3 years ago that the Local Government Association – led improvement board made a premature evacuation .

We all knew at the time  that Wirral Council was nowhere near being “improved”. Self improvement is not the way forward with this lot- we all know that Wirral Council has long needed external intervention.

“Oh but they’ve got an action plan……leave them alone” bleats Frank Field . To which we’d like to say to him – “You , sunshine have a lot to answer for – it was you who stopped the Local Government Commissioners intervening in 2012 . You must be so proud of your politically motivated control-freakery. This Ofsted report is part of your legacy Frankenfield – so please that’ll be no more  headline grabbing , fake- emoting over the plight of starving mites in Birkenhead from you thank you very much!……”

 

 

The Pain of Failure

 

Now that we’ve had time to fully absorb Ofsted’s less than flattering  inspection report of Wirral’s Children’s Services we thought we’d wade in with our thoughts.

The horrorshow of a report speaks for itself :

Click to access 051_Single%20inspection%20of%20LA%20children%27s%20services%20and%20review%20of%20the%20LSCB%20as%20pdf.pdf

So having last week made our position on the latest Wirral Council car crash clear we’d particularly like to concentrate on the debris .

Inevitably Frank Field has melodramatically (if belatedly)  entered the fray saying that the report is “simply devastating” . However for a man who in the past has been quick to condemn he’s treating those responsible for the manifest failings in the report with kid gloves (no pun intended).

“Now is not the time for scapegoating”  he magisterially declares taking time out from calling for public accountability and monstering panto villains like former BHS boss “Sir” Philip Green. Which is a bit of a surprise from someone who makes such a public show of his deep concern about Wirral’s kiddiewinks. Although it’s perhaps not so surprising when you consider that one of the main people who should be driven into the desert is People Overview and Scrutiny Committee chair and long-time  Frankenfield acolyte Cllr Moira “Matron” McLaughlin , who having failed spectacularly when she steered a totally out of control adult social services department has been given the opportunity  to fall asleep at the wheel again and fail to ensure the proper scrutiny of children’s services under the  stewardship of Labour cabinet lead  Cllr Tony Smith . That’s quite a track record – it can only be a matter of time before she’s awarded an OBE.

But then what constantly perplexes us at Leaky Towers is that the people who are responsible for Council failures are given the responsibility to clear it up. We are not re-assured by the fact that Wirral Council Chief Executive Eric “Feeble” Robinson has informed us that will be holding Head of Children’s Services  Julia Hassall’s hand whilst they clear up a mess partially of their own making. Stressed Eric described the Ofsted report as “painful” – but then we’re sure that the  near £300,000 per annum of public money that Eric and Julia earn between them must go some way to easing that pain.

Has anyone noticed that Clare Fish the Strategic Director for Families & Wellbeing has been conspicuous by her absence from the public eye?. Whilst we always considered Fish to be out of her depth we wouldn’t like to think that this particular Super Duper Director has become yet another big fish who’s been let off the hook and been rewarded for their failure.

However it’s not all bad news as we’re particularly gratified, alongside a former Wirral Council head of safeguarding, that the current incumbent of the post – simpering Simon Garner – has been rumbled.

And finally  with reference to the Ofsted report we think that whoever thought up the acronym MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) needs to be put out of their misery.

Memo to Frank Field

 

Environmentally Friendly

We received some friendly if surprising correspondence from Wirral Council last week. We say this as we know we are anathema to the powers that be , especially when we hear reports that it is a ‘sackable offence’ for Wirral Council staff to to be seen in any way to be endorsing Wirral Leaks.

So we’d like to thank Colin Clayton  – Senior Manager Environmental Health & Trading Standards for contacting  us regarding the Environmental Disaster article we published last week https://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/environmental-disaster/

Mr Clayton has clearly been given special dispensation to get in touch with us directly and we think that such a senior figure having to do so accurately reflects the seriousness of the concerns we raised. Indeed we were able to ascertain that Mr Clayton is so distinguished by the fact that the letters after his name would attract a great Scrabble score.

We share our correspondence in the spirit of openness and transparency and express how grateful we are not to see that ‘LGC  Most Improved Council 2015’  imprint at the end of the email.

We may not have been able to give Mr Clayton the answer he wanted but unfortunately this is also true of many people who try and get documents and information from Wirral Council.

Dear sirs

I write with reference to the article appearing on your site relating to the work of Environmental Health and various documents provided to you in connection with the same.

As you correctly recognised and stated, the documents contain personal information relating to residents who have reported complaints to Environmental Health. I would be grateful if you would return all the documents provided to you. The Council is willing to arrange personal collection of the documents or reimburse you for the costs of secure courier delivery of the document to me at the address below.

Our initial enquiries seem to indicate this was a simple mistake on behalf of one of our officers, albeit an admittedly serious one. The Council is investigating the incident fully to ensure all necessary steps are taken to avoid such an error being made again in the future.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Colin

Colin Clayton Bsc (Hons) Bsc (Hons) Ndip MBA MCIEH
Senior Manager Environmental Health & Trading Standards
Regeneration & Environment Directorate

 

 

Dear Colin

Thank you for your email correspondence dated 15 September.

We understand that you are requesting to return the documents that featured in our “Environmental Disaster” article.

Whilst we would welcome a visit to Leaky Towers from a Wirral Council officer to collect the documents we need to clarify that we are only in possession of scanned and redacted copies of these documents. They contain no personal information of any Wirral resident who has made a complaint to the Regeneration & Environmental Directorate. The original documents remain with our source – who shall of course remain anonymous. However we have forwarded your correspondence to them. We have also advised that they contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) about this matter because as you confirm there has been a serious data protection breach.

We do this in the hope that an appropriate sanction is made against Wirral Council and they are fined by the ICO for their “simple mistake”. It seems only just to us that a Directorate which commissions Kingdom Security Ltd to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for littering etc; and where no discretion or leniency is shown towards ‘offenders’ should face the same consequences.

Sincerely , Julian

     

The Big Lie

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it..”

There will be no wacky pictures, no funny puns and we won’t be referencing the above quote (if you don’t know it – Google it). This post will be fuelled by anger and frustration.

Anger and frustration at the news that there is a yet another damning report about Wirral Council in the pipeline. This time it’s an Ofsted report concerned with Children’s Services.

Eagle -eyed Leaks readers will have noted from previous posts and comments that we knew this was on the horizon. And inevitably what we have witnessed today is the first instalment of an exercise in damage limitation and reputation management for which Wirral Council is so well known  with a carefully controlled ‘leak’ to the Liverpool Echo.

Now if Liverpool Echo want to be Liptrotsky’s lapdog that’s between them , their advertising revenue and their tawdry ‘exclusives’. But it doesn’t mean we’re buying their bullshit and it doesn’t mean that most of us don’t know what Wirral Council are up to.

Sorry – you may have noticed but we can’t get worked up about bins or dog crap at Leaky Towers when we get confirmation that Wirral Council is failing to safeguard children and meet their educational needs.

The most damning indictment of  any  local authority is that the safety and life choices of our most vulnerable are compromised. Of course we’ve been here before with this wretched Council haven’t we?. Just as we’ve heard the platitudes and the promises dribbling out of the mouths of Council Leader and his Chief Executive when they’ve been rumbled.

I think we can all agree that the risible ‘Most Improved Council in Britain’ tag can finally be consigned to history – we note that it is conspicuously absent from Wirral Council correspondence we’ve recently received. Yes that’s right – Wirral Council have been directly in touch  with us for the very first time. But more about that another time.

I suppose we shall have to wait for the intervention of interfering Birkenhead MP Frank Field making demands for the resignation of those responsible for the findings in the upcoming report, just like he did in the past with former Wirral Council CEO Steve Maddox and  Director of Children’s Services Howard Cooper. Both of whom were rewarded for their varied and manifest failings with an OBE.

Or perhaps not. Field will no doubt play his part in perpetuating  ‘The Big Lie’.

So we’ll do it for him instead –   CEO Eric Robinson  , Head of Children’s Services  Julia Hassall , Corporate Safeguarding Manager  Simon Garner ,  Council Leader Phil Davies ,Children Services Lead Cllr Tony Smith, People Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chair Cllr Moira McLaughlin  – RESIGN NOW

Environmental Disaster

A concerned citizen writes :

Walking the dog last week I picked up 60+ ‘neighbour’ complaints on the pavement by Guinea Gap (ironically including one from a man who wouldn’t give his full details as he was worried about data protection). These complaints are detailed, including months of noise logs and personal details/addresses/phone numbers, and in the wrong hands would cause endless upset for the complainers.

Yes folks it would seem The Most Improved Council in an Alternative Universe strikes again!.

As ever we requested to peruse the evidence and sure enough our source came up with the goods.

Whilst it may be in the public interest  to know that Wirral has a ‘Benzene Route’ (who knew?) where Wirral Council monitors toxic emissions ,

– it is completely unforgivable for the Environmental Health Department to dump confidential documents containing sensitive personal data on a pavement near Wallasey Town Hall. Two thoughts : Firstly perhaps the Information Commissioner’s Office should be informed about this serious Data Protection breach and secondly where were Kingdom Security when you need them to slap a  Fixed Penalty Notice on the litter lout responsible for this careless act of environmental vandalism?.

We were intrigued to discover that the information was recorded on a Northgate Information Solutions template – not a Wirral Council logo in sight. So it would seem that highly paid officers can’t even devise their own documents and rely on a multi-national that trades on leeching off the public sector (aka ‘outsourcing’).

Northgate Information Solutions are a holding company  of  NGA Human Resources whose website is positively vomitous :  http://www.ngahr.com/

Needless to say there’s certainly some fascinating (confidential) information to be had about noisy neighbours, polluters , barking dogs, fire burners etc ; etc;. However we particularly like that one of the complainants was referred to as ‘the auld fella’  – endearing maybe but unprofessional definitely.

We can’t help agreeing  with the poor soul who had a keep a ‘noise log’ where they record the inconsiderate activities of their neighbour as being like the  Wirral Council officer who  dumped these documents on the pavement as ‘ absolutely awful’.

P. S . We must say we had much fun at Leaky Towers redacting the documents – perhaps one of us could get a full time job as a ” Senior Redaction Consultant”  a la media control freak Martin Liptrotsky !.

Rouday Awakening

If there’s one lesson that Wirral Council should have learned in recent years is this:

Never,ever underestimate the  resilience , resourcefulness  and sheer bloody-minded persistence  of whistleblowers. They will never lose their head and will overcome the bureaucratic maze you attempt to put in their way.

And so we proudly bring you the latest instalment of the BIG/ISUS/Working Neighbourhoods saga (yes , it’s still going on) . However it’s a sorry state of affairs when the whistleblowers have to get the EU involved.

But whatever works right?.

We proudly present a message from Ms. Rouday  from the Directorate of the Audit Quality Control Committee informing Nigel “Highbrow” Hobro that European auditors are on the case because let’s face it  internal and external auditors on Wirral have failed miserably to do their jobs. Which leads us once again to say : “What is up with these people?”

As Highbrow says :

Terror and Virtue are inseparable bedfellows. It was true in the French Revolution caused by the State’s financial deficit, wholly comparable to ours of 2007 to now. An emergency where ONLY TERROR inspires Virtue.

No threat of harassment no Virtue.

Robespierre’ Constitution of 1794 never implemented has much to say about the duties of civil servants and how the Terror was directed at Germinal against the venal ” Indulgents”.

We have had too much of indulgent pay offs and safe exits, of parachuting to new posts. It is Terror of falling into the tools of the Department of Work and Pensions that keeps the workforce quiescent  a Virtue for those in the riding seat. I think the “bourgeoisie’ need to feel the collar of Madame La Veuve.

Now we don’t profess to understand what  the bleedin’ hell all of this means but we do know we’re behind him 100%. And we particularly like the cut of Madame Le Veuve’s gibbet.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: ANNE ROUDAY <anne.rouday@eca.europa.eu>
Date: 8 September 2016 at 10:26
Subject: Case 33/2015

Please find a letter for your attention.

 

Best regards,

 

ANNE ROUDAY Secretarial assistant – Directorate of the Audit Quality Control Committee

　

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