Tag Archives: #QuackCWaC

National Audit Office report – Making a Whistleblowing Policy Work

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Wirral In It Together

This report, a long time in the making, was published today by the National Audit Office: http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Making-a-whistleblowing-policy-work.pdf One of the recurring themes within it points to a failure by government bodies to correctly acknowledge whistleblowers, to register their issues, to act on … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Whistleblowing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let’s talk about stress. This man looks stressed, but he’s upsetting our advertisers, so let’s ban him…

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Wirral In It Together

29th May 2013 Here’s a link to a section of The Guardian online.  This is the weekly live Q&A “open” forum discussion – on a subject of interest to Local Government employees: http://www.guardian.co.uk/local-government-network/2013/may/28/local-government-careers-practice?commentpage=1 This is usually a forum for experts … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

How Wirral Council disposed of me in 2003

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Wirral In It Together

Some history Back around April 2003, David Green, former Director of the Technical Services Department (Highways) suspended me, when I was an Assistant Engineer, working for Highways.  I’d been employed within the Street Lighting section at the Council since 1996 and had found the … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Whistleblowing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

David Green – the Director’s not for returning…?

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Wirral In It Together

UPDATE   24th April 2013 Increasingly, it’s looking like David Green, former Director of Technical Services, will not be returning to Wirral Council after all…. BREAKING NEWS – 14th January 2013 Liverpool Echo The figures are in for the costs of … Continue reading →

Posted in FoI Requests, General | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Opinion of Senior Counsel, Hugh Tomlinson QC, on Freedom of Information ban by Cheshire West and Chester Council –

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Wirral In It Together

YouTube video presentation of this blog post Following Cheshire West & Chester Council’s hideously misconceived “ban” on my statutory FoI and personal Data Protection querying rights, the time has come to release the opinion of Senior Counsel Hugh Tomlinson QC, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheshire West FoI ban, Workplace trouble | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

UPDATED – Concealing malpractice / enabling abuse with a Compromise Agreement / Gagging Clause

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Wirral In It Together

FoI and Local Authority Gagging Clauses In October 2009, a council employee, in dispute and soon to lose his job, opted to sign a compromise agreement.  The document and its terms were placed before him, as a ‘full and final … Continue reading →

Posted in FoI Requests, General, Whistleblowing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Gagging Clauses – Comment added to Opendata Consultation – October 2011

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Wirral In It Together

The following comment has been added to the Government’s Opendata Consultation (recently ended): “Two UK Councils have implemented a means of preventing ex-employees from exercising their future FoI / DP querying rights.  These were drawn up within compromise agreements following … Continue reading →

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Use of the FOI / DP Gagging Clause – some UK Local Authorities publicly frown upon it

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Wirral In It Together

Actual UK Local Authority quotes on the use of FOI / DP related “gagging clauses” Both Cheshire West and Chester Council and Brent Borough Council have used a “gagging clause” within a compromise agreement to prevent former employees from getting … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheshire West FoI ban, FoI Requests | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

#FoI Request 005/11 ~ Cheshire West and Chester – Register of Senior Officers’ Personal Interests

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Wirral In It Together

Senior Officers – a Requirement to Declare and Register Personal Interests This request was updated by Cheshire West and Chester Council on 30th August, with some very good news. My internal review has been upheld.  The council had failed to … Continue reading →

Posted in FoI Requests, General | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How can an employer remove your statutory #FOI querying rights? Read all about it here…

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Wirral In It Together

10th December 2012 Word reaches me that Simon Goacher, #QuackCWaC Head of Legal and ‘Democratic’ Services, he of the undemocratic, unscrutinised FOI / DP ban (see below) that they sought to impose on me when I left the council back … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheshire West FoI ban, FoI Requests | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments