FOI09

WrittenevidencefromDrJuliaHines 1. Introduction 1.1IamaresidentoftheLondonBoroughofBarnet.Ihavemade4FreedomofInformation requests,2toBarnetCounciland2toTransportforLondon.Ialsoreadanumberofblogs writtenbyotherpeople,someofwhichrelyoninformationobtainedthroughFOIrequests.I donotbelongtoanypoliticalpartyorunion.Iamnotajournalist.Ihaveneverstoodfor publicoffice.IdoubtyouwillreceivemanysubmissionsfrompeoplewhouseFOIrequests sooccasionally,whichiswhyIthoughtyoumightbeinterestedinhowandwhyIhaveused thelegislation. 2.Roadsafety 2.1IbecameconcernedaboutthenumberofroadtrafficaccidentsinBarnet.Myconcerns werereinforcedwhenIsawthelateststatisticspublishedbyTransportforLondon,which showedthatBarnethadthehighestnumberoffatalitiesofanyLondonborough(9),andthe secondhighestnumberofpersonalinjuries(1520).Thesefigureswerefor2010.Barnethad abjectlyfailedtomeettargetsforroadsafetyyearonyear.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/roadsandpublicspaces/2840.aspx

2.2TheCabinetmemberwithresponsibilityforroadsafetyisCouncillorBrianColeman,who isalsoanAssemblymemberoftheGLA.Hehadmadestatementstothepresstotheeffect that Barnet was a large borough with the longest network of roads, in particular trunk roads,whicharemaintainedbyTransportforLondon.Hesaidthatmostofthedeathswere onTfLroads. 2.3IcontactedTfLforfurtherdetailanddiscoveredthat 1. BarnetdoesnothavethelongestroadnetworkofanyLondonborough. 2. Itdoeshavethelongestnetworkoftrunkroads(30kmoutofthe750kmofroad). 3. 5outof9fatalitiesoccurredontrunkroads. 4. ThevastmajorityofpersonalinjuriestookplaceonroadsmaintainedbyBarnet. 2.4Iobtainedthisinformationfollowingatelephonecall,withacallback30minuteslater andwasverypleasedwiththeserviceIreceived. 2.5 It should be noted that, in the Council meeting on 1 November 2011, it was resolved that:

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RESOLVEDCouncilnotesthatBarnethasthesecondhighestnumberofcasualtiesfrom road traffic accidents in London and one of the largest road networks , with 1,520 casualties last year an increase of 8 per cent compared with 2009. Council notes that manyofthesecasualtiesoccurredonTfLcontrolledroads. Council calls on Cabinet to continue to bring fresh innovative thinking on the subject of roadsafety,andtoasktheCabinetMembertobringareportonourroadnetworktoan earlymeetingofCabinetwhichwillincludemeasurestoreducethenumberofcasualties fromroadtrafficaccidents. 2.6AsIascertainedfromTransportforLondonthatthevastmajorityofaccidentsdidnot occur on TfL controlled roads, this concerns me. Councillors are entitled to their own opinions and policies; they are not entitled to their own facts. Freedom of Information allowsproperscrutinyofresolutionslikethis. 2.7 The information I obtained informed my submission to the consultation on the boroughs draft Transport Local Implementation Plan, in my capacity as chair of Age UK Barnet.Essentially,myconcernwasthatBarnetCouncilscontinuedprioritisationoftraffic flowoverroadsafety,includingremovingalltrafficcalmingmeasuressuchasspeedhumps &miniroundaboutswheneveraroadcomestoberesurfaced,wasasignificantcontributing factor to the appallingroad safetyrecord. Councillor Coleman had accused me of woolly thinkingandoutofdateideaswhenIsuggestedthistohiminearliercorrespondence.Heis alsoonrecordassayingthatheisverygladwedonthaveanyofthosesillycyclelanesin Barnet.Ihave19yearoldtwinsons,bothofwhomcycle.Iamnotglad. 2.8 When the review of the consultation was delayed by many months I made an FOI requesttoseetheconsultationsubmissions.ThisshowedmethatTransportforLondonhad comprehensively failed the draft Transport LIP, specifically highlighting road safety and provisionforcyclistsasinadequate.Italsoallowedmetoseeotherpeoplesviewsandto make contact with other road safety campaigners in the area, although their names had (wronglyinmyview)beenredacted. 2.9Imadetherequeston23September2011andreceivedaresponseon19October2011. 2.10Inasimilarvein,whenBarnetCouncilannouncedtheirintentiontoremovealllollipop crossingattendantsfromlocalschools,inordertosave157,000,alocalbloggermadeaFOI request for a breakdown of this figure, as it seemed extremely high given that lollipop crossingattendantsarenothighlypaid,workparttimeandtherewereonly12ofthem.He discovered that the savings in salaries would be 41,500. The remaining 115,500 comprised management, HR and IT costs. This astonished me, and the 2,300 people who signedapetitionfortheretentionoflollipopcrossingattendants.Itwasalsoobviousthat thefullcostsavingproposedbytheCouncilwasnevergoingtomaterialise
http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/2011/02/lollipopstaffandmanagementwaste.html

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2.11ThisFOIrequestprovidesausefulsnapshot,inmypersonalopinion,oftheexcessive overheadsandtopheavystructureinBarnetCouncilandahelpfulpointerastowherecuts might,moresafely,bemade. 3.Outsourcingandconflictsofinterest 3.1 The third request I made concerned Barnet Councils proposal to outsource its regulatoryservices,atendervaluedat250million.Iwaspersonallyconcernedaboutthis becauseBarnetintendstooutsourceitsplanningdepartment.Thecompanycurrentlyinthe leadtoobtainthiscontract,CapitaSymonds,hasbeenretainedasaplanningconsultantby developers who own greenfield land to the rear of my home and have, over the past 5 years,representedthesedevelopersin2planningapplications,2planningappeals,avillage greeninquiryandtheindependentexaminationinpublicofthedraftLDF.Iinquiredabout howtheCouncilintendedtomanagesuchconflictsofinterestinthecontract. 3.2Ihavewrittenaboutmyconcernshere:
http://barneteye.blogspot.com/2011/09/guestbloggreensquarefieldplanning.html

3.3 I made my request on 22 August 2011. On 18 October 2011 I was informed that my request would be processed under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and thatmyrequesthadbeenrefused. 3.4Irequestedaninternalreviewandon15November2011wastoldthatmyreviewhad beenupheld,howeverthatIshoulddefermyrequestuntilJanuary2012,asthiswouldfit moreneatlywiththetimetableofthecompetitivedialogue. 3.5WhenIresubmittedmyrequestattheappropriatetimeitwasagainrefused.Thematter isnowwiththeInformationCommissioner. 3.6Thismatterisnaturallyofgreatpersonalconcerntome,butIalsobelievethatthereis animportantpublicinterest.Theconflictofinterestinmycaseisrelativelyeasytouncover, and to understand, but it seems to me that there are equally strong concerns if, for example,asupermarketappliesforplanningpermissionandthecompanywhichholdsthe DRScontractalsoprovidesoutsourcedservicesforsomethinglikeHRorITtoarival,asis perfectlypossibleinthecaseofacompanylikeCapitaSymonds. 3.7 I am willing to be persuaded that this is a sensible contract to let, but I cannot be persuadedwithouttheinformationIseek.Equally,Iwouldliketobeabletomakedetailed representations to my elected representatives before any contract is signed. I need informationforthat. 4. Mymostrecentrequest 4.1IinquiredofTfLhowmuchtheenormous,selfcongratulatorysignsatHenlysCornerhad cost.TheseessentiallysayTfLfinishedtheroadlayoutalterationsontime.Iwasinterested
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because they are ugly and one of the stated aims of the design brief was to reduce unnecessary signage. I discovered they cost 5,000 each and will be removed after 2 months. I also asked who authorised them. This was unanswered. This may seem like a frivolousrequest;Idontthinkso.Icanthinkofbetterwaystospend10,000.Itweetedthe resultanditwasimmediatelyretweetedby5otherpeople,withacombinedfollowingof 7,737,soapparentlyIwasnottheonlypersoninterestedinthis. 5. FreedomofInformationrequestsbyothers 5.1IwouldliketohighlighttheextraordinaryandvaluableworkoftheBarnetbloggers: Mrs Angry, Mr Mustard, Mr Reasonable, Barnet Eye, and Citizen Barnet in their work in uncovering the MetPro scandal. This concerned the use of a security firm which was unlicensedbytheSIA,andwasunlawfullyandcovertlyfilmingresidents. 5.2ThroughtheuseofFOIrequeststheyuncoveredbreachesof: 1. Criminallaw; 2. EUdirectives; 3. Safeguardingofchildrenandvulnerableadults; 4. TheCouncilsowncontractprocedurerules;and 5. A wholesale mismanagement of procurement within the Council, leading to overspendingandwaste. 5.3TheCouncilsownAuditinvestigationisdetailedhere: http://committeepapers.barnet.gov.uk/democracy/meetings/meetingdetail.asp?meetingid =6790 5.4TheyhavesavedtheCouncilconsiderablesumsofmoney.However,itremainsagreat disappointment to me that Barnet Council has not investigated the safeguarding issues highlighted,despitethefactthatafterMetProwerereplacedbyalicensedfirmatBarbara Langstone House (a hostel for the most vulnerable homeless people in the borough, including families with children and people with serious mental health issues) reports of crimeincludingdrugabusefellmarkedly. 6. DoestheFreedomofInformationActworkeffectively? 6.1Inmylimitedexperiencestraightforwardrequestsarehandledwell.However,politically sensitivematerialisdelayedaslongaspossible,omittedorrefused. 6.2TheinformationIhavereceivedfromFreedomofInformationrequests,orthatothers havereceivedanddisseminatedhasbeenextremelyusefultome: 1. Toallowmetoengageindebatewithmyelectedrepresentatives; 2. To highlight issues of local concern in an informed way, for example at residents forumsorinconversationwithmyneighbours;and 3. Tocontributeknowledgeablytolocalconsultations.
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7. WhatarethestrengthsandweaknessesoftheFreedomofInformationAct? 7.1Ibelieveitcouldbestrengthenedbycompellingpublicbodiestoputmoreinformation online.Thiswouldbeeasierformeandforthepublicbody(aswellassavingthemmoney). 7.2ThereseemstometobesomeconfusionwheretheremaybeoverlapbetweentheData ProtectionActandtheFreedomofInformationAct.Forexample,itisnotcleartomethat responses to public consultations should be redacted for names, or indeed payments to individuals or sole traders who provide services to public bodies under contract. On one occasionBarnetCouncilredactedthenameofMayGurneyplcinthemistakenbeliefthat the large payments to Mr & Mrs Gurneys daughter May, for handling Barnets waste recycling,shouldbeprivate.Thiswasclearlyanerror,butiflargesumsoftaxpayersmoney weretobepaidtoaMissMayGurney,whyshouldthatbeasecret? 7.3Settlementsforpersonalinjuryclaimsareinvariablynotpaiddirecttotheclaimant,but viaasolicitorsaccount.LitigantsinpersonwillbemorecommoniftheLASPOBillispassed, andpaymentsforsocialcaretopeopleinreceiptofpersonalbudgetsareincreasing;these are the only situations I can think of where names should be redacted from expenditure lists.Idonotthinkanyshouldberedactedfromcontractpaymentlists. 7.4TheHenlysCornersignexampleisanothercaseinpoint.Iwasgiventheinformationas tocostandtime(whichIhadnotaskedfor,buthappytohave)butnotthenameorjobtitle ofthepersonwhoauthorisedtheexpenditure.Guidanceonthisissuewouldbehelpful. 7.5Iamconcernedhoweverthatinformationwhichshouldrightlybeinthepublicdomain will not be accessible if increasing amounts of services are outsourced. As an example, if Barnetdoesproceedwiththeoutsourcingofallitsregulatoryservices,howwillamember of the public obtain information about conflicts of interest? Would I be entitled to know abouttheexistenceandvalueofanycontractacompanylikeCapitaSymondshaswithany othercompanyintheUKorindeedinternationally?Thisseemstometobeagreyareaand onewhichwillinpracticebedifficulttoenforceformostpeople,evenifarightexists. 8. IstheFreedomofInformationActoperatinginthewayinwhichitwasintended to? 8.1 I believe it has improved the oversight of public bodies, from local issues such as the problemshighlightedinBarnetbyMetPro,orthelollipopcrossingattendants,toissuesof nationalsignificancesuchastheMPsexpensesscandal. 8.2Itiswellused,whichisasignofitsimportanceandefficacy.Ifitisinanywayavictimof itsownsuccess,theanswerseemstometopublishmoreinformationinanaccessibleway. 8.3Iwouldratherhavefactsthanspin. January2012
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