Comments on: Get your nose stuck into the council’s books http://heatherbrooke.org/2008/article-council-audits/ Heather Brooke is an award-winning writer, journalist and activist Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:17:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Richard http://heatherbrooke.org/2008/article-council-audits/comment-page-1/#comment-1676 Richard Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:40:04 +0000 http://www.yrtk.org/?p=555#comment-1676 I tried this some weeks ago with my own county Council (Gloucestershire). True, my request was wholly unexpected so nobody was ready for it. But they did try to be helpful. With a quarter of a million invoices, what did I want to do? I was offered a more detailed summary than appeared in the draft accounts and I chose a couple of items. This produced another lower-level summary - from which I chose a couple of items. I've chosen a couple of items from this next summary and I wonder if I shall ever get to the bottom level. I was just "flying a kite" to find out how it all works so I'm not especially disappointed in the outcome and reasonably impressed with the council's staff. The idea was to get the lie of the land and be more effective next time. So what should I have done? What are the killer items to ask for? Couldn't somebody who knows a thing or two suggest some good points of enquiry? Richard I tried this some weeks ago with my own county Council (Gloucestershire). True, my request was wholly unexpected so nobody was ready for it. But they did try to be helpful. With a quarter of a million invoices, what did I want to do? I was offered a more detailed summary than appeared in the draft accounts and I chose a couple of items. This produced another lower-level summary – from which I chose a couple of items. I’ve chosen a couple of items from this next summary and I wonder if I shall ever get to the bottom level.

I was just “flying a kite” to find out how it all works so I’m not especially disappointed in the outcome and reasonably impressed with the council’s staff. The idea was to get the lie of the land and be more effective next time. So what should I have done? What are the killer items to ask for? Couldn’t somebody who knows a thing or two suggest some good points of enquiry?

Richard

]]> By: John Ward http://heatherbrooke.org/2008/article-council-audits/comment-page-1/#comment-1675 John Ward Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:30:54 +0000 http://www.yrtk.org/?p=555#comment-1675 I had a resident of our council area (though not in what was then my ward) ask me about this on a forum a couple of years ago. I spoke to the relevant senior council official who said that no-one ever did, but to contact Mr X (name provided) in advance in someone does want to come along, and they'd have it all out ready. I passed this information along to the enquirer. I checked a few weeks after the period had closed, and found that they hadn't been contacted and as usual no-one had turned up throughout the 20-day period. I have been getting the strong impression over the years that a lot of people like to complain at just about anything, but actually bothering to do anything — even following-up their own issue — is just too much effort for them. Ah, well: at least I tried... I had a resident of our council area (though not in what was then my ward) ask me about this on a forum a couple of years ago. I spoke to the relevant senior council official who said that no-one ever did, but to contact Mr X (name provided) in advance in someone does want to come along, and they’d have it all out ready. I passed this information along to the enquirer.

I checked a few weeks after the period had closed, and found that they hadn’t been contacted and as usual no-one had turned up throughout the 20-day period.

I have been getting the strong impression over the years that a lot of people like to complain at just about anything, but actually bothering to do anything — even following-up their own issue — is just too much effort for them.

Ah, well: at least I tried…

]]> By: JP FIfe http://heatherbrooke.org/2008/article-council-audits/comment-page-1/#comment-1674 JP FIfe Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:10:12 +0000 http://www.yrtk.org/?p=555#comment-1674 Is this law UK wide or just England and Wales? It might have been a bit more helpful to get this information before August rather than in September :) Is this law UK wide or just England and Wales? It might have been a bit more helpful to get this information before August rather than in September :)

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