Comments on: Proud to be an American http://heatherbrooke.org/2008/proud-to-be-an-american/ 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: heather http://heatherbrooke.org/2008/proud-to-be-an-american/comment-page-1/#comment-1732 heather Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:27:51 +0000 http://www.yrtk.org/?p=572#comment-1732 Excellent news Mike! Things only change when people care enough to ensure they do. So good on you for making and chasing your FOI request. And I'm sure your respect and confidence in Newham council has improved just a little bit because they answered your question without quibbling. I often wonder when public bodies will wake up to the benefits of FOI in terms of how it improves their overall reputation with the public. I know my repsect for public bodies directly follows from the way they handle my requests and it is usually a spot-on indicator of their overall competence and attitude towards the public. Excellent news Mike! Things only change when people care enough to ensure they do. So good on you for making and chasing your FOI request. And I’m sure your respect and confidence in Newham council has improved just a little bit because they answered your question without quibbling. I often wonder when public bodies will wake up to the benefits of FOI in terms of how it improves their overall reputation with the public. I know my repsect for public bodies directly follows from the way they handle my requests and it is usually a spot-on indicator of their overall competence and attitude towards the public.

]]> By: Mike Law http://heatherbrooke.org/2008/proud-to-be-an-american/comment-page-1/#comment-1731 Mike Law Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:10:26 +0000 http://www.yrtk.org/?p=572#comment-1731 Interestingly (and possibly coincidentally), I got a response from my local council (Newham) to a FOIA request I submitted in September; I wrote to them on Tuesday reminding them that they hadn't even acknowledged my request (their usual tactic when they don't want to pass on info). It was regarding a subject that I have been keeping a watching brief on for the last 3 years and one which causes a great deal of embarrassment for the elected mayor. I was gob-smaked when I not only got a response, but I got a copy of the document I was asking questions about - I hadn't asked for it as I thought I didn't stand a chance of getting it. Things they are a'changing... Interestingly (and possibly coincidentally), I got a response from my local council (Newham) to a FOIA request I submitted in September; I wrote to them on Tuesday reminding them that they hadn’t even acknowledged my request (their usual tactic when they don’t want to pass on info).

It was regarding a subject that I have been keeping a watching brief on for the last 3 years and one which causes a great deal of embarrassment for the elected mayor.

I was gob-smaked when I not only got a response, but I got a copy of the document I was asking questions about – I hadn’t asked for it as I thought I didn’t stand a chance of getting it.

Things they are a’changing…

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