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DAMESATHOME@GMAIL.COM
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Saturday 22 July 2017

USEFUL ADVICE FROM ONE OF THE DAME'S DEAR READERS

Dearest and most revered Dame
For those readers that don't already know about how easy it is to make a Freedom of Information Request in the public domain.  

Making an FOI request through https://www.whatdotheyknow.com it will be logged and automatically followed up and retained as a history for anyone to review at any time.

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

Thank you very much for your continued support of RBKC and your tireless work.

Yours 
P******r R********s


22 comments:

  1. Impossibly Angry Tory22 July 2017 at 09:54

    As usual, the Dame is passing on helpful and practical advice. Thank you Dame.

    Hornton Street is slow to understand that we are living in a new world of Social Media, Freedom of Information and fast and instant access to opinion. Opinion is also spontaneous - it cannot be controlled by bureaucracy, surveys an opinion polls.

    The new world is a (good) challenge for the political class. They need to understand it, embrace it, and benefit from it.

    The Royal Borough has so far been one of the most backward and hopeless local Councils to get with the flow. This is the result of years of Tory monopoly and a self interested, closed insider group in Hornton Street.

    The best thing for the Tories is a spell of Labour in Kensington and Chelsea. This will wake up the party and get rid of the imposters.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Conservative Councillor22 July 2017 at 09:59

    Silly Mr Angry. Our opinion polls show more than 80% resident satisfaction in Kensington and Chelsea. The best in the whole country

    This is a huge sample of 1200 respondents, carried out every month.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. where? Down the Tory Club after few free bevvies? Who carries out this 'poll'? RBKC's PR company, or some truly independent
      organisation, should there be such an animal. Anyway, residents over 70 qualify...

      Delete
    2. All above board. Poll results reported by the Leader in her column every month in the Royal Borer.....

      Wanabe Leaderess, Cllr Airhead Faulks, even went on BBC radio two weeks after the Grenfell fire and told the presenter that Kensington and Chelsea is one of the top two Councils in the country. Fortunately she is now dust.

      Delete
    3. 12:07, Empty word is cheap.

      I've never been asked or seen this opinioin poll. Where does one get the form from?

      Delete
    4. The survey is all part of the huge £500k cost every year of the Fitzpatrick PR Department in Hornton Street. It is a two bit propaganda machine that needs to be dismantled.

      Delete
    5. Fly On The Wall22 July 2017 at 12:40

      A random sample of residents are scientifically selected and sent the poll by post. They are asked to fill it in and return it the Council who also tell them that they are "special"

      Delete
    6. Campden resident22 July 2017 at 12:44

      This is bollocks. Polls like this are the favourite past time of pen pushers, box tickers and back side coverers.

      Residents pay a huge amount of tax to support more than 60 Ward Councillors whose job it is to understand local opinion and know what is going on. If Hornton Street worked properly the Leader should ask her Councillors what the residents think.

      Delete
    7. 'A random sample of residents are scientifically selected'.. by whom? The PR machine from the Tory Club membership down the road?

      Delete
  3. How much is the new Chief Executive getting paid? Mr Quirk

    ReplyDelete
  4. re the topic: WhatDoTheyKnow is a very good platform for FOI requests. For a very simple reason 'they are seen any anyone'. Requests must be answered within the required period, if not they can be followed up and even submitted to an internal review. Many organisations are well aware of this site, having experienced its diligence and wrath, particularly if any comments are made. as the replies are visible by all, the organisations cannot keep them between themselves and the enquirer. The website is truly global and visited by all and sundry.
    Answers are generally always provided and carefully presented, as the organisations are aware that their answers can be questioned and even commented on by anyone.
    The enquirers can and often do ask additional relevant questions. at the end of the process, the answer is rated 'as complete, partial or a refusal. Print out is available.
    Anyone can submit an FOI, providing it is an FOI, There is no need to provide any ID, email address is enough.
    Have a look at what FOIs were submitted to RBKC. Interesting,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Answers are generally always provided" except by RBKC council and KCTMO. They always find an excuse, as in the above case presented in the blog, not to disclose the information. They are very good at it.

      Delete
  5. KCTMO is a cleverly crafted avoidance machine set up to manage property, major works, service charge etc. hired to take any responsibility from RBKC, despite reporting to RBKC. Problem is KCTMO staff are so unqualified, incompetent and unmonitored Grenfell is a result.

    KCTMO avoidance is well known and they are not required to answer FOI requests. RBKC's only Key Priority Indicator of KCTMO is FINANCIAL. Competency tests? - Forget it.

    KCTMO are a pretty small team of people and as we have told RBKC time and time again KCTMO is not fit for purpose.

    It will be most interesting to see how the KCTMO/RBKC relationship unfolds and who blames who; Piggy v Black? And let us not forget those on the board of KCTMO who have fiduciary duties - there could be trouble ahead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 'Piggy v Black'? NO. Piggy AND Black. It is, as Ms Johnson calls it, ALMO - arms length management organisation'. In respect of 'responsibility' - there is nobody at the end of the arm. Ooops.. Very clever indeed. RBKC's way of 'passing the buck' However, bit awkward with Grenfell, as they are all implicated, one way or another.

      Delete
    2. KCTMO was created, as correctly said above, to avoid the incompetent staff at the Town Hall from handling all the stuff that TMO handles now, because they would make a even a bigger mess of it than it is now, should that be possible. It is nothing but skillful 'buck passing'.
      Re KCTMO FOIs, I think this was discussed some weeks ago

      Delete
    3. Laura Johnson, Richard Egan, Tony Redpath and all the other RBKC Officers who did Feilding Mellen's bidding need to go. We know who you are and the roles that you have played and we will not rest until you have been exposed and your heartless and evil policies brought to the public's attention. Jail is too good for you!

      Delete
  6. regarding the RBKC PR machine: these are as useful as a bunch of eunuchs in a fertility clinic. In the old days, when there were few local rags, these could be skilfully managed. By either bribes or downright bulling. However, since the advent of the Internet, they got their knickers in the twist. Unable to influence anything and/or anyone. The media is truly international and attracts audience from all over; which produces a wide range of opinion and comment, so, so unwelcome by RBKC, as it exposes them for what they really are -....

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fitzpatrick PR opened his in-box on the day of the fire, saw 1000 e-mails, decided he was sick, went home and handed in his resignation as he left. Nick P-B said he hoped to persuade him to withdraw it. In the meantime Labour dealt with the media in North Kensington.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I assume his pay is still coming in on the dot, as they say.

      Delete
  8. re WDTK: here is a link to FOI Requests submtted to RBKC. You will see that there are many dealing with Grenfell Tower in one way or another. As they are very recent, replies are awaited. Should be interesting how many get proper response, if any
    https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/rbkc?page=1

    ReplyDelete
  9. Had a peek at the link. Wow, truly astonished at the number of questions relating to GT. Someone is even asking how many of the residents were paying 'full' rent. This is NONE of his business. Is he going to ask next how many 'Muslims' lived in the Tower?
    Both are irrelevant. Fire/safety regulations apply to any property, whether in private or public ownership. Or, at least, it should be so. The social/ethnic composition is irrelevant.
    However, where RBKC had failed is control over-crowding. Apparently, many kids died in the Tower. Is there not a regulation relating to age limit of children living in social accommodation and bedroom space? Seems they were packed in like sardines.
    Also, where was the Council's control of sub-letting and inspection to ensure adherence? Seems to have been disregarded.
    These are the questions that should be asked, not about who pays the rent. Anyway, Councils are generally happy to be paid by the DWP on regular basis, rather then run after and sue defaulting tenants.

    ReplyDelete
  10. RBKC/KCTMO send prying questionnaires and retain lists of all such matters; ethnic origin, gender, age, employment status. Leaseholders and tenants are treated differently. It has been mentioned KCTMO leasehold agreements stipulate tenants are not allowed to make complaints as part of their contract and are penalised if they do.

    RBKC/KCTMO control who is put where with in the borough. All questions matter and form a body of information to understand the workings of these two organisations.

    ReplyDelete

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