Censorship In South Lanarkshire
The Scottish Information Comissioner has ordered South Lanarkshire Council to release the 'redacted' section of a council minute by next Friday - 2 September 2011.
Here's a previous post from the blog site from 14 July 2011 - which explains what this censorship row is all about.
The President of COSLA - Councillor Pat Watters - is a senior South Lanarkshire councillor and was also a key figure in the negotiations over Single Status and Equal Pay - back in 1999.
The other day Councillor Watters was at a COSLA conference in Edinburgh - which emphasised the need for the need for greater accountability in Scottish local government.
Yet here we have Pat's own council - censoring and redacting - perfectly sensible Freedom of Information requests.
Censor Comes a Cropper
Good news - in the fight for equal pay and freedom of information in South Lanarkshire.
The Scottish Information Comissioner (SIC) has upheld my latest appeal - over the council's attempts to censor potentially important information - from the council's Corporate Management Team.
The information in question dates back to 1999 - and has to do with the implementation of Single Status and Equal Pay - in Labour-led South Lanarkshire Council.
SIC has ordered South Lanarkshire Council to disclose the information previously withheld - by no later than 2 September 2011.
I will have more to say on the subject in the next few days - but you can read the decision on line at the SIC website at: www.itspublicknowledge.info
The decision is 138/2011 - Mr Mark Irvine and South Lanarkshire Council - and the reference number is 201100784.
But if readers have any difficulty in accessing the document - I can always send you a copy.
I also intend bringing this decision to the attention of local MSPs.
Because, in my view, South Lanarkshire Council's behaviour - is giving local government and local democracy a bad name.
The Scottish Information Comissioner (SIC) has upheld my latest appeal - over the council's attempts to censor potentially important information - from the council's Corporate Management Team.
The information in question dates back to 1999 - and has to do with the implementation of Single Status and Equal Pay - in Labour-led South Lanarkshire Council.
SIC has ordered South Lanarkshire Council to disclose the information previously withheld - by no later than 2 September 2011.
I will have more to say on the subject in the next few days - but you can read the decision on line at the SIC website at: www.itspublicknowledge.info
The decision is 138/2011 - Mr Mark Irvine and South Lanarkshire Council - and the reference number is 201100784.
But if readers have any difficulty in accessing the document - I can always send you a copy.
I also intend bringing this decision to the attention of local MSPs.
Because, in my view, South Lanarkshire Council's behaviour - is giving local government and local democracy a bad name.
