Open and Transparent

The Scottish Government had an opportunity to improve and strengthen Scotland's  Freedom of Information regime recently - but once again failed to rise to the occasion.

The Holyrood Parliament discussed the matter the other week - but for reasons best known to itself the Government again passed up the chance to tighten the system - by extending the list of bodies to whom the FOI legislation currently applies.

Which means that ridiculous 'arms length' organisations - like Glasgow City Council's ALEOs - will continue to be shielded from public scrutiny even though they are  financed by taxpayers' money.

Now, how crazy is that?

Because you would think that bodies which are happy to use public money to run their organisations - would be perfectly happy to operate to the same high standards of openness and transparency - that apply to local councils and NHS boards, for example.

But no - that's not the case and so ALEOs and organisations like COSLA (the self-styled 'voice' of Scottish local government) - or Scotrail (which is heavily subsidised by the taxpayer) - all operate to different rules.

Rules which mean they don't have to disclose information in the same way required of local councils and NHS bodies in Scotland - which is plain bonkers, if you ask me.

Now I would go even further - I would include Trade Unions in the list of bodies covered by FOI legislation.

Because while trade unions like to argue that they should be exempt as 'membership organisations' - as opposed to public bodies in the normal sense - I don't agree.

In my view trade unions are very close to many of the employers with whom they deal on a regular basis - they are powerful organisations which accept public money, both directly and indirectly.

So the unions have no good reason not to sign up to Freedom of Information - and the same standards they expect of responsible employers and other public bodies.

Here's a previous post from the blog site about FOI and one of Glasgow's largest ALEOs - Cordia.     


Glasgow and Cordia (18 March 2011)

Cordia is one of the arm's length bodies set up by Glasgow City Council - see posts dated 20 and 22 January 2011.

Cordia is on the news again - but this time over the early retirement of its chief executive, Fergus Chambers - who earns £130,000 a year apparently.

According to press reports Fergus is leaving his post - and he's not the only one - other senior officials are set to leave too - under enhanced redundnacy packages for staff over 50 years old.

But if you were to ask Cordia: "What the cost of the chief executive's early retirement package - have extra years been added to the pension pot - and if so on what basis?"

The sad truth is that Cordia wouldn't have to tell you - because as as arm's length body - Cordia is not covered by the current Freedom of Information (FOI) rules.

The generous treatment of senior council officials - stands in stark contrast to the treatment of the carers, cleaning and catering staff - who actually deliver front-line services to the good citizens of Glasgow.

And what adds insult to injury is that Cordia - and other similar bodies - can avoid public scrutiny because of the narrow scope of Scotland's FOI rules.

Let's hope the Scottish Parliament steps in - and tightens up the current regime - can't come a moment too soon.