Skip to main content

Unveiling Lewisham Council's FOI enigma

A recent communication from Lewisham Council peels back the layers of secrecy shrouding its operations. A two-year delay in addressing crucial Freedom of Information (FOI) Act requests. An Enforcement Notice from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) followed.  A move that has left the council red-faced and motivated. TheBigRetort...

Unearthing the Cryptic Email

Recently, an unexpected missive from Lewisham Council's FOI team landed on our desk, triggering waves of surprise within our Room 300 command centre. Amid the confusion, we pondered whether we had filed an FOI request. Only to uncover a jolting detail. Not in the email's timestamp, but in its date: "2021." Two full years had passed since our FOI query. The question looms: why?

Penetrating the Enigma that is Lewisham Council

In response to mounting concerns, the ICO wielded its Enforcement Notice—a figurative hammer blow—and the departure of Lewisham Planning head Emma Talbot followed. Was this emblematic of a council grappling with a disconcerting backlog of FOI responses after years of unhelpfulness? Unfortunately we shall probably never know. However, one thing is certain, the censure emerges amidst a backdrop of financial and moral distress, underscoring a council at the very brink.

A Plea for Clarification Resounds at Catford Town Hall

Remarkably a twist of fate finds Lewisham Council reaching out to TheBigRetort for guidance. What shall we do, they ask. An unusual departure from the norm. Be that as it may, the plea underscores a reversal of roles. As Lewisham Council seeks our input on whether our long-standing FOI request remains of interest - to us? Err...let me see now. The urgency in their words hints at a genuine attempt to rectify past oversights. We of course still hold unwavering interest in all things Shambolic. But the pivotal question arises: How did this backlog of information fester unchecked, tarnishing the council's commitment to transparency still further?

Unveiling a Wider Malaise

In an upcoming exposé, TheBigRetort delves into a systemic affliction transcending mere information requests—an affliction that has systematically transformed legitimate concerns into "complaints". Thereby evading scrutiny. This shadow veils the council's proclaimed dedication to open governance. Underscoring an avoidance that extends from junior officers to the senior echelons and beyond. Right up to the elected representatives who stand as proud stewards of their communities. Within this narrative, the council’s HQ’s resemblance to the Kremlin does not go amiss. Symbolic of receding accountability and a tightening grip on falsehoods—a reality that can no longer remain hidden.

Peering into the Abyss

Our journey takes us into the abyss. A realm of questionable dealings and thriving falsehoods. As we expose a council investigations team that paradoxically fails to investigate. Especially when implications reach higher levels. As our investigation deepens, layers of intrigue unravel. Revealing the motivations behind the council's demotivation tactics and the ramifications this brings for constituents reliant on transparent access to information. These pressing queries prompt a reconsideration of where constituents should cast their votes—in favour of inflated egos, or those candidates with genuine intelligence and compassion.

Unravelling the Enigma: The Path Forward

In the weeks ahead, TheBigRetort will navigate the labyrinthine enigma.Spotlighting the intricate interplay of forces within the council. We shed light on citizens' rights and delve into the ICO's role in safeguarding transparency. 

Stay engaged as we journey through corridors of power where secrets linger and truths eagerly await... the unveiling. You will soon be entering  the twighly zone.

COMING SOON… FENCEGATE: A TALE OF TARGETED MALICE? 


COPYRIGHT (C) THE BIG RETORT (thebigretort.com)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

James O'Brien: LBC presenter secret buy-to-let millionaire - Exclusive update

The Ayatollah of the Airwaves, James O’Brien, is still raging at the radio ether. His current demons: pensioner investors and... buy-to-let. “It’s not the politics of envy to say they need their wings clipped,” he declared last week. In fact, if you hit the numbers and can’t get through it’s probably because he’s still banging on about landlords and second-home ownership.    Time to take a peek then at the former landlord-turned-gamekeeper’s own dirty “deeds“.  A BIGRETORT EXCLUSIVE In 2014 AD, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby held a head-to-head with presenter James O’Brien; who isn’t usually lost for words let's face it. But whilst His Grace fielded phone-calls from LBC devotees, sat at the other end of the wireless alongside him was not the station's usual attack dog -  instead, in somewhat subdued genuflection, was old motor mouth himself. Choirboy O'Brie...
23 comments
Read more

Lewisham Council POCA Prosecution: Job Ad Reveals Mandate To 'Maximise Income'

From Borough of Sanctuary to dystopian world — Lewisham Council places landmark restaurant on the POCA grill.  THE BIG RETORT… Some days, when I pass the grimy windows at Laurence House in Catford, I swear I can hear the sound of someone desperately singing from the floors above: “You’ve gotta pick a POCA or two, boys…” Lewisham once styled itself a Borough of Sanctuary. But today it feels more like a borough for bounty hunters — where local businesses and good neighbours aren’t nurtured, but criminalised for profit. The game is called POCA . In plain English, the Proceeds of Crime Act  works like this: after a criminal conviction is secured, a prosecuting authority can ask the court to treat unexplained money or assets as “criminal benefit” unless proved otherwise.  The trawl through the person’s past can prove costly, both mentally and financially, as it stretches back six years from when proceedings commence .  The court then sets a “benefit” figure and an amount ...
8 comments
Read more

Convicted: How Councils prosecute for profit

What’s happening in Labour-run Lewisham today has left me thinking. I once believed in the ideals of the Labour party: justice, fairness, and accountability – but, not now. These are just the empty sloganeering of an elite few in Lewisham's town hall and Parliament. In truth, Lewisham is not a borough of sanctuary but a place for Pocaneering . Ordinary residents—entrepreneurs, good Samaritans, and hardworking immigrants—are being treated not as part of the community, but as financial targets . All in the name of planning enforcement. All under the guise of legality. And all tied to the toxic incentives of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) . The sand and cement storefront scandal – Criminalised Let’s begin with local DIY shop owner Kevin Bottomley, reported here under KJ Building Supplies and our successful campaign Save KJs. He was selling small quantities of sand and cement from his shop's driveway – the kind of side hustle long part of Lewisham life, helping neighbours avo...
Post a Comment
Read more