tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post8697597511121467797..comments2024-03-13T10:32:22.656+00:00Comments on thanetonline: Thanet District Council’s response to its war on Thanet blogsMichael Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09499435016469020417noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-2605936755580026962011-07-24T07:30:32.168+01:002011-07-24T07:30:32.168+01:00Good heavens Anonymous 10:21, there’s some evidenc...Good heavens Anonymous 10:21, there’s some evidence of your own point of view in your last post. <br /><br />I have to concede that I have little knowledge of your chosen subject. I trust you have complete knowledge of the facts surrounding such agreements, including evidence taken into account, policies that drive decisions, confidential negotiations with developers etc. Publishing some evidence would support your comments, assuming you have some and it’s not just your opinion.<br /><br />Just for the record I’m not little, and some would say I’m not dear either!Anonymous 10:14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-22323007490923131412011-07-23T10:21:42.027+01:002011-07-23T10:21:42.027+01:00Ahh the little dear responds with
"Perhaps i...Ahh the little dear responds with<br /><br />"Perhaps it's you who should get out more and form your own opinions rather than suck up to Michael's all the time!!"<br /><br />The thing is I get out and about and I really do know what is wasted at TDC. I suggest you look up the lack of obtaining the right 106 financial agreements (at TDC) which are very weak, in fact the public are financing schemes when developers should be paying - a good example is the EKO and Spatial development company.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-71317198318356326592011-07-22T22:14:59.232+01:002011-07-22T22:14:59.232+01:00Perhaps someone could enlighten me over these lost...Perhaps someone could enlighten me over these lost millions and where the money went?<br /><br />It was pointed out in full council the other week that TDC is actually so efficient in collecting money, around 96% - 98%, that it received a bonus from Government.<br /><br />If it's the Gazette story you refer to, then they headlined it on the front page but actually buried the important detail several pages further on, breaking down the unrecoverable bad debts by type; i.e. business rates, council tax, fines, no forwarding address, unpaid rents etc.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03755236438987278120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-60267346151890182102011-07-21T17:20:44.528+01:002011-07-21T17:20:44.528+01:00Michael, get on to your Councillor, and if he does...<i>Michael</i>, get on to your Councillor, and if he doesn't respond don't vote for him next time. The Council have democratic responsibilities, and there are established forms of redress if they don't comply.<br /><br />Let's face it, the problem is quite likely a lack of resources. Adding to their workload is hardly a solution is it?<br /><br /><i>Anonymous 18:43</i> ... If only you knew, but I'm not telling. You keep going and you'll drown in your own ignorance. Perhaps it's you who should get out more and form your own opinions rather than suck up to Michael's all the time!!Anonymous 10:14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-86617101044269410872011-07-20T18:43:26.195+01:002011-07-20T18:43:26.195+01:00Michael ask the TDC mouth piece/ commentator about...Michael ask the TDC mouth piece/ commentator about the court case in Canterbury?<br /><br />We had this type of person on Berties site, couldn't win a hand bag fight at dawn.<br /><br />TDC lose millions and this person is quibbling over a Blogsite...he/she should really get out more?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-46254066209487964572011-07-20T17:15:46.915+01:002011-07-20T17:15:46.915+01:0010.14 I think the point is that the council press ...10.14 I think the point is that the council press releases often take as much as then days to appear on the council’s website, sometimes appearing after the event they are supposed to be publicising.<br /><br />This was the reason I set up the press release blog in the first place.<br /><br />No press releases have appeared on the council’s website for over a week, do you think this is because they haven’t produced any?<br /><br />No mention has been made on the council’s website of the council meeting six days ago, no webcast has appeared nor has a notice that there wont be one because of equipment failure.<br /><br />Perhaps the council have decided to stop giving out information altogether, in case this raises public questions, do you think this would be a good idea?<br /><br />Over £100,000 on advertising and then they appear to be trying to limit the amount of people who see it, so they don’t have to respond to it, does this make sense to you?Michael Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499435016469020417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-47817039777092534922011-07-20T13:35:05.838+01:002011-07-20T13:35:05.838+01:00Michael, you're still working on the basis tha...Michael, you're still working on the basis that you have a right to receive press releases. They are <b>PRESS</b> releases which I take to mean they are for the <b>PRESS</b>. For the other 125,000+ of us they are published on the Council's website which also provides a news feed.<br /><br />I would have thought with your self confessed knowledge of IT it shouldn't be too difficult to access the information. Admittedly the news feed doesn't appear to be working at the moment, but I guess this is a technical issue which will be resolved in due course. In the meantime you'll have to go through the trauma of looking at the website!Anonymous 10:14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-52751090300233950452011-07-20T09:59:28.368+01:002011-07-20T09:59:28.368+01:00Just a few points here that seem to have been over...Just a few points here that seem to have been overlooked by commentators.<br /><br />Firstly the decision to exclude non-accredited media wasn’t a democratic one but seems to have been just made in an arbitrary way without debate or the involvement of elected representatives. <br /><br />Secondly the councils news facility seem to be about as broken as one can get, there hasn’t been a single news feed in the last week (anyone wants to refute this I have just taken a screen shot) and that despite a controversial council meeting with considerable public interest.<br /><br />Thirdly the press releases that I was receiving at no extra cost to the council were not published here on this blog but on the Thanet Press Releases blog, something Simon often used and linked to due to delay within the council in getting their press releases onto their website.Michael Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499435016469020417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-12961062118963048312011-07-20T08:30:14.892+01:002011-07-20T08:30:14.892+01:00Thank you Dr M, that's exactly what I was tryi...Thank you Dr M, that's exactly what I was trying to say.<br /><br />The real Malcolm, I have personally requested information under FOI, and my request was not dealt with to my satisfaction. Being "treated like vermin" is another emotive comment with little relevance. It's fairly obvious in my case that the request wasn't given the consideration it deserved. <br /><br />I tend to think maybe the Council Officers could have done a better job if they weren't so busy trying to get Michael off their backs. On this basis I would suggest Michael is doing a public disservice.Anonymous 10:14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-55530329976654412152011-07-20T06:52:08.997+01:002011-07-20T06:52:08.997+01:00DrM and 18:13
Unless you have personally requeste...DrM and 18:13<br /><br />Unless you have personally requested for relevant information (under FOI) and you are treated like vermin by our so called TDC then both of you would have a better understanding of the system. Please bear in mind that we pay them to do a job!!!!<br /><br />Its clear that Bloggers play an important part of our life including tweeting and the like.<br /><br />What I find deeply offensive is to berate someone for doing a public service in a manner that is better then TDC's diktat system...<br /><br />So you crack on Michael your doing a great job unlike TDC.<br /><br />The real MalcolmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-8500253016105611972011-07-19T22:05:34.638+01:002011-07-19T22:05:34.638+01:00Council officers may be indirectly responsible to ...Council officers may be indirectly responsible to the public but they answer to councillors who are the elected democratic representatives of the population.<br /><br />In principle, you can't have the public taking short cuts across the face of local democracy simply because they want to indulge a hobby.<br /><br />Council officers have an important job to do with increasingly limited resources. They don't exist simply to satisfy personal curiousity or a personal agendaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03755236438987278120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-7684805982883532542011-07-19T20:34:10.789+01:002011-07-19T20:34:10.789+01:00Sorry 1014, Council Officers are responsible to us...Sorry 1014, Council Officers are responsible to us, the people of Thanet. Councillors provide overviewTim Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09360638835659673415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-87699194830555881312011-07-19T18:33:42.528+01:002011-07-19T18:33:42.528+01:00Annonymous 18:42 ... I don’t fully understand your...Annonymous 18:42 ... I don’t fully understand your comment . What does “1.6 millions not collected” refer to? <br /><br />I can assure you that I am not a mouthpiece of TDC, far from it in fact! I guess that will mean nothing to you as you appear to have some kind of agenda that you’re unable to share or discuss in a rational manner.<br /><br />In this country we have one of the best democracies in the world. It may not be perfect but it’s highly regarded around the world. As we all do Michael has the chance to vote for a Councillor to represent the collective view of the area he lives in. He then bypasses his representative and wastes resources at the Council trying to be his own representative. Possibly a result of this is that the Council have withdrawn their support of local blogs by issuing them with press releases. Again, I ask that you consider the situation if everyone acted the same as Michael.<br /><br />Don’t forget, Council officers are responsible to the Councillors, not Michael. It’s his Councillor he should be talking issue with, but apparently that’s not good enough for Michael. If everyone acted in the same manner the logical conclusion is that the Freedom of Information Act would be in jeopardy on cost grounds.Anonymous 10:14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-41869244194289996662011-07-18T18:42:26.304+01:002011-07-18T18:42:26.304+01:0010:14 like the 1.6 millions not collected. I put i...10:14 like the 1.6 millions not collected. I put it to you that you are a mouthpiece of TDC and therefore you postings are irrelevant!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-10130766252558286282011-07-18T10:37:13.208+01:002011-07-18T10:37:13.208+01:00Retired, Daly was a Labour Councillor for Westgate...Retired, Daly was a Labour Councillor for Westgate!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-31330712135949414232011-07-17T05:00:18.219+01:002011-07-17T05:00:18.219+01:00Retired ... The law applies to everyone (including...Retired ... The law applies to everyone (including the Press), not just Thanet Bloggers. <br /><br />A code of practice is an <b>additional</b> safeguard that doesn't apply to bloggers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-69895328678862296572011-07-16T15:30:40.729+01:002011-07-16T15:30:40.729+01:00Quote from Anon
"Anonymous 11.50 - I think y...Quote from Anon<br /><br />"Anonymous 11.50 - I think you’ve missed my point. Anyone can set up a blog as an extension to their ego and without any code of conduct. This doesn’t make them a creditable source of information." <br /><br />Recently HM Coroner released transcripts of inquest evidence. I have told all blogs that if a copy is leaked to them do not publish as the evidence is subject of an HM Coroner embargo.<br /><br />The week the embargoed evidence was released the Thanet Gazette put out billboards about their supposed Friday report of the Inquest evidence.<br /><br />Their explanation is they accidentally put out old billboards from 2010.<br /><br />They did not publish. Fortunately they appear to have been persuaded to follow the higher standards of practice of Thanet bloggers ? <br /><br />Namely that set by the law. Tends to be a better yardstick than codes of practice. Jog on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-79644795313415085392011-07-16T15:07:23.632+01:002011-07-16T15:07:23.632+01:00Like this Derick97
But in the spirit of freedom ...<a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/range_licensing_and_authority_to#incoming-191776" rel="nofollow"> Like this Derick97 </a><br /><br />But in the spirit of freedom of information there is no anonymity. And your FOI is published as you can see.<br /><br />Kent Police will probably not want to answer this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-77014876722405133492011-07-16T14:16:07.207+01:002011-07-16T14:16:07.207+01:00Anonymous 11.50 - I think you’ve missed my point. ...Anonymous 11.50 - I think you’ve missed my point. Anyone can set up a blog as an extension to their ego and without any code of conduct. This doesn’t make them a creditable source of information. <br /><br />I would guess it’s Michael’s constant questions that have caused TDC to stop sending press releases to bloggers. Imagine if everyone with a blog acted the same as Michael; how would the Council deal with that? <br /><br />It’s not a matter of democracy or open government as the releases are published on their website, and they provide an RSS feed if you want them delivered to you: <a href="" rel="nofollow">http://www.thanet.gov.uk/feeds/tdcnews.aspx</a>. <br /><br />I would suggest the “thousands” that read Thanet blogs are not looking for news as much as opinion, or gossip as it used to be called. Presumably, if they can read blogs they can read TDC’s website and make up their own minds about what is said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-21355646265049002112011-07-16T11:50:40.247+01:002011-07-16T11:50:40.247+01:00Derick97, the best way to make a FOI request is vi...Derick97, the best way to make a FOI request is via www.whatdotheyknow.com and everybody can see how long it takes to reply. Like the FOI request made on the 28 feb regarding the ex chief exec payoff detail. This was refused (data protection) on the 13 july, a bit longer than the 20 days allowed. But Michael has pointed out that TDC have published some of this info on their own web site in their accounts. How daft can TDC be.<br />Anon 10.14, democracy and open government costs money in the short term but the alternative is to allow councils to sweep things under the carpet. So the few pounds is cost for TDC to email press releases to bloggers is peanuts. Thousands read Thanet's blogs to obtain council news, more than the local rags. Councillors alone costs over £350,000 p.a to keep in place and many of them are in post just to nod.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-30274756593838515842011-07-16T10:14:52.743+01:002011-07-16T10:14:52.743+01:00Michael, now you have your answers what are you go...Michael, now you have your answers what are you going to do with them? Apart from wasting Council’s resources your apparent pestering of the Council has probably denied others of receiving the press releases. Why don’t you use the RSS feed and have the releases delivered to you like the rest of us? What is so special about you?<br />Remember, the Council is responsible to all residents, not just you. What they do for you they must also do for me and everyone else in Thanet. Why do you expect special treatment?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-86174467037995461142011-07-15T21:47:28.508+01:002011-07-15T21:47:28.508+01:00As a councillor Simon Moores has special access to...As a councillor Simon Moores has special access to inside information, which is not available to me or Michael via normal enquires to the press office therefore he should cease to comment on local matters.<br /><br />Maybe Simon could explain how this exclusion can be considered anything other than a blatant misuse of taxpayer money to assist the conservative administrationTony Flaighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15212662248741515725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-18521839055901862672011-07-15T20:28:49.966+01:002011-07-15T20:28:49.966+01:00Derick I think the short answer here is you don’t ...Derick I think the short answer here is you don’t foi requests relate to government bodies, and basically revolve around he who pays the piper – us – having certain rights to obtain information.<br /><br />With the media it rather depends on what it is you are after, for instance there is the press complaints commission if this relates to the KM FM radio station there is the Radio Authority which is responsible for licensing radio stations and some aspects of regulation under the broadcasting act.<br /><br />Company information is of course obtainable from Companies House for a small fee.<br /><br />Essentially though broadcasting organisations regulation is complex and overseen by a number of different organisations.<br /><br />I would have thought that in the first instance though just giving Ken a ring would probably be your best starting point, as he is a prominent local businessman. <br /><br />When dealing with the media I have found that there is a bit of a case of the cobbler’s children going barefoot, so on the occasions when I have done a news story about a news organisation I have had some very strange responses indeed.Michael Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499435016469020417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-67093775204796897102011-07-15T19:42:46.265+01:002011-07-15T19:42:46.265+01:00Micheal
Where do i put in a freedom of information...Micheal<br />Where do i put in a freedom of information request regarding KMFM and ken wills who owns itderick97https://www.blogger.com/profile/00724033844321163002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575321478441277410.post-28412262620383255502011-07-15T17:29:49.160+01:002011-07-15T17:29:49.160+01:00Crossed over there Simon, I intend to ask the coun...Crossed over there Simon, I intend to ask the council to return to sending us out the press releases and where possible the pictures as they have said this doesn’t cost them anything. I know you were one of the people who found my press release blog useful and I hope I can get your support with getting back on the press release email list.<br /><br /><br /><br />I can see that the use of the press office for answering questions is another matter, oddly enough about half of my emails to the press department related to typos and broken links in press releases. With the rest this was a two way thing I think there was just as much coming from the council asking me to clarify or correct something on the blog as there was me asking them questions.<br /><br />I was considering publishing the whole correspondence but am now getting a much more positive attitude from officers towards the presentation of council information online.Michael Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499435016469020417noreply@blogger.com