For those of you who do not get the email alerts from the e-government
bulletin
+01: COUNCILS FACE INSTANT TEST ON FOI.
A campaign to test all local authorities on compliance with the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 as soon as it comes into force on 1
January 2005 is to be launched later this year by an independent lobby
group.
The Campaign for Freedom of Information (http://www.cfoi.org.uk) is
to write to every newspaper editor asking them to test out their local
councils, according to the campaign's director Maurice Frankel.
"We are going to write to every newspaper in the country, explaining
the act, offering training on the act and explaining what they can do to
put the act to test," Frankel told an E-Government Bulletin seminar last
month. "You are going to be tested on this legislation the moment it
comes into force by your local newspapers, by national newspapers, by
local groups of various kinds. It's going to be on the front page if you
don't do it properly." He declined to offer precise details of the form
the test for councils would take, to preserve an element of surprise.
"There'll be very little sympathy from the public or press if you say
'we've only had a little time to prepare'. Nobody's going to believe
you," said Frankel. "Bear in mind this act was passed in November
2000. By the time it comes into force in January 2005 you will have
had five years and two months. You have been given longer to prepare
for this legislation than any other country."
Frankel underlined the importance of developing a policy for handling
the media. "Ask your chief executive how he or she wants to handle
the press when asked to explain why you have not prepared for FoI;
withheld [data] from your local newspaper, people, organisations -
information that neighbouring authorities up and down the countries
are handing out willingly."
NOTE: Presentations from the seminar 'Freedom of information
compliance - the key to e-government?' are available on the web
(http://www.electronic-government.com/foi.htm). For a full report on
the seminar see section two, this issue.
Tony May
Documents Manager
Hertfordshire County Council
Phone: 01992 556 729
Comnet 26729
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