I don't read Martin Samuels' writing much but when someone links to one of his articles it seems to invariably be a long and boring article in praise of the status quo.
I don't read Martin Samuels' writing much but when someone links to one of his articles it seems to invariably be a long and boring article in praise of the status quo.
He's rattled by the Trust.
Hardly worth dignifying it with a comment. Just to say, he's such a diligent journalist that he fails to notice the leadership of the campaign passed up from CAST to A broader based group some weeks ago. And that group acknowledges that right now, CAST has other priorities.
Fortunately within the Trust team there are people far better equipped than me to address the current crisis. Which leaves me free to carry on contributing to this.
The only thing of interest in the further release which the LLDC sneaked out, obviously ahead of the upcoming Information Tribunal, is that a completely separate Naming Rights Agreement exists. But currently we don't even know who the parties to that agreement are. We suspect they may have tried to engineer it in a way that keeps it out of reach of the FOI law. Well, as with so many other aspects of this affair, we'll see about that!
Since the Trust AGM will NOT wish to spend quality time discussing this in detail tomorrow night , I thought I'd just briefly update those of you who are interested, in the status. Bearing in mind the ubiquitous presence of Gavros, I won't go into too much tactical detail. All who will be there and interested: I'll probably be among the last to leave, and certainly owe beers to certain Lifers for their invaluable contributions in recent weeks. Anyway, in summary
- Overall leadership of the campaign is now in several capable hands, representing many of the London clubs, and includes an experienced political campaigner.
- there is now a campaign website. Expect this to be more active in the coming weeks
- The status re the contract itself is that the LLDC appealed against the Information Commissioner's decision, and the issue now goes to a Tribunal. We believe we will win - and I am registered as a Party to the issue - but we regard the LLDC move as simply a cynical delaying tactic; which incidentally costs the taxpayer more money. Therefore we are taking steps to persuade the LLDC to withdraw their appeal
- there was a rather sneaky further release of info from the contract while I was away on holidays, but two other team members went through it and found that it contained little of use other than the existence of a separate Stadium Naming Rights Participation Agreement. I have just now submitted a further FOI request for a copy of this Agreement. I don't expect to get it without a further round of ridiculous prevarication, of course.
See you all tomorrow, when I'll be happy to talk more about this once we've finished the formal discussion on what are more immediately important matters.
Latest blogpost/statement from the Coalition here.
Members of the Coalition are lobbying politicians to get the LLDC to drop their ridiculous appeal against the order to release the contract in full. Andrew Boff, the Conservative GLA assemblyman, who appeared in the film, is particularly supportive. He has told us though that we are up against huge political pressure to get this deal through. The Information Tribunal on the FOI issue has now been set for Jan 25th. Nice time wasting of at least three months there, but we are already well prepared for the day.
Have just seen the date on the press release. 2nd December so have they said anything yet?
For some reason we only got the news last night. We've got our own press release going out today. Fairly low key, thanking the GLA people for their action. Politicians are humans too, and sometimes you just need to say 'thanks".
The Information Tribunal is set for Jan 25. Unfortunately with Christmas coming we expect the other politicians we are lobbying to shrug their shoulders and say, lets wait for the Tribunal. So it does look that we will have to go there, and seek to win. I am confident we will. The ICO has a 71% victory track record at the Tribunal, and that is against people who think they have a genuine case; unlike the LLDC who are simply cynically playing for time.
The GLA have provided welcome evidence for the Tribunal of the 'public interest test". It's a genuinely big positive development.
In the meantime, Manchester City Council have, after some harassment, released under FOI the key terms of their deal with MCFC. It is pretty much as previously reported, but it is clearly in the public domain now that the Manchester taxpayer has a much better deal than we do for the OS.
Also under FOI we tried to get Newham rather than the LLDC to release the OS contract, because we'd been tipped off that Robin Wales thought it should be released. They refused, so we have gone to internal review. We discovered there is a separate Naming Rights Agreement, and demanded that from the LLDC. They refused point blank associating it with the broader request for the contract. They may possibly however give us information which shows just how much they have spent on external professional advisers for all this nonsense.
Just a gentle reminder; none of the above will be possible in future without deep financial pockets, if at all, if the Government gets its way on new restrictions to the FOI law.
And that completes your OS FOI round up for today :-)
BBC's Question Time is being held in Limehouse on 14th January, the fans coalition should get someone in the audience to ask a question on the Olympic Stadium.
BBC's Question Time is being held in Limehouse on 14th January, the fans coalition should get someone in the audience to ask a question on the Olympic Stadium.
Good tip! will pass that on
Whether the question would have sufficient national interest for QT, though, I'm not sure.
Yes and here is an outstanding article on the subject in the Telegraph, from a senior civil servant. Exactly the kind of person who is alleged to be against it because it costs so much, wastes civil servant time, blah blah.
It's interesting that the same Minister is responsible for:
- This fake review into the FOI law, just 18 months after a select committee of MPs concluded it is working just fine - the fake Charter Review of the BBC, run by people who have a massive conflict of interest - the London Legacy Development Corporation.
I wrote to Zach Goldsmith and Baroness Tannie Gray Thompson about this, absolutely in the politest of terms and neither replied, but I did get a reply when I wrote to Boris' office. Bombard the buggers. I am in New York until Monday and missed the latest episode, but seeing Brady on the apprentice this season has soured a programme I usually enjoy, mind you I can shout at her on the telly rather than the candidates.
I think we should concentrate on OUR club and worry less about West Spam.
The FOI Act is about much more than West Ham! Addressing the problems at our place is ongoing and urgent, I agree, but being interested in one doesn't negate the other.
Comments
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3289185/Football-country-suffer-hound-FA-blazers.html
West Ham United block Tottenham hopes of renting Upton Park.
'Ahead of their move to the Olympic Park, West Ham have taken steps to prevent Spurs from using Upton Park ahead of their north London redevelopment.'
So even though they've sold it they can still veto another club negotiating a private lease to something they used to own.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/west-ham/11178316/West-Ham-United-block-Tottenham-hopes-of-renting-Upton-Park.html
He's rattled by the Trust.
Fortunately within the Trust team there are people far better equipped than me to address the current crisis. Which leaves me free to carry on contributing to this.
The only thing of interest in the further release which the LLDC sneaked out, obviously ahead of the upcoming Information Tribunal, is that a completely separate Naming Rights Agreement exists. But currently we don't even know who the parties to that agreement are. We suspect they may have tried to engineer it in a way that keeps it out of reach of the FOI law. Well, as with so many other aspects of this affair, we'll see about that!
- Overall leadership of the campaign is now in several capable hands, representing many of the London clubs, and includes an experienced political campaigner.
- there is now a campaign website. Expect this to be more active in the coming weeks
- The status re the contract itself is that the LLDC appealed against the Information Commissioner's decision, and the issue now goes to a Tribunal. We believe we will win - and I am registered as a Party to the issue - but we regard the LLDC move as simply a cynical delaying tactic; which incidentally costs the taxpayer more money. Therefore we are taking steps to persuade the LLDC to withdraw their appeal
- there was a rather sneaky further release of info from the contract while I was away on holidays, but two other team members went through it and found that it contained little of use other than the existence of a separate Stadium Naming Rights Participation Agreement. I have just now submitted a further FOI request for a copy of this Agreement. I don't expect to get it without a further round of ridiculous prevarication, of course.
See you all tomorrow, when I'll be happy to talk more about this once we've finished the formal discussion on what are more immediately important matters.
Members of the Coalition are lobbying politicians to get the LLDC to drop their ridiculous appeal against the order to release the contract in full. Andrew Boff, the Conservative GLA assemblyman, who appeared in the film, is particularly supportive. He has told us though that we are up against huge political pressure to get this deal through. The Information Tribunal on the FOI issue has now been set for Jan 25th. Nice time wasting of at least three months there, but we are already well prepared for the day.
The London Assembly has unanimously demanded that the LLDC stop prevaricating and publish the contract in full.
All of them. Labour, Tory, Lib Dems, as well as the Greens who initiated this move.
Good news.
The Information Tribunal is set for Jan 25. Unfortunately with Christmas coming we expect the other politicians we are lobbying to shrug their shoulders and say, lets wait for the Tribunal. So it does look that we will have to go there, and seek to win. I am confident we will. The ICO has a 71% victory track record at the Tribunal, and that is against people who think they have a genuine case; unlike the LLDC who are simply cynically playing for time.
The GLA have provided welcome evidence for the Tribunal of the 'public interest test". It's a genuinely big positive development.
In the meantime, Manchester City Council have, after some harassment, released under FOI the key terms of their deal with MCFC. It is pretty much as previously reported, but it is clearly in the public domain now that the Manchester taxpayer has a much better deal than we do for the OS.
Also under FOI we tried to get Newham rather than the LLDC to release the OS contract, because we'd been tipped off that Robin Wales thought it should be released. They refused, so we have gone to internal review. We discovered there is a separate Naming Rights Agreement, and demanded that from the LLDC. They refused point blank associating it with the broader request for the contract. They may possibly however give us information which shows just how much they have spent on external professional advisers for all this nonsense.
Just a gentle reminder; none of the above will be possible in future without deep financial pockets, if at all, if the Government gets its way on new restrictions to the FOI law.
And that completes your OS FOI round up for today :-)
Thank you Mr Lebedev. That headline will do nicely :-)
•A new entry-level Band 5 adult Season Ticket will cost just £289 – the cheapest in the Premier League
•All Season Tickets for Under-16s will be cut to just £99 – the equivalent of only £5 per game
•A family of four can buy a Season Ticket for just £776 – the equivalent of £41 per match
Whether the question would have sufficient national interest for QT, though, I'm not sure.
MP Gareth Thomas has written to the National Audit Office, asking it to investigate the use of public money in the deal.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35128887
It's interesting that the same Minister is responsible for:
- This fake review into the FOI law, just 18 months after a select committee of MPs concluded it is working just fine
- the fake Charter Review of the BBC, run by people who have a massive conflict of interest
- the London Legacy Development Corporation.
That Minister is John Whittingdale.
Bombard the buggers. I am in New York until Monday and missed the latest episode, but seeing Brady on the apprentice this season has soured a programme I usually enjoy, mind you I can shout at her on the telly rather than the candidates.
Addressing the problems at our place is ongoing and urgent, I agree, but being interested in one doesn't negate the other.