I have asked Penwith District Council more questions under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, relating to migrant workers and a question about the Council's record on replying to FoIA requests for information. These can be seen at WhatDoTheyKnow?
I have followed-up Penwith's reply to my questions of March 1 with a letter to Penwith's Mr B Turnbull. The full text of that letter will be posted on the blog soon.
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Monday, 14 April 2008
Sorry, but no new Tory Dawn for St Ives after all
Over coming months, The St Ivean will be reporting on the fortunes - and certainly the misfortunes - of Conservatives in St Ives. And what better start could one hope for than the story of Councillor Dawn Parry, a member of Weston Town Council and unitary authority.
The Weston & Somerset Mercury has just reported how Councillor Parry - a singer - has failed to be selected as Conservative candidate for no less than three parliamentary seats - one being St Ives for whose fortunate folk Councillor Parry threatened 'a new Dawn for St Ives'. And now there are no more vacant seats in the South West. As another Weston councillor put it: "It sounds like she cannot wait to get out of Weston."
Councillor Parry has trashed her 'a new Dawn for St Ives' promise from her website (there's a picture, though, of the Councillor training for her Westminster ambitions by scaling the north face of the Eiger), but it's all there in the cached original. Enjoy.
The Weston & Somerset Mercury has just reported how Councillor Parry - a singer - has failed to be selected as Conservative candidate for no less than three parliamentary seats - one being St Ives for whose fortunate folk Councillor Parry threatened 'a new Dawn for St Ives'. And now there are no more vacant seats in the South West. As another Weston councillor put it: "It sounds like she cannot wait to get out of Weston."
Councillor Parry has trashed her 'a new Dawn for St Ives' promise from her website (there's a picture, though, of the Councillor training for her Westminster ambitions by scaling the north face of the Eiger), but it's all there in the cached original. Enjoy.
Sunday, 13 April 2008
Diary of a St Ivean
Yesterday, the man of the overpowering bathing product boarded the bus en route from Penzance to St Ives. He was wearing flapping khaki shorts, a khaki shirt and a large bush hat of the same colour, with sandals and white ankle socks - the sort of outfit redolent of Australian outbackers or the dress requirement for an African safari rather than a shopping trip to Morrisons. Once seated and having removed his hat, he immediately pulled from his shopping bag his Rubrik Cube which occupied him for about two minutes when he returned it to his bag, the puzzle satisfactorily completed. He then produced a pack of playing cards, the shuffling of which occupied him all the way to Lelant when the Rubrik Cube reappeared.
The death of 'Nokka'
A letter in the correspondence columns of the St Ives Times & Echo records the death of 'Nokka', a man who lived in Steeple Woods and who was found dead inside his bender shelter. The letter writer says that he was in a 'poor state' and that he was well known to many people in the area.
An 'In Memoriam' entry in the paper 'from friends' calls him 'Keeper to the Woods'.
Many years ago when people first moved into Steeple Woods, there was the usual reaction from the authorities who claimed danger to heath as one reason to evict the bender dwellers.
I do not know who 'Nokka' was (if anyone would like to contact The St Ivean with more information, a fuller obituary may be posted), but it is encouraging to learn that his unusual lifestyle was tolerated and that he was well-regarded and liked. As the 'beatnik' years demonstrated, St Ives does not have a good record in accommodating unconventional lifestyles.
An 'In Memoriam' entry in the paper 'from friends' calls him 'Keeper to the Woods'.
Many years ago when people first moved into Steeple Woods, there was the usual reaction from the authorities who claimed danger to heath as one reason to evict the bender dwellers.
I do not know who 'Nokka' was (if anyone would like to contact The St Ivean with more information, a fuller obituary may be posted), but it is encouraging to learn that his unusual lifestyle was tolerated and that he was well-regarded and liked. As the 'beatnik' years demonstrated, St Ives does not have a good record in accommodating unconventional lifestyles.
Saturday, 12 April 2008
Migrant workers and official secrecy
I have now responded to Penwith's late reply to my FoIA request for information about the eviction of Polish migrant workers from premises in Penzance, in a letter to Mr B Turnbull, the Council's Environmental Health Co-ordinator (Housing). I shall shortly post that letter on the blog and the details of two further FoIA requests I am placing on a public site.
A new issue is emerging from this matter - that of the secrecy and obfuscation which is the instinctive response of public servants and politicians to requests for information from members of the public. It's an issue The St Ivean will be exploring and campaigning on over the coming months - and this blog's raison d'etre.
A new issue is emerging from this matter - that of the secrecy and obfuscation which is the instinctive response of public servants and politicians to requests for information from members of the public. It's an issue The St Ivean will be exploring and campaigning on over the coming months - and this blog's raison d'etre.
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Migrant workers: The FoIA request and reply
I have now received Penwith's response, which I now post here, to my FoIA request for information about the eviction of Polish migrant workers from premises in Penzance earlier this year. Comment will follow.
The Freedom of Information Request
The Chief Executive
Penzance District Council
St Clare
Penzance
Cornwall
TR18 3QW
1 March 2008
Dear Mr McKenna
I write with a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act regarding the eviction in February this year of migrant workers from premises in Penzance by Council officers and others.
(1) Please tell me under what legislation (Sections, etc) the Council acted.
(2) Please tell me the precise circumstances (i.e. the nature of the overcrowding and risks to life or injury) at the raided premises; and why those circumstances required the immediate ejection of the tenants into the street.
(3) Please tell me what enquiries the Council made prior to the raid to contact the landlord and/or tenants to establish the facts; and what notices were given.
(4) Please tell me the precise nature of the advice given by the eviction team to the evicted tenants, how many were subsequently accommodated by the Council, and for how long.
(5) Please tell me the addresses raided.
I very much welcome public statements by Council officers that they are concerned with others in the county for the welfare of migrants.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
The Reply:
Your Ref :
My Ref: btu
Ask For: Mr B Turnbull
Direct Dial: 01736 336634
Email: barry.turnbull@penwith.gov.uk
Date: 07 March 2008
Dear Mr Bland
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I write in response to your letter received 03 March 2008.
1. Council officers acted under sections 4 and 239 of the Housing Act 2004
2. Two properties were visited and inspected under warrant. Conditions of risk to life or injury relating to fire safety were enforced by the Fire Safety Authority, so therefore I cannot comment on this under this request. Conditions of overcrowding were found at both premises inspected, however as Fire Safety Officers were serving formal notice to prohibit the use of the premises for occupation, no action under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System was deemed necessary.
3. Council were made aware of the possibility of overcrowding and unsafe conditions within the properties through information gathered from Environmental Protection (from complaints from members of the public in respect of noise nuisance and refuse accumulations), Devon and Cornwall Police and support organisations who were approached by the occupants of the houses directly.
4. All occupiers were interviewed by a Polish translator working for the support organisation mentions in 3. above, who then liaised with the Councils Housing Advice team; the advice given was under Outcome 2 of the Councils 2025 Vision, which is published on the Council website www.penwith.gov.uk., which applies to all residing in Penwith. The outcome of the interviews was that one person was placed into temporary accommodation by the Council for one night; all others were either
accommodated by the landlord or by the employment agency from whom the property was rented.
5. The addresses of the properties inspected under Operation Westport are and will remain confidential to Penwith District Council.
I trust that this answers your request.
Yours sincerely
B Turnbull
Environmental Health Co-ordinator (Housing)
The Freedom of Information Request
The Chief Executive
Penzance District Council
St Clare
Penzance
Cornwall
TR18 3QW
1 March 2008
Dear Mr McKenna
I write with a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act regarding the eviction in February this year of migrant workers from premises in Penzance by Council officers and others.
(1) Please tell me under what legislation (Sections, etc) the Council acted.
(2) Please tell me the precise circumstances (i.e. the nature of the overcrowding and risks to life or injury) at the raided premises; and why those circumstances required the immediate ejection of the tenants into the street.
(3) Please tell me what enquiries the Council made prior to the raid to contact the landlord and/or tenants to establish the facts; and what notices were given.
(4) Please tell me the precise nature of the advice given by the eviction team to the evicted tenants, how many were subsequently accommodated by the Council, and for how long.
(5) Please tell me the addresses raided.
I very much welcome public statements by Council officers that they are concerned with others in the county for the welfare of migrants.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
The Reply:
Your Ref :
My Ref: btu
Ask For: Mr B Turnbull
Direct Dial: 01736 336634
Email: barry.turnbull@penwith.gov.uk
Date: 07 March 2008
Dear Mr Bland
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I write in response to your letter received 03 March 2008.
1. Council officers acted under sections 4 and 239 of the Housing Act 2004
2. Two properties were visited and inspected under warrant. Conditions of risk to life or injury relating to fire safety were enforced by the Fire Safety Authority, so therefore I cannot comment on this under this request. Conditions of overcrowding were found at both premises inspected, however as Fire Safety Officers were serving formal notice to prohibit the use of the premises for occupation, no action under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System was deemed necessary.
3. Council were made aware of the possibility of overcrowding and unsafe conditions within the properties through information gathered from Environmental Protection (from complaints from members of the public in respect of noise nuisance and refuse accumulations), Devon and Cornwall Police and support organisations who were approached by the occupants of the houses directly.
4. All occupiers were interviewed by a Polish translator working for the support organisation mentions in 3. above, who then liaised with the Councils Housing Advice team; the advice given was under Outcome 2 of the Councils 2025 Vision, which is published on the Council website www.penwith.gov.uk., which applies to all residing in Penwith. The outcome of the interviews was that one person was placed into temporary accommodation by the Council for one night; all others were either
accommodated by the landlord or by the employment agency from whom the property was rented.
5. The addresses of the properties inspected under Operation Westport are and will remain confidential to Penwith District Council.
I trust that this answers your request.
Yours sincerely
B Turnbull
Environmental Health Co-ordinator (Housing)
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