Transparency

As someone once said, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you!" You might transpose this into a statement about conspiracy theories. You might scoff, as I do, about some of these, but who would swear that nobody schemes or plots? Only someone who never observes our political parties and what they get up to. In fact intrigue and cover-up are the lifeblood of many organisations. You get a whiff of this if you try to get information from our rulers in government and locally in the council.

When I heard that Sheffield's Council was considering leasing Burbage and the other Sheffield moors to the RSPB/NT partnership I tried to find out all I could about it. It has not been easy. I discovered that a presentation was going to be made to the local Community Assembly by the partnership. But at some time before that a similar presentation was planned in a private "Briefing Meeting" to councillors only.

Not knowing just when this would be, I asked under the Freedom of Information rules for agendas, reports and minutes of all these private meetings over several months. Was any covert decision being taken, my suspicious mind wondered. Information came in several instalments. I had to report that I was not getting all the information. More then came. Still not the information I was looking for. Eventually I received what appeared to be everything - except, guess what? The one meeting which they did not send minutes for was the very one, the only one that I was interested in! So I asked again and was told that no minutes were taken of that meeting!! This despite the fact that the agenda suggested that it was very much of the same pattern as other meetings for which minutes had been taken. After persistence I reached the point two weeks ago where the assembly officer was going to retrospectively put together some notes about the meeting for me. They've not arrived yet. Ye Gods!

The story can be followed here.