Lambeth Council Watch - news and updates about the 'co-operative' council
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Rushy
basically a scrotum
Well quite - they have said that open parks will have night wardens which strikes me as significantly more expensive than having someone lock the gates.
I suspect the new Brockwell Hall conference centre is actually the main reason behind keeping it open as they will be operating until late anyway.
BusLanes
Pedestrian
Saves £120k per year across the borough
BusLanes
Pedestrian
I agree that it just doesn't make sense to me that this saves Lambeth any money for Brockwell alone but if we also consider policing costs as well.
The park sits within Herne Hill Ward for some reason so this may mean their local policing team needs to take responsibility as well.
I was at a SNT/ward police community meeting when we all were told by a resident and the police didn't look happy at all.
The park sits within Herne Hill Ward for some reason so this may mean their local policing team needs to take responsibility as well.
I was at a SNT/ward police community meeting when we all were told by a resident and the police didn't look happy at all.
friendofdorothy
Solidarity against neoliberalism!
They already do this in borough of Croydon
GarveyLives
Well-Known Member
Yet again:
A single mother fleeing domestic violence says she has been left in danger by a Southern Housing and Lambeth Council, which have both failed to permanently rehouse her ...
Domestic violence survivor ‘at risk’ from housing association and council’s failure to rehouse her
Eric Jarvis
Well-Known Member
Sadly this is typical. Not just with Lambeth, many local authorities refuse to take their legal safeguarding obligations around domestic and familial abuse seriously. It's disgusting. However Lambeth currently seem to be particularly bad.
Tulster218
Well-Known Member
Our dear Council is yet again in trouble for failing to comply with the Freedom of Information Act after once again refusing to answer a request for information properly.
The Information Commissioner made the ruling over a request for "usage and revenue figures" comparing the performance of Lambeth leisure centres under their former management, (Better), and their current in-house operator, (Active Lambeth). The Council claimed that it didn't hold some of the information and refused to release revenue figures, claiming "commercial confidentiality".
The Commissioner found the Council failed to comply with Sections 1 and 10(1) of FOIA, which require timely and adequate responses to requests. The Council didn't provide any detailed usage data as requested and it failed to justify its refusal to disclose revenue figures. It just gave generic reasons.
The Commissioner's ordered the Council to give the requested usage and revenue data within 30 calendar days. Failure to comply could result in contempt proceedings in the High Court.
The Council’s "internal review" process took nearly six months to complete and the Comissioner thought this was excessive and has told them to improve compliance with their FOI obligations.
Link here: https://ico.org.uk/media/action-weve-taken/decision-notices/2024/4031933/ic-295253-j9y9.pdf
The Information Commissioner made the ruling over a request for "usage and revenue figures" comparing the performance of Lambeth leisure centres under their former management, (Better), and their current in-house operator, (Active Lambeth). The Council claimed that it didn't hold some of the information and refused to release revenue figures, claiming "commercial confidentiality".
The Commissioner found the Council failed to comply with Sections 1 and 10(1) of FOIA, which require timely and adequate responses to requests. The Council didn't provide any detailed usage data as requested and it failed to justify its refusal to disclose revenue figures. It just gave generic reasons.
The Commissioner's ordered the Council to give the requested usage and revenue data within 30 calendar days. Failure to comply could result in contempt proceedings in the High Court.
The Council’s "internal review" process took nearly six months to complete and the Comissioner thought this was excessive and has told them to improve compliance with their FOI obligations.
Link here: https://ico.org.uk/media/action-weve-taken/decision-notices/2024/4031933/ic-295253-j9y9.pdf
Rushy
basically a scrotum
Interesting. I'm just starting an ICO case. I asked for raw data used to produce graphs shown in a consultation document. After six months they sent me back the same graphs themselves. I escalated the query and they have not responded since August, and they've not even registered it as escalated.
Tulster218
Well-Known Member
To be fair, the CEO was probably high on crack for most of that time.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I have been asking since it was brought in-house whether income from the leisure centres is ring fenced for the Leisure centres.
Been unable to get a straight answer on this.
I'm wondering if Council is using Leisure centres to raise income to put into the general pot.
Been unable to get a straight answer on this.
I'm wondering if Council is using Leisure centres to raise income to put into the general pot.
Have you tried an FoI?
Appreciate that Jason has to be against anything the council does but struggling to work out what he's actually for here. People parking illegally not to be charged too much? The council to listen more to people that park illegally?
I saw this consultation but, despite being in favour of it, didn't respond as I know, unlike Jason it seems, that consultations are for people to raise genuine concerns rather than a referendum.
Also, it'd be great if someone could point me to the consultation where we all agreed to hand over our streets to parked cars.
www.brixtonbuzz.com
I saw this consultation but, despite being in favour of it, didn't respond as I know, unlike Jason it seems, that consultations are for people to raise genuine concerns rather than a referendum.
Also, it'd be great if someone could point me to the consultation where we all agreed to hand over our streets to parked cars.
Lambeth’s new parking fine plan: £30k boost for the Council, but southern drivers face steeper penalties
Lambeth Council is proposing to standardise the Penalty Charge Notices throughout the borough in a move that is forecast to raise an extra £30,000 for the Council.
www.brixtonbuzz.com
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Gramsci
Well-Known Member
FOI is more about factual info as the previous post where someone has put in FOI about how much income and how many are using the Leisure centres.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
On the Leisure services.
I attended recent Scrutiny Committee meeting on Lambeth Leisure.
Scrutiny are going to do one every year.
As Chair pointed out last year Lambeth Leisure did not reply to the recommendations the committee made.
Recommendations are not compulsory. But as part of the democratic process Lambeth Leisure should make a written response too the committee.
I contacted the Council officer from Democratic services who told me the recommendations get sent to the Cabinet member and senior officer responsible for Lambeth Leisure and they have six months to reply. Which will be in January.
I've been trying to find out when this reply will be done. As it was not done last year.
I'm finding dealing with Lambeth Council are issues like this painful. And its almost like one is regarded as a problem or being regarded as adversarial for insisting on answer to legitimate question.
I attended recent Scrutiny Committee meeting on Lambeth Leisure.
Scrutiny are going to do one every year.
As Chair pointed out last year Lambeth Leisure did not reply to the recommendations the committee made.
Recommendations are not compulsory. But as part of the democratic process Lambeth Leisure should make a written response too the committee.
I contacted the Council officer from Democratic services who told me the recommendations get sent to the Cabinet member and senior officer responsible for Lambeth Leisure and they have six months to reply. Which will be in January.
I've been trying to find out when this reply will be done. As it was not done last year.
I'm finding dealing with Lambeth Council are issues like this painful. And its almost like one is regarded as a problem or being regarded as adversarial for insisting on answer to legitimate question.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
The Chair of the Scrutiny committee is very good.
The rest. Its the opposition Cllrs who ask the pertinent questions. Not the Labour Cllrs.
Fortunately have a good LD Cllr on the scrutiny committee when I attended who asked some good questions.
I do feel with the Cabinet system that to much power is invested in the Cabinet. Its pretty obvious that backbench Labour Cllrs on Scrutiny committee aren't going to ask probing questions. Particularly when a Cabinet member is involved.
The Labour Chair of the committee did.
My experience of the Council is that the Cabinet system does not improve democracy. It might mean decisions get made quicker.
But oversight takes a back seat.
The rest. Its the opposition Cllrs who ask the pertinent questions. Not the Labour Cllrs.
Fortunately have a good LD Cllr on the scrutiny committee when I attended who asked some good questions.
I do feel with the Cabinet system that to much power is invested in the Cabinet. Its pretty obvious that backbench Labour Cllrs on Scrutiny committee aren't going to ask probing questions. Particularly when a Cabinet member is involved.
The Labour Chair of the committee did.
My experience of the Council is that the Cabinet system does not improve democracy. It might mean decisions get made quicker.
But oversight takes a back seat.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
The Chair of the Scrutiny committee did say that the report that Lambeth Leisure had put into the Scrutiny committee was not very detailed. Ie a polite way of saying it was poor.
The answer to that was a fuller one would be put to Cabinet / Full council at a later date.
Which imo shows Scrutiny is not taken seriously. Its just something Council services have to do to give veneer of accountability.
Scrutiny is one of the few routes for local residents to have input in oversight of Council services. As one has the right to speak.
The answer to that was a fuller one would be put to Cabinet / Full council at a later date.
Which imo shows Scrutiny is not taken seriously. Its just something Council services have to do to give veneer of accountability.
Scrutiny is one of the few routes for local residents to have input in oversight of Council services. As one has the right to speak.
Tulster218
Well-Known Member
Lambeth's new CEO has been named as, Ian Davis.
. . . so says their official Twitter account. They didn't mention whether or not he drink-drives or smokes crack.
. . . so says their official Twitter account. They didn't mention whether or not he drink-drives or smokes crack.
Eric Jarvis
Well-Known Member
From what I've heard from people in Enfield this is not good news for Lambeth.
