Dear Local Government Ombudsmen,

I would like to know what databases and what fields are in the
databases used for storing information and what format you store
the information in.

I would like to know what keys or index you use to link data stored
in different formats per complainant or per complaint. ( complaint
number am guessing )

THE REASON FOR THIS REQUEST.

1.By understanding the above, anyone seeking specific al
statistical information would be able to just ask you to run a
query against your database records or a search against your files.
2.It would save a considerable amount of time in searching data and
may stop all uses of refusals due to costing
3.It would help increase the accuracy in implementing answering FOI
requests
4.It would be very easy to exclude data protection issues

I give you full permission to look through all the records what you
hold on my complaint to see if the above request is implementable
under the FOI act, but by allowing you to review my data that you
hold, it may allow me to get around any initial data protection
issues and allow us to negotiate if this can be answered under the
FOI act

Yours faithfully,

George Cant

Dear Mr Cant

Our ref: CS/09/136

This is to acknowledge receipt of your request below. We will respond within the 20 working day target (which would be by 7 January 2010) or, if unable to do so, we will write to you again explaining why.

Yours sincerely

Hilary Pook
Communications & Records Manager | DL: 020 7217 4734 |
Local Government Ombudsman's offfice | 10th Floor |
Millbank Tower | Millbank | London | SW1P 4QP |
www.lgo.org.uk |

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Cant

Our ref: CS/09/136

I attach a letter in response to the request below.

Yours sincerely

Hilary Pook
Communications & Records Manager | DL: 020 7217 4734 |
Local Government Ombudsman's offfice | 10th Floor |
Millbank Tower | Millbank | London | SW1P 4QP |
www.lgo.org.uk |

show quoted sections

Dear Local Government Ombudsmen,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Local Government
Ombudsmen's handling of my FOI request 'What formats to you store
what data in,'.

My Reply

You Say ------------------

In your email of 6 December you asked a number of detailed
questions about our databases, and gave some reasons for wanting
the information.

You appear to be asking for the entire schema for our computerised
complaint tracking system, and it is not practical to supply you
with this.

I Ask ----------------------

Why is it not practicable to sort you this out, its easily
available. Please explain erectly what you mean by not practical

You State ____________________

You say that providing this information would make it easier for
people to request statistical information - but this is not the
case.

I request you explain _)__________+____

Please explain why YOU THINK IT WOULD NOT BE THE CASE, its a very
of the hand remark without any substance to the claim.

You State ----------------------------------------

You say it would save considerable amount of time in searching data
and may stop all refusals due to costing - but, as we know how our
database works, I fail to see how explaining this to a requester is
going to save time.

So I explain -------------

Ahh, well, just a quik study of the whatdotheyknow site, shows that
you quite often get challenged on your responses and mostly them
challenges are reasonable, and, sometimes the reason given for not
producing the information on the first time, is not justifiable.
Sometimes, the information that YOU refuse are quite important
facts about the operation of your organisation, and the FOI act was
never ment to difficult to obtain info from.

Maybe, at the sams time am looking at why your organisation feels
that it can just initial refuse informatuion underthe FOI act, We
should look at the individual refusals that you have done, there is
enough data on the What dio they know site to do a statistical
analysis.

You Say -------------------------------------

I fail to see how explaining this to a requester is going to save
time. Similarly, your other reasons for wanting the information do
not make any sense to me.

I replied ----------------------------------

It does not have to make sence you ( although the term to blind to
see it comes to mind )

You state ____---------

However, you really seem to be asking this in order to obtain
information we hold about you, judging by your final paragraph. You
have also told me on the telephone that you believe our York office
has not dealt with your subject access request under the Data
Protection Act properly, because you have not received any computer
records on your case.

I said ____--------------------------------------

Please do not answer DPA SAR requests on this site, its not
reasonable, please emaiil me them

You state ____---------

I have spoken to staff in our York office about this, and all
computer records relating to your complaint have now been sent to
you by post.

I said ____--------------------------------------

Please do not answer DPA SAR requests on this site, its not
reasonable, please emaiil me them ( although a cursary look at
there response would show this to be a false statement )

False statement but Please do not answer DPA SAR requests on this
site, its not reasonable, please emaiil me them

You state ____---------

In response to your telephone messages, I can confirm that your
letter sent by recorded delivery has been received at the York
office.

Please do not answer DPA SAR requests on this site, its not
reasonable, please emaiil me them

Can I also point out that I do not deal with complaints directly.
The fact that my job title includes the word `Communications' does
not mean that I am responsible for all communications that happen
within the organisation.

There's a collective responsibility by all LGO employees. That's
why your a quango of sorts and your paid so much

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/wh...

Yours faithfully,

George Cant

Dear Local Government Ombudsmen,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Local Government
Ombudsmen's handling of my FOI request 'What formats to you store
what data in,'.

I dont think that yuor responces are valid

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/wh...

Yours faithfully,

George Cant

Dear Mr Cant

You telephoned last week asking what was happening about this request for a review. We are currently checking some aspects of the schema for our computer complaint tracking system. This will take a little longer to deal with so I am afraid I cannot tell you exactly when we will be able to respond to request for a review, but rest assured it is in hand.

Yours sincerely

Hilary Pook
Communications & Records Manager | DL: 020 7217 4734 |
Local Government Ombudsman's offfice | 10th Floor |
Millbank Tower | Millbank | London | SW1P 4QP |
www.lgo.org.uk |
|

show quoted sections

Dear Foi Officer,

Can i ask what your checking ? When you say your
"We are currently checking some aspects of the schema for our
computer complaint tracking system"

Please rememebr what i asked for
"
I would like to know what databases and what fields are in the
databases used for storing information and what format you store
the information in. I would like to know what keys or index you use
to link data stored in different formats per complainant or per
complaint. "

i am explaining this so you dont limit your search or answer me
with a partial responce only showing some sides of the data tables
that your DB holds.

Please also remember that i asked to negotiate so we can get this
responce correct first time. IE please tell me what you intend
providing me before you send it
Yours sincerely,

George Cant

Dear Foi Officer,

Please also remember that i asked to negotiate so we can get this
response correct first time. IE please tell me what you intend
providing me before you send it

Just incase you missed me asking this the first time

Yours sincerely,

Yours sincerely,

George Cant