Tony Redmond - Not complying with the Code of Conduct
Dear Local Government Ombudsmen,
On 04 08 2010 you told Mr Ford "The reason he" (Tony Redmond and his wife) "flew to Montreal and got a train from there to Quebec was that the overall cost of doing this was cheaper than flying directly to Quebec."
In which case why did the Accounting Officer/Chief Executive/Chairman not comply with the Code of Conduct and safeguard public resources by returning to the UK by the cheapest route i.e. train from Quebec to Montreal and flight from Montreal to the UK?
Yours faithfully,
Mrs T Colvin

A Johnson left an annotation ()
It is certainly interesting that he didn't fly into or out of Quebec where the conference was being held but did he stay in Quebec? Or did he stop in Montreal with his wife and only use the train to visit the conference to sign in.
Dear Mrs Colvin
Our ref: CS/10/102
This is to acknowledge receipt of your I request below received on 11 August. I will respond within the 20 working day target (which would be by 9 September 2010) or, if unable to do so, I will write to you again explaining why.
Yours sincerely
Hilary Pook
Communications & Records Manager | DL: 020 7217 4734 |
Local Government Ombudsman's office | 10th Floor |
Millbank Tower | Millbank | London | SW1P 4QP |
www.lgo.org.uk |
Dear Mrs Colvin
I attach a letter in response to your request below.
Yours sincerely
Hilary Pook
Communications & Records Manager | DL: 020 7217 4734 |
Local Government Ombudsman's office | 10th Floor |
Millbank Tower | Millbank | London | SW1P 4QP |
www.lgo.org.uk |
mrs t colvin left an annotation ()
The answer given to my FOI request above was "Dear Mrs Colvin, In response to your email request of 11 August, the route Mr Redmond took was the cheapest route available."
Dear Ms Pook,
Your answer to my FOI request above was "Dear Mrs Colvin, In response to your email request of 11 August, the route Mr Redmond took was the cheapest route available." However that statement was completely unsubstantiated.
Please give any and all information,in any and all documentation held, upon which you relied to make such a bald statement as an answer under the FOI Act.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs T Colvin
Anne Hide left an annotation ()
If he flew to Montreal then caught a train to his destination (a very unusual thing to do unless he had business in Montreal, the Ballet?) why didn't he return the same way? If it was the cheapest way to do it one way it must have been the cheapest way to do the return journey. Return flights are normally cheaper than two singles. Why two singles, not the cheapest way and why a different return route?
Pauline Nunn left an annotation ()
There is very little difference in the cost of flights to Montreal and Quebec. Costs can't have been a seriou factor when deciding to fly to Montreal rather than directly to Quebec. By the time you add on the extra train time and costs it makes the decision irrational. Proven by the fact he didn't return the same way.

Trevor R Nunn left an annotation ()
I think you will find that they just took his word, that is was cheaper to fly they way he did. As they have about many other things including the unwritten policy for long haul flights that only he could remember. The Commission for Local Administration and it's members has always lacked any effective scrutiny. Hence the reason why members of the public are now using the FOI Act to do something the Government should have been doing since 1974.
mrs t colvin left an annotation ()
I think so too Trevor, which is why I have sent the followup. Looking back, there is a not insignificant amount of times that Ms Pook, once queried, has revealed that she has answered FOI requests on the basis of what Tony Redmond has told her, rather than on the basis of fact, evidence or recorded information. So even the CLAE's FOI answers are suspect.
As Mandy Rice-Davies famously said "Well, he would say that".

Trevor R Nunn left an annotation ()
Yes, Mrs Pook often supplies information based on what someone has stated or recently fabricated instead of just stating they don't hold the information requested.
That in itself is very suspicious especially since one of the obvious exemptions to the FOI Act is that they don't hold the information.
However, I have had experience of this tactic before. They use it when the damage done in admitting they don't have the information may be greater than the damage dome by fabricating an FOI response out of thin air.
http://lgowatcher.blogspot.com/2010/07/h...
Dear Mrs Colvin
Further to your comments below, I checked with Mr Redmond, and this is the information he gave me. I am afraid that, six years after the event, we do not hold any written records to confirm this.
Yours sincerely
Hilary Pook
Communications & Records Manager | DL: 020 7217 4734 |
Local Government Ombudsman's office | 10th Floor |
Millbank Tower | Millbank | London | SW1P 4QP |
www.lgo.org.uk |

Trevor R Nunn left an annotation ()
FOI Act shines a torch on public services, says Information Commissioner.
“Freedom of Information has a key role to play in helping to deliver greater transparency and accountability. These are key priorities in public policy”, says Information Commissioner Christopher Graham in a message to mark International Right to Know Day.
http://foia.blogspot.com/2010/09/foi-act...

A Johnson left an annotation ()
Mr Redmond has an abiding passion for Ballet and the 21st annual Gala des Étoiles in Montréal was in September 2004.
http://www.galadesetoiles.com/intro.html
Anne Hide left an annotation ()
I made a comment on another FOI request which also applies to this one.
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/to...
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Anne Hide left an annotation ()
Especially since he ended up flying back from Toronto because the Quebec flight was full. Why not from Montreal????