Author: Sal and Simon
Claire Robertson Bashful Of Recording
Thursday, 10th July, 2008 at 3:31 pm, Isle of Wight
For those following the saga of Claire Robertson of the IW council’s communications department removing VentnorBlog’s access to the Council, you’ll be pleased to hear that we’ve received an email inviting us to a meeting with herself and the interim Chief Executive, David Burbage (will he be starting ‘Burb’s Blog,’ in the vain of Joe Blogs, we wonder?).
BTW - Since being cut off, we’ve been heartily encouraged by the messages of support from a wide range of people, including IW councillors, many of whom questioned if it was even legal for a council to refuse to deal with a publication.
You might remember when we wrote about being cut off, we said that we’d be happy to meet with the Press Office, on the condition that the meeting was recorded.
Sadly, Ms Robertson has informed us that she feels it is inappropriate for the meeting to be recorded.
Staying true to our word, we wrote back to Claire last Friday, informing her that we couldn’t meet unless we can record the meeting - we’d given our word to our readers and we weren’t going to break that.
We’re not sure why she is so reluctant. The Council have said that they’d like to be more transparent and what better way to illustrate this than recording this meeting?
Oh … and there’s the small issue that they’re called the communications department. Quite why a communications department wouldn’t want to communicate has us scratching our heads.
We hope they have a change of heart and we’ll let you know once we hear back.
Image: M. Keefe
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July 31st, 2008 at 10:27 am
this council is out of control!!!!!! Councillors are suppose to be in charge of the council, but apparently it’s seems to be the other way round.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Recorded? without looking up the dictionary, in my view it means making a record of the meeting, ah yes - minutes, which everyone approves then publishes.
It does concern me at the ever more obvious control that is being exerted over us mere residents. The Council cannot refuse to selectively refuse to speak to its residents.
I am sure the Local Government ombudsman would put them right.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I don’t see why you are needing to record a meeting? What is there to gain? To get the council to talk to you again then surely you need to regain their trust - recording an officer will go no where near doing that. I am sorry - I love the VB but this is the wrong way of showin gthat you are acting on behalf of me as a Ventnor boy.
November 11th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I would have just recorded them…Not like they tell us everything. lol
Plus you get to put an even stronger argument together next time from the stock answer patterings.
November 11th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Roger, why do Sal & Simon need to regain IWC trust? They have only ever acted in a truthful and professional manner.
Why should recording the meeting be an issue-surely the council doesn’t have anything to hide!