MR T wrote:
One of the most memorable was the time when an entire thread had to be removed .
JD decided to investigate myself, by contacting my local licensing department and making inquiries,
I assume you are talking about the time you were given information protected by the 1998 data protection act?
Sefton council were asked for a copy of a public document and there was no mention of a Mr Trevor Jones, was there? The request sent to Sefton Council somehow found its way into your inbox, is that not correct? I have a copy of one of the letters of complaint to which you refer, I have removed the senders name. I think we should let people make their own minds up whether or not the original request concerned you.
____________________
Graham Haywood, Chief Executive.
Dave Mackey
Mr Richard Roscoe
Councillor Tony Robertson.
Councillor Mrs Paula Margaret Parry
Councillor David Martin
Date: 17/5/06
Re: Breach of 1998 Data protection act, breach of Sefton Council constitution, divulging personal information to a member of the public.
Dear Sirs,
I am writing to voice my disquiet over what seems to be a conspiracy between an officer or employee of Sefton council and a Mr Trevor Jones a Sefton Taxi proprietor. Mr. Jones recently informed me through a communication in an online Taxi forum, that I made a freedom of information request about him. I have made no such request of Mr Jones but his further comments on the matter suggest he obtained his information from Sefton council. I am aware of a standard request for information about a public register of hackney carriage proprietors made by a colleague of mine but I personally have never made any request or representation to Sefton council on any matter and in particular Mr Jones.
It appears obvious to me that someone has informed Mr Jones that a request of some sort has been made for certain information and the council official dealing with the matter has confided the details of that request to Mr Jones.
Mr Jones has subsequently used that information to accuse me of being the person making the request.
I do not know who informed Mr Jones of the personal details of the person making the request but I have no doubt that someone at Sefton council does know.
I would therefore like the freedom of information officer to write to me personally by email informing me of any request made by me for information on Mr Trevor Jones or any other person for that matter? I would also like confirmation from licensing officer, Mr John Thompson that he did or did not supply Mr Jones with information regarding myself? Furthermore I would like confirmation that Mr Thompson did not furnish Mr Jones with information relating to Mr ? ? a colleague of mine in respect of any request he might have made under the FOI act relating to a public register of hackney carriage proprietors.
I await your response.
Yours.
________________________
And here is the other letter.
________________________
Graham Haywood, Chief Executive.
Mr Richard Roscoe
Dave Mackey
Councillor Tony Robertson.
Councillor David Martin
Councillor Mrs Paula Margaret Parry
Re: Breach of 1998 Data protection act, breach of Sefton Council constitution, divulging personal information to a member of the public.
Date: 12/5/06
Dear Sirs,
On 6th February 2006 I sent a routine request to Mr. Richard Roscoe Freedom of Information officer in respect of a public register of Hackney carriage owner's, by law this register has to be made available for public inspection
Mr Roscoe subsequently passed my request to Mr. John Thompson, Sefton Taxi licensing officer for processing.
On 2nd March 2006 I had cause to contact Mr Roscoe again to remind him that I had not received the requested information. On the 3rd March 2006 I received an email from Mr John Thompson explaining that the delay was due to high workload and shortage of staff. I wrote back informing Mr Thompson that I fully understood his dilemma and in return he replied stating the requested information would be posted that evening.
I received the information within days of it being posted, however subsequent events have cast a grave shadow on the integrity of at least one of the officers involved in supplying this information.
The information in question that of a register of Sefton hackney carriage proprietors has never been openly discussed or exposed publicly by myself or anyone else for that matter? That being the case you will no doubt understand how shocked I was to find out that a Mr Trevor Jones had accused a colleague of mine of making a freedom of information request against him?
This accusation came out of the blue and considering no such request has ever been made by My colleague in respect of Mr Jones then the accusation could have only referred to the fact Mr Jones name is on the list of Hackney carriage proprietors, which I requested.
Mr Jones reiterated the allegation that my colleague had made a FOI request about him which my colleague strenuously denied.
I am quite sure your records will show that no such FOI request has ever been made in respect of a Mr Trevor Jones either by my colleague or myself. It therefore begs the question "who supplied Mr Trevor Jones with the details that a request for information had been made in the first place" and why did he reach a conclusion that such a request was specifically made about him?
I suggest the contents of the first email I sent to Mr Roscoe were shown to Mr Jones after the email had been forwarded to Mr Thompson. Mr Jones also knew the name and address of the person who sent the email, which proves he was shown the second email, which I sent only to Mr Thompson.
Mr Thompson would be the most likely candidate to furnish Mr Jones with all the relevant information contained in the emails because they are known to be friends. Mr Jones accused my colleague of making a specific FOI request about him, which we know to be false. Mr Jones could only have reached such a conclusion by associating my forwarding address with my colleague. Mr Jones could only have known that address if Mr Roscoe or Mr Thompson gave it to him? There is no doubt in my mind that Mr Roscoe is an innocent party in all this and it was Mr Thompson who supplied Mr Jones with the personal details contained in my emails.
The problem that arises for Sefton Council is that an officer of theirs gave personal information about one member of the public to another, voluntarily and without that personal information being solicited or requested? A further problem arises in respect of the 1998 Data protection act and the Councils own constitution in respect of officers and staff divulging personal information.
Another problem for the Council is that it would appear Mr Thompson does not understand the data protection act or the councils constitution and that he systematically provides Mr Jones with any item of information that comes through his office, regardless of his duty of confidentiality. Perhaps an audit of Mr Thompson's email correspondence may unveil further irregularities?
I know some will say it is premature to cast the finger of blame in the direction of one person without a proper investigation but all the evidence points to Mr Thompson as the person who supplied Mr Jones with the personal information contained in my request. Mr Roscoe has probably never heard of Mr Trevor Jones therefore I wish to know who supplied Mr Jones with details of my personal request and why? I also wish to know on whose authority the personal information was exposed and if this practice of exposing personal information to members of the public is common policy within Sefton Council? I also require confirmation from you that my colleague has at no time made a FOI request in respect of Mr. Trevor Jones?
Yours truly,
_______________________________
That letter was supported by the facts relating to the initial accusation By Mr Trevor Jones. They are as follows.
____________________________
The evidence that Mr Trevor Jones had been supplied details of my request for information and the wrongful accusation that my Colleague had made a request for information regarding Mr Jones is highlighted below. The accusation was posted in an online Taxi forum on 17th April 2006 and repeated on numerous occasions.
Mr Trevor Jones uses the handle mr T and My colleague uses the handle Ali T.
The accusation first surfaced when Mr Jones published the following message.
mr T
Lord of Sefton
Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 834
Location: SEFTON
Post Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:28 pm
Ali T I was surprised at how polite you can be when you're requesting information ( Freedom of Information Act) I am sure you understand me, the same act also provides right's for the person who inquiries are being made of, so when someone makes inquiries of me I will know. That is of course as long as it was you and not someone using your name. Mr T.
Mr ALI T responded by stating the following.
ALI T
Post Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:56 pm
What? Trevor old boy, what do you mean? As for me you only have to ask?
Mr Jones replied,
mr T
Post Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:04 pm
Ali T... I already know what I need to know.... mate
Mr ALI T replied.
ALI T
Post Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:11 pm Post subject:
Another one that knows my neighbours, perhaps?
Mr Jones replied.
mr T
PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:19 pm
You seem to have a persecution complex, from your reply I take this that you think I am threatening you in some way, I am not, for that would be childish, mrT.
Mr ALI T responded by stating,
ALI T
Post Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:46 am
Do you have a caveat in place Trevor, or is your pal at the LA being a tad naughty?
Mr Jones response was as follows,
mr T
Post Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:14 pm
A number of years ago, Sefton had a problem with insurance claims. Drivers who had not been in any sort of accident where receiving letters from solicitors acting on behalf of alleged victims, they were armed with details which one would presume they had acquired at the time of the accident, only no accident had taken place. The information was being requested at council level, at a meeting of the council members it was agreed that any requests for information would be passed on to the appropriate driver or owner, it seems a fair and logical way to work, mrT.
Mr ALI T responded,
ALI T
Post Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:29 pm
Let me guess what you are on about, someone made a FOI request about you and the FOI officer informed you that it was me? I don't think so Trevor old boy.
Are you suggesting someone used my name to make enquiries about you? Why would anyone wish to make enquiries about you, you're an open book.
And no I don't understand you.... Please explain.
Mr Jones replied.
mr T
Post Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:16 pm
Ali T - No need for explanations, if you say it was not you, that's good enough for me.
Mr T "Wink"
Mr ALI T responded.
ALI T
Post Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:12 am
Trevor, it is not alright, you cannot go around accusing someone of making enquiries about you and then say its alright when you're backed into a corner.
You are forgetting you said this…….
"Ali T I was surprised at how polite you can be when you're requesting information ( Freedom of Information Act) I am sure you understand me, the same act also provides right's for the person who inquiries are being made of, so when someone makes inquiries of me I will know. that it's of course as long as it was you and not someone using your name.....mrT"
Maybe you can tell me what enquiries I made about you? Seeing as how I stand accused by your hand? Or do you think it is ok?
You made a statement Trevor in which you accused me of requesting information about you. Either you believe that statement to be true and can prove it or it is an intentional lie. Which one is it?
Mr Jones replied.
mr T
Post Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:16 pm
Dear Ali T
Just to make you happy, I can confirm that I have made the whole thing up. Nobody e-mailed Sefton hackney office asking for a list of all licensed operators stating that it was their right under the FOI Act.
Nobody e-mailed Sefton hackney office stating that they had spoken to Trevor enquiring as to whether or not I had been issued a free plate and how many plates I owned, stating I had given them permission to enquire after this information.
Nobody has made numerous other e-mails enquiring into this and that. It is simply a figment of my imagination, and I have no intention of giving any information as to their e-mail addresses as I do not have them and am not particularly interested in them.
Now feel free to continue making a mountain out of a mole hill, and when somebody puts at the end of their post "or somebody using your name" just assume it has no relevance and is purely and simply directed at you.
Have a nice day.
Mr T
P.S. Unfortunately, as you are well aware, people take exception to the mountains of junk mail that pour through their letterbox every day. They also take exception to their name and address being sold on to various computer-generated lists. Now I fully understand that as you have stated, you are only a driver and can simply walk away from any cab you may rent. But as owners we cannot, and when unusual enquiries present themselves with simply e-mail return address, a responsible person would want to know, don't you think?
Mr ALI T responded.
ALI T
Post Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 8:25 am
Really what has this been about then?
So now you are saying it wasn't me after all? Well thanks Trevor. It is the strangest apology I have ever had, and the longest. Why not just say it was your mistake and your source at the L.A did not leak you the right information?
It is now a case of your council making sure you don't get junk mail. That is good of them, they (allegedly) break the law to protect you from junk mail, you, must be a baron after all?
___________________________________
The above statements of Mr Jones shows quite clearly he was in possession of information regarding a freedom of information request for a list of hackney carriage owners. Unless you had other similar requests for this list it would be right to assume that Mr Jones was referring to my request. What needs to be clarified is how Mr Jones came upon this request and who facilitated it? I have no doubt in my mind that Mr John Thompson was that person.
Regards
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