Uncle Joe Stalin Award for Open and Democratic Government
Goes to...
Salford City Council
Ladies and gentlemen, last year Salford City Council stormed this Award for its new 'communications strategy' which involved it becoming its own 'content publishers', with "Digital News Instead of Media Relations"...In other words, 'Sod the press we'll publish our own propaganda' (see previous Award click here).
That certainly hasn't happened so far in the land of local authority media incompetence but this year the judges have bestowed the Stalin Award for hiding almost everything that's of proper interest to anyone.
As well as the usual lack of information in Council reports and Part 2 'confidentiality' for anything juicy in its committees, this year the secrecy has been centred around the COVID-19 response, beginning in April with a decision by Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, taken outside any committee of councillors and 'exempt from call-in' to support a "key asset in Greater Manchester".
The decision notice didn't state what the 'key asset' was, nor how much public money from Salford Council Tax payers was being chucked its way. It turned out that the key asset was Manchester Airport, and the amount was a reported £13million with absolutely no transparency whatsoever around the bailout, whether it was a good or bad thing to do.
Meanwhile, a Council report in June on the Council's response to the pandemic claimed "The council's communications team have used all available media channels to communicate rapidly changing, and often complex, information and guidance quickly and clearly"...which was obviously total garbage as the Salford Star hasn't been contacted once during the pandemic with any information whatsoever on the biggest health emergency in anyone's lifetime.
Even acknowledging that Salford Council doesn't speak to the Salford Star and doesn't want to communicate its 'rapidly changing, and often complex, information and guidance quickly and clearly' to the Star's 40,000 monthly readers journalists from other publications tried in vain for months to find out about the hopelessly failed Operation Moonshot and information on local virus cases, testing and the affected areas, which the Council had at its fingertips later in the summer.
Similarly with school virus outbreaks, closures and year bubbles being sent home, no information was forthcoming. The media, including the Salford Star, was relying on parents relaying information.
At a Council meeting in November, Deputy Mayor and Children's Lead, John Merry, was asked about the school stats and responded that "Ward councillors will be aware that we deliver on a confidential basis the latest update in terms of schools in their particular area and the issues they are facing" (see here)
In other words, 'the councillors can know in secret but our own residents are not to be trusted'. More total bollocks as the Government now releases this information and it's available to anyone without compromising national security (see here). It's been the same right the way through the pandemic, as future Salford Star Awards will show.
Residents should really ask themselves what Salford Council has to hide, not just about the virus but seemingly every bloody thing...court cases, finance info and, like, did you know that Salford City Council has paid out £665,000 over the last five years to victims of alleged sexual abuse? That's an average of over £100,000 per year! What were the details? They ain't going to tell you that - but do ask your local councillors about it...
....So ladies and gentlemen, restrict, classify and conceal yourselves but whatever you do, don't communicate the winner of this year's Uncle Joe Stalin Award for Open and Democratic Government...
Salford City Council!!!
If someone from Salford Council would like to make an acceptance speech please use the comments box below...
See also this year's other winners of the Salford Star Mary Burns Awards...
The Deer, Deer...Shot Ourselves in the Foot Award - RHS Bridgewater - click here
Feed The Rich Award English Cities Fund click here
The LS Lowry Award for Grotty Terraced Housing Salford City Council click here
The George Bush Read My Lips Award - Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett - click here
Knowing Your Community Award - Salford City Council - click here
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