Hi VictoriaMeldrew, Thank you for your interest and support. I haven't pursued it as yet but the time is coming and I'm getting geared up for an MP approach. I just hope I am not waiting months as you have done. That is disgraceful. Have you given a recent nudge? I would. The elderly gentleman in question Thank fullly is all settled and I am reticent in raising this issue in case some numb head no good jobsworth decides they need to bang on his door to get his account of events again. He'll freak and likely won't remember either. We'll see anyway.Will post as and when according to what happens but it too will be a slow business.

Hi Gladys, Wish I could suggest a way forward for you with your very valid concerns and the lack of accountability of Council employees.
An MP ought to take up this case but I'm still awaiting a response from the Leamington MP I wrote to months ago on various issues. Still awaiting a response to an illegal building I reported too.
Please post a follow up if you make any progress with this case.

Yes, That too. It makes me mad to even think about it.

Try all of them, maybe one will have the the decency to respond in the proper manner. If not, you know who you won't be voting for next time round.

Thanks Cathidaw, Yes I tend to agree that either as Shizara suggested the MP or Ombudsmen or as you say the press. I don't quite know what or which to do though at this stage. As I too am on holiday I am going to ' sit ' on it for a while because it is often the way that something will occur and this will tie into it.

Hallo Gladys,
I think you are banging your head agaist the wall and they are hoping you will give up and go away. I have heard of and come up against this sort of thing a few times in my life.
Oftenthe most successful thing is to write to your local newspaper who will quite likely take it up--if not then use the national press. They all need shaming.
What aggravates me is when an ' official spokesmen' come up with lame excuses Who are these 'spokesmen' who are so stupid they can't see that it is only important sounding blarny which we can all see through.

Another thing.........
It always amazes me that when someon is on ho;iday from these jobs, be it Job centres--don't start me on that one---social services--ditto--council workers and other similar important occupations which we rely on , have only one person in the job to deal with it . What then would happen if that person on 'holiday' died or got killed, what would happen then if no one else knew how to do the job.
I once was owed some money by a company- I returned some faulty goods-- and was told that the person dealing with it was on a six week cruise and I'd have to wait six weeks to discuss the problem as she was the only one dealing with it.
A big company too. They thought I was pea coloured.
fortunately trading standards sorted out --but it took 4 weeks of wrangling.

Hi just letting you know that as it was on 2nd July I first ranted about this matter and got one pathetic response from the Council people a week later.In my reply to that it has taken them from then until yesterday to respond again. They say the delay in 'addressing' my concern is due to staff holidays! The response suggests they seem to be 'on holiday' at work too at our expense !!! It is full of bureaucratic gobbldygook which accepts no responsibility other than they are doing their jobs as they are empowered to do. Who 'empowers' them- us, we pay their wages so they work for us. How dare they sit in the proverbial ivory tower that is 'our' civic offices and use personal information openly to all and sundry. This is playing with a vulnerable elderly man's decency. He paid his taxes too and he thus paid for their comfortable little jobs.Sack the lot of them I would. Useless bunch of toads. Gun powder plot comes to mind. I can't think why? .....

Well, it is significant that when I replied to their reply with a directive to send it to higher beings, it is now 7 working days since and I have heard zilch! You may have a point in the MP being told but quite frankly, I don't see he will do much either other than placate me. The fact is a breach of confidence has happened not once but now twice in the content of the reply they sent back first time. If they have done this in this case how many other vulnerable people are they abusing with their so called 'necessary' enquiries? The perpetrator in this case at the outset was rude to me and to the Social Worker who decided he would avoid dealing with her at all costs. Consequently, this delayed the process of care for the man we were concerned in helping. Do these people not have to be brought to account? They are being paid with yours and my money. It is time they realised it. Jobs worths!

You are right, people have indeed looked at this, including myself. The only people I can think of are the local MP or the Ombudsman.

[quote]The staff that 'perform' on 'our' behalf must and should abide by a code of conduct. Otherwise it is open to gossip and corruption.(hahah, I hear many laughing!)[/quote]

How many codes of conduct are there? Several by the sounds of it, or several interpretations.

I see that people have looked at this but does anyone have any idea how I should complain and get some blooming result with this? Councils are meant to be helping communities not being Gestapo camps with an 'in house' protection squad. The staff that 'perform' on 'our' behalf must and should abide by a code of conduct. Otherwise it is open to gossip and corruption.(hahah, I hear many laughing!)

Dear All, Sorry this is a soapbox job! I am ranting right now about a lack of confidentiality shown by our Council down South. I am wondering if anyone up where you are has had a similar experience? (For those who don't know, I live in the SE of England) I am acting as 'advocate' for an elderly chap who up until I got the right people together was homeless. In the process of getting the various agencies together for him the Housing department took it upon themselves to make a blind phone call to the hotel he had parked himself at and then proceeded to ask the person who answered the phone all about the man; his health, if he is being evicted etc. I went through the Council's complaint procedure and stated that this was a blatant breach of confidentiality only to receive a letter back personalising the matter with this man's name and all about the situation. It didn't address the confidentiality issue at all but blatantly inflated the breach of it again. I have responded with more steam and suggested they refer the matter to a higher Council person and this person should look at the policy on Data Protection and Confidentiality and then should reflect back at this case looking at this recent response letter in particular. I work in the NHS and as such am well versed in Data Protection and Confidentiality, this makes me mad as it is someone's dignity they are messing with and he is a vulnerable elderly man. These dimwits are young 20- 30 something people who need some further education and training. (no offence intended to other young 20-30 something people) :mad: It could have been the cleaner they were talking to not that there's anything wrong with being a cleaner but my point is it was an inappropriate approach to any old person who was answering the phone. Especially as this man had asked them to speak with me or the hotel owner. They had not even tried to ring me and when told the owner was out they proceeded with this enquiry. Shocking Just shocking and unprofessional. Off Soapbox- sorry.