FOI Friday: Strange weapons, cost of a big fire, prison menus and revisiting attacks at hospitals

Newcastle Evening Chronicle: Reports compiled about big fire show concerns over safety equipment EFFORTS to fight a giant blaze were hit by concerns over safety equipment. Internal fire service documents seen by the Chronicle reveal the fire caused damage to the neck straps on firefighters’ breathing masks that did not meet required standards. The fault

FOI Friday: Expensive mayors, pensioner coppers, dirty takeaways and expensive Town Hall art

  1. Can we afford mayors these days? In these tight times, can councils afford to continue to fund the role of mayor? One way of finding out would be to ask how much the role of mayor has cost over the past five years. Guardian Local Leeds reports on the very detailed breakdown released