FOI Friday: Shoplifted goods, secret council reports, GP police call outs and NHS money in private hospitals

What gets stolen by shoplifters? < Sheffield Star Shoplifting is having a ‘devastating impact’ on Sheffield businesses – with daily thefts ranging in value from just 10p to £15,000. As police today released a rogues gallery of 16 wanted shoplifters, The Star can reveal 11 thefts a day are reported from city shops. The toll

FOI: Has another newspaper uncovered a health-related manslaughter?

The other week, I blogged about a remarkably successful FOI request by the Brighton Argus which had revealed a previously unreported investigation into an alleged manslaughter at a hospital. Neither the police nor the hospital trust had felt the need to make the investigation known – or highlight the fact that three members of staff

Beware MPs brandishing FOIs

In Warrington, there is currently disquiet over plans by a housing developer to build on a park area known as Peel Hall. Quite naturally, it’s a plan which has met with opposition and is a story closely monitored by the local paper, the Warrington Guardian. Last week, it ran a story headlined ‘Council’s talks with

FOI Friday: FIFA costs, secret letters, mystery names and put down dogs

1. Asking for more than just numbers It’s easy to fall into the trap of just asking for numbers and data under FOI – after all, there’s a heck of a lot to go after. But asking for correspondence between parties, or responses to consultations can often lead to excellent stories too. To illustrate that

FOI Friday: Custard spills, charity finances, twocking – and an important breakthrough

Regional Development Agency assets An important precedent has hopefully been set this week by the Birmingham Post when it comes to FOI. Regional Development Agencies were a relatively late addition to FOI coverage, and since their demise was announced, some have been reluctant to reveal how much they are selling their assets for. The Birmingham

FOI Friday: Uni expenses, shoplifting, driving tests and a speed camera success story

1. The expenses of university top bods With £9,000 a year tuition fees very likely for many students starting university, there’s probably never been a better time to stick the finances of universities under the FOI microscope. The Sunday Sun has done just that, asking for the expenses of senior officials at universities in its areas:

FOI Friday: 10 things we’ve learnt this week thanks to the Freedom of Information Act

1. How safe are you from crime in hospital? You’d like to think you were safe from crime in hospital, but the Liverpool Echo reports this week that that isn’t always the case. The Echo asked hospital trusts for details of thefts reported in hospitals in the region: SEVENTEEN sets of dentures, a nativity scene

FOI Friday: 10 things we’ve learnt this week thanks to the Freedom of Information Act

Art for arts sake? Forget cash in the attic – there’s stuff worth real money being tucked away by local councils in the North East. The Northern Echo reports that councils in the region own £75million worth of art – much of it tucked away in storage. At a time when costs are being cut,