Freedom of Information?

On Friday 5th February 2010, an email was sent by Professor Martin Hall to a student - in response to an allegation that Professor Hall had sanctioned the rejection of Freedom of Information Requests - in which Professor Hall stated the following:

"I do not play any direct role in FoI requests, and we respond to FoI requests in accordance with the requirements of the legislation, which protect institutions from the abuse of the system. To hold me responsible for initiatives that were taken before I even knew where Salford is, is silly"

He went on to state:

"It is both ironic and absurd for you to lecture me on leadership. Your style of writing, combined with innuendo and unfounded allegations, is an excellent example of the sort of bullying we need to work against."

Unfounded allegations, ey? Well, repeat blunderer Matthew Stephenson - the University of Salford's Head of Information Governance - today issued a response to a Freedom of Information Request submitted to the University of Salford by eminent lawyer, Al Goodwin. Naturally, it was a refusal notice - but unfortunately for "Matt", he accidentally included within his response his email to 'Alison' (presumably the Vice-Chancellor's Chief-Of-Staff) asking her to get the Vice-Chancellor to personally approve the refusal notice:

"Alison,

This is the proposed refusal notice and internal review outcome for the request about the costs of our work with Halliwells.

As per the complaints procedure, the VC will have to agree to this response as the DVC was involved in the first request.

Cheers
Matt"

Well well well! Not only is Professor Martin Hall seemingly PERSONALLY approving refusal notices, but his appointed and much-loved Deputy is personally approving invalid ones according to Mr Stephenson!

Quite a pickle, wouldn't you agree?