On 18th July, 2021 an access request was made to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), by journalist Neil Wilby, in these terms: ‘Please disclose the following information by way of the Freedom of Information Act [FOIA or the Act]: “As at the past three force years ending 31st March, 2019, 2020 and 2021 how many licencedContinue reading “Freedom of information request to Greater Manchester Police – Authorised firearms officers”
Tag Archives: Andy Burnham
Freedom of information requests – Greater Manchester Police in Special Measures
To support ongoing journalistic investigations into the well-publicised shortcomings of Greater Manchester Police, two conjoined requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) were made to the Home Office and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue (HMICFRS) on 13th September, 2021 by Neil Wilby. Home Office Please disclose the following information by wayContinue reading “Freedom of information requests – Greater Manchester Police in Special Measures”
Former Council leader joins the fray
In a week of unusually high drama, even by Oldham Council standards, the issue that dominated the news scene, locally, was the Leader’s extraordinary written response to a call by an Independent councillor for an ’emergency recall’ of Full Council. The news of both the misconceived ‘open letter’, posted by Cllr Brian Hobin on hisContinue reading “Former Council leader joins the fray”
Mayor says Oldham CSE review will be published ‘by the end of the year’
In a statement published on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) website on Friday 30th July, 2021, the Mayor of Greater Manchester announced that the long-awaited Oldham Strand of the Child Sexual Exploitation Review will be published in November 2021 or, at the latest, by the end of the year. This Review chiefly concerns historicContinue reading “Mayor says Oldham CSE review will be published ‘by the end of the year’”
GMP response to racism report ‘disappointing’ says watchdog
On 2nd August, 2021, Amanda Rowe, Regional Director for the Independent Office of Police Conduct, said that Greater Manchester Police’s recent report looking at issues of race equality provides some promising progress on policing and race, but also raises uncomfortable questions that all police forces need to be answering (read full report here). It wasContinue reading “GMP response to racism report ‘disappointing’ says watchdog”
Will controversial report face further delays?
A meeting at which the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police was due to release a much-delayed and highly controversial report into the running of his force has been cancelled. Greater Manchester Combined Authority say it is because of the death of Bolton Council Leader, David Greenhalgh, and as a mark of respect to him.Continue reading “Will controversial report face further delays?”
A dirty business
The virus epidemic that has changed so many lives appears to be on the wane, the sun is shining, Spring is in the air and the nation’s long held traditions are gradually being restored after the cancellation, or postponement, of so many key events over the past year. Near the top of that list beingContinue reading “A dirty business”
Chronic state of Oldham’s political malcontents.
Since I first became in involved in the inner workings of the East Lancashire mill town, over a year ago (read more here), the presence of an unusually large number of politically active groups quickly became apparent. All with a single, and strongly articulated, anti-Labour agenda. A significant portion of it expressed in abusive, harassingContinue reading “Chronic state of Oldham’s political malcontents.”
Hidden in plain sight
Written by a former Greater Manchester police officer, retired Inspector David Sutcliffe, an email circulated amongst key influencers in regional and central government has piled even more pressure on beleaguered Mayor Andy Burnham and his chief constable, Ian Hopkins. Others caught in the crossfire are Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling, about much has already beenContinue reading “Hidden in plain sight”
The beginning of the end
In August last year, I assisted in breaking one of the biggest policing scandals in recent times. ITV led their regional news bulletin with this package (view here) and it went out later across the network. It concerned a technology upgrade at one of the country’s biggest police forces that had gone badly wrong. OnContinue reading “The beginning of the end”
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