Nottingham City Council Attacks Free Speech

This blog is one of the best blogs for the city. Unlike some, it DOESN'T have gratuitous abuse, silly remarks, etc. The infrequent postings are a joy - well researched, good analysis of ocuncil documents, minutes and papers. The sort of thing that used to give journalism a good name, let alone bloggers. Even if I don't agree with the blogger, I know they are careful. I am also confident that if any errors do occur, they will be corrected. Of course the blogger is critical of Nottingham City Council, but the Council should work on fixing the things that are being criticised, NOT shooting the messenger. If the blogger is reading this: THANKS.

Satire and whistleblowing are great, but NCCLOLs isn't all well-researched good analysis as contended by the previous poster. It also contains a fair bit of gratuitous personal insult.

A recent post named two council employees and called one a "complete shit-for-brains" and the other one a "cunt".

 http://ncclols.blogspot.com/2009/12/directors-share-pain.html

Not exactly Private Eye is it?

I did think the first poster here was a little too kind and I'd be the first to accept that the blog does get a little sweary now and then. The reason for this is that swearing is both big AND clever.

For what it's worth, as the article linked by Evey points out, Sallyanne Johnson is the person who decided that putting the City Council's welfare rights service under the control of Housing Benefits was a good idea. That's as good a qualification for being a shit for brains as I've ever heard suggested.

As for Geoff Hibbert being a cunt, have you ever met him?

I don't doubt that Sallyanne Johnson's plan is a bad one, and that Geoff Hibbert is an unpopular man. My point is that NCC's solicitor has a point about "personal, derogatory comments... that could cause distress".

I don't have a problem with swearing in everyday conversation, but I think that your blog is weakened by its use of such direct personal insults. It puts people off - especially people who don't know why Geoff Hibbert might deserve such abuse - and it makes the whole thing easier to dismiss as tasteless ranting.

If you want to have a credible blog with a powerful message I believe it's better to present the facts, point out the conflicts of interest, expose the hypocrisy, the graft, the corruption of officials carving out personal kingdoms, etc, BUT stop short of calling people "cunt".

That way, people will come to their own conclusions about Geoff Hibbert, which will be much stronger than being told what they should think about him and his ilk.

Seems like some people get all uptight about a bit of swearing. Calling local council members all the names under the sun might not be something you approve of, Evey, but surely does not justify legal threats.

If Andy wants to call this guy a cunt surely we're all grown up enough to make our own minds up about what we think. The council's legal team are just trying to shut down a blog that has been exposing the kind of news that Jon COllins and co would rather we didn't find out about.

The thing is Evey, if the number of hits and the vast majority of comments I get are anything to go by, I already have as credible or influential a blog as I would ever expect to have.

Please feel free to do the trawl and present me with accurate figures if you wish but the blog has been going for just over a year and I reckon barely 5% of the posts include swearing and little of that is directed at any one individual. I wonder therefore why you focus on such an insignificant feature, smacks of an agenda to me.

The blog isn't meant to be all serious and part of my sense of humour includes over the op sweary ranting. Unlike NCC's solicitors the blog costs £0 of public money and as I put the work in I reserve the right to have a laugh and maybe settle a few old scores here and there.

And if you think your gold standard of satire Private Eye is above using their magazine to settle scores you clearly don't read it.I think its probably clearer when I'm doing it than when they do. And unlike them I don't nick other bloggers' material and use it without credit.

Thanks you for your blog. It is needed to highlight the problems and issues that us as residents and taxpayers experience with this city council.

As a local who has been involved with both the Save Victoria Baths campaign and the NAIL protest against the East croft incinerator, I can certainly state that the Collins and Chapman city council ain't something i'm proud of. (There i've used names, sue me!)

Nottingham City Council spent £475000 last year on producing their own self back slapping publication, the Arrow. It tells us how proud we should be of Nottingham.

Your blog costs nothing and reminds our elected council members that there are a lot of things that still need working on!

If they cannot accept criticism then they should get out of politics!