Barnet Council Datagate Scandal : O Danny boy, can you hear the pipes a' leaking?

Councillor Daniel Thomas is the Barnet Council Cabinet member responsible for the physical security of Barnet Councils computer systems, under his portfolio of Resources and Performance. He is the man who is responsible for the atrocious state of which Barnet Council finds its computer services department. And you know what? He ain't up to the job. Both of our local newspapers have covered the Datagate Scandal in some detail. Both have completely inane comments from Councillor Thomas. First lets see what he told the Barnet Press in this article :-

http://www.edgware-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=28890&headline=Report%20damns%20council%20over%20safety%20of%20data

“I won’t comment on any issue that could put us or the taxpayer at a financial disadvantage on contract negotiations. The council deals with issues and manages risk on a daily basis and takes the appropriate measures.”

Well all well and good, but the report specifically states that the Council hasn't managed risk and hasn't taken the appropriate measures. The council has let things degenerate to a state where pipes leak, rats eat cables, sprinklers need to be turned off and confidential data is stored in clear view. The biggest thing that puts the tapayer at a financial disadvantage is having a schmuck in charge. If Mr  Thomas wants to protect the taxpayers interest, then he should resign, because he is clearly out of his depth. Mr Thomas should realise that we need more than meaningless platitudes. We want evidence that he's got a grip.

Lets see what he told the Barnet Times?
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/9175446.Council_s_aging_computers_could_hit_front_line_services__report_says/?ref=mc

HereCouncillor Daniel Thomas, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources and performance, said:

“The council deals with issues and manages risk on a daily basis. I hope people understand that the way we do this is to identify these and take appropriate measures."

I hope people understand that the reason the Council are in this mess is because they've totally ignored all of the warning signs. Things do not get into such a state because risks are being managed on a daily basis. They get into such a state because they aren't.

But please, don't take my word for it. The report which Barnet Council released to me under a Freedom of Information act release is here to read in full :-
http://barnetfutureshape.blogspot.com/2011/07/barnet-council-scandal-foi-documents-is.html

It is the most shameful and damning report I've ever seen for any IT operation or any organisation. It is just a catalog of failure and mismanagement. If you are a Barnet Council Taxpayer and you want to know how competent our council is, read this. Pass it on to your friends. Then reread Councillor Daniel Thomas's response to it. That tells you everything you need to know about Mr Thomas. Can I tell you the most incredible thing about him. His fellow Tory Councillors recently elected him to be Deputy Leader of the Council. If he's the best candidate they've got to be deputy Leader, lord help them. Don't the Barnet Conservatives have anyone who can at least appear to be up to the job?

Oh and one final point. It would be rather nice to see a response to this report from the Labour Group in Barnet appear in the local press. I circulated this to all of the councillors and they should be screaming down the phone to the local papers just how appalling this is.