What a joyful story, that of Martha Payne a blogger aged nine, defeating the typical public authority ethos which doesn't allow for free and open discussion.
As we all know, Martha Payne, had the temerity to photograph her school dinners, a simple and marvellous idea for her blog, NeverSeconds, and as we also know busy bodies at the local council Argyll and Bute didn't like it, although anyone else would recognise a very well produced and thought out blog.
People often knock bloggers, particularly journalist and of course there are some bad bloggers just as there are journalist who work for news international.
Bloggers often tackle issue which traditional media leave behind, take local government here in Kent, it often seems that criticism of Kent council is minimal, myself found that a fair bit of pressure descended courtesy of a Kent contractor threatening legal action for daring to criticise the £2 million wasted by conservative councillors on it's failed TV channel.
Again well done to Martha and shame on Argyll and Bute Council, for the typical repressive attitude of local authorities.
Well done Martha and Tone for hoghlighting this. You're right that review of KCC is minimal. The councillors we vote for seem to think their role is to help with the coverups and sign off payoffs and ludicrous salaries.
ReplyDeleteAs with the above school dinners the public funds are drawn into backoffice waste and minimal frontline serivces.
What are Thanet's school dinners like?
There is hope for us yet! What a delightful little lass.
ReplyDelete5.6 million unique page views to her blog would indicate that the council's attempt to thwart this bright young thing's photo-journalism has rather backfired, tee-hee.
Probably now the youngest person on MI5's list of subversives.
FOI would help with Thanet school meal sizes and nutrition content - and a photo blog.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it has taken years of council delay over pollution and blatant fraud like fake 0% payrises to Samuel and White so maybe it's impossible.