Welcome and campaigning update

[John]

Firstly, thank you for joining this group this is the first
newsletter.

SUPPORTERS AND AIMS
There are currently three members in total but you have to start from
somewhere. Trying to get improvements made to the Freedom of
Information Act is an issue where even a small number of committed
people can make quite a big difference.

I think one of the group's main aims should be to get more public
authorities added to Schedule I of the Act e.g. academies, Housing
Associations, Port authorities, publicly owned companies.

This is a small group so all suggestions are welcome.

PETITION ON PRIME MINISTER'S WEBSITE
As you may know the Government is going to respond sometime in the
Summer to its consultation on adding more public authorities to the
Act. I am trying to keep the pressure on the Government to add
classes of public authorities which frankly should not have been
missed out of the Act in the first place such as academies.

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to support a change to
the law to make academies subject to the Freedom of Information Act
2000."

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/academy-foi/ (91 signatures)

"Academies are all-ability, state-funded schools" according to the
department for children, schools and families. This makes academies
unusual in that they get to spend large amounts of public money with
very little public accountability.

Please sign the petition and spread the word.

GROW THE GROUP
If you know of anyone else you might be interested please do tell them
about the Group.