It wasn’t easy time for us. Amazed council still believes it has done nothing wrong. — David Payne
Growing increasingly annoyed reading NeverSeconds by stance of council trying to blame Martha. Poor show. — Bryan Gregg
The bullying of nine-year-old Martha Payne by a worthless jobsworth at Argyll and Bute Council and trying to silence her blog NeverSeconds, then compounding the wrong by lying and then when it could not get worse, defaming the family by accusing them of bad parenting, it totally and completely unacceptable.
The council has yet to formally apologise, or even accept they did anything wrong.
The editor of the Oban Times, is giving you the chance to have your say and via the paper question Argyll and Bute Council chief executive Sally Loudon who was responsible for this disgraceful behaviour by her officials.
I would though dispute the view of the editor that Argyll and Bute Council chief executive Sally Loudon is a person of influence, she is an overpaid public servant accountable to the public. Nor does she have overall responsibility for running the local authority, that is down to the councillors who exercise that role on behalf of their constituents. Though I accept like all overpaid public servants, she has an overinflated view of her own worth.
A few questions I would like to see answered:
If it is not acceptable for a playground bully to bully and intimidate a nine-year-old school girl, why is it deemed acceptable for a worthless jobsworth to bully a nine-year-old schoolgirl?
Bullying is not acceptable in the playground, bullying is not acceptable in the workplace.
What disciplinary action has been taken, not only for the bullying, but the subsequent treatment meted out to the family?
What made you think you could get away with it and brazen it out?
Why did the council lie? Why were the lies then covered up?
Why was it claimed this was an example of bad parenting?
Why have you yet to issue a formal apology to Martha Payne and her family?
Freedom of expression is a basic right enshrined in the Human Rights Act. For each decision taken by a public body, it has to be shown that the Human Rights Act was complied with, failure to do so is in itself an offence under the legislation. What steps were taken when bullying a nine-year-old school girl? In trying to silence a nine-year-old school girl was you not aware a breach of the Human Rights Act was taking place, namely denying freedom of expression?
What steps have you taken to improve the school meals your local authority serves? Was you not aware of the minimum standards recommended by Jamie Oliver? If not why not? And if you were, why were they not acted upon?
I have looked at the school meals your local authority serves and I find them disgusting. Should you not hang your head in shame?
Have you not looked at the blog NeverSeconds and seen how poorly the meals you serve compare with school meals around the world?
I wish to see published all internal memos, notes of meetings, e-mails that took place within your local authority surrounding this issue, the initial bullying of Martha Payne, treatment of her family, how media was to be dealt with and that surrounding the fall out. Please regard this as a formal Freedom of Information request.
Have you ordered copies of NeverSeconds such that every school library, every public library in Argyll and Bute has copies?
What compensation will you be paying Martha and her family, for bullying, defamation, and the stress you have caused?
I look forward to a prompt response to all my questions.
In the meantime you may care to note:
NeverSeconds has now recorded over 8.8 million hits. Through NeverSeconds Martha went on to raise over £120,000 for a school kitchen in Malawi called Friends of NeverSeconds, and was invited to Malawi to inaugurate the kitchen.
With the help of her father David, Martha has co-written a book NeverSeconds, which tells the story of her blog, standing firm against the bully-boys at her local council, the trip to Malawi.
Keithpp's Blog 
November 30, 2012 at 1:45 am |
My, I was naive: I thought the council would be proud of having her by now, to gave them chance to make it right for all kids! Is it all about them keeping face? Pity…
I had no idea until Martha, their school dinner don’t look sufficient with amount or nutrition at all! Made me embarrassed that I complained about my school lunch/dinner, they were nutritious (and it was a long time ago).
November 30, 2012 at 6:33 pm |
Yes, check out her blog, look at what is served in Scotland, then from Japan.
http://neverseconds.blogspot.co.uk/
I knew how Martha and her family was treated was bad, but even I have been shocked to read how bad. All documented in NeverSeconds.
What took place would have been orchestrated by the chief executive of the council. If that was the same person as the woman currently chief executive then her head should roll.
NeverSeconds is not currently on sale in USA. Unfortunately the only way to obtain a copy is Kindle from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/NeverSeconds-Incredible-Story-Martha-ebook/dp/B00A76F1FG/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354300629&sr=1-1&keywords=neverseconds
Use Calibre, then can convert to other formats, and strip out DRM.