The public are right to ask what went wrong and what is being done about it?

Does all this sound familiar? We though we would put it to the test by seving the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Here is a copy.

The Higher Education Funding for Wales (HEFCW)

Freedom of Information Act 2000

You are formally served under the above Act to supply a full copy of the report into the finances of the University of Wales Lampeter by the consultants Haines Watts. The report was released into the public domain in this news item http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/06/30/highlight-the-positive-says-crisis-hit-university-91466-21170966/ Therefore, if the report was confidential it should have been fed to the media to mislead the public about the true seriousness of the situation.

In that respect, my submission to the Innovation, Universities Science and Skills Select Committee and well as my website the Lamp Post is being fully scrutinised by the DIUS and I require the report to verify my evidence.

I also point out recent comments by Cabinet Ministers at Westminster of the public’s right to ask what went wrong and what is being done about it, and I assume the same applies to Wales.

Moreover, the comments by David Cameron at the weekend must have been made with this issue in mind. The report was paid for with our money, we have a right to know what is in it and its about time we brought an end to serfdom.

I expect to acquire the necessary number of signatories for my e-petition to the Welsh Assembly very soon. I will need a copy of the report to support a change in the law concerning public accountability and consultation on matters of higher education.

If you refuse to send a copy then that will make my point for the need to bring openness and transparency by means of public ownership to prevent this situation from happening again.

I look forward to receiving a copy a soon as possible.