A county council has apologised to a regional news website for providing it with false information which was then published in a story.
Kent County Council said sorry to Kent Live for the “inaccurate and incorrect response” to a Freedom of Information request about asbestos in schools.
A list which wrongly claimed more than 60 schools had asbestos on site was then published by Kent Live as part of an investigation into the issue.
The investigation came after one councillor had expressed concerns about the danger posed by asbestos in Kent’s schools.
Kent Council Council’s headquarters in Maidstone
The inaccurate list named 399 schools as containing asbestos, but the council now states 325 have it.
Kent Live had queried the information prior to publication because some of the schools named had been built in recent years – well beyond the point at which using asbestos during construction had become illegal.
The site said the council “assured” it the list was accurate and in these cases the asbestos would have been located in secondary buildings such as garages or storage sheds.
As a result of the council’s error the incorrect list was published on Kent Live and in its sister print publications the Kent and Sussex Courier, the Sevenoaks Chronicle, the Folkestone Herald and the Dover Express.
Clarifications will now be printed this week.
Caroline Dodge, team leader of the council’s information resilience and transparency Team said in an email to Kent Live’s editorial staff: “[Your enquiry] has brought to light that the spreadsheet that we attached to the original response was the wrong one.”
She added: “Please accept my sincere apologies for this error which I appreciate may have caused considerable confusion. I am aware of at least one school – that does not have asbestos – that has been approached by the press as a result of our inaccurate and incorrect response.”
A Kent Live spokesman said: “The list rang alarm bells with the reporter who, along with newsdesk, double and triple-checked its accuracy with the press office only to be told two days after publication that it was incorrect.
“It may have been a genuine mistake but when we’re talking about asbestos in schools, and the potential health ramifications for children in the county, it would appear the council is in an internal state of confusion on the issue.”
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A perfect example of why journalists should always pursue alternative sources of information and NOT rely on councils’ Press offices, as highlighted in yesterday’s HTFP piece about Rochdale Council.
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“council’s information resilience and transparency Team”
The voices in my head scream ‘How much did it cost to think that title up?”
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Why are people liking Digger’s comment?
Where else was the paper meant to get the information from?
Who else other than the local education authority would have this information?
The checked the validity and were told it was correct.
Are you expecting the reporter to ask to inspect each school?
Baffling.
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Digger – what world are you living in. Journalists are there to ask ask, ask, and again ask questions of different parties. You seem to live in a world where you accept what councils. “authorities” call them what you like, must be the be all and end all. Rubbish.
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Sorry – my comments should have been directed at Desker not Digger,
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There appears to be some confusion out there so I will re-state the point I made originally which was: Remember that Press Officers are paid to protect their masters’ interests. Individual councillors, if cultivated properly, are more likely to yield an unbiased view of the matter you are pursuing. I realise it^s pretty basic, but always worked for me .
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….and, incidentally, Desker, your comments explain why you’re a Desker and I’m a Digger
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