Ofcom Adjudication

Ofcom have now issued their adjudication on the Grand Designs programme. They have decided not to uphold our complaint. The full text of their adjudication can be found on page 48 of the current Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin. For those not inclined to wade through it all, they have decided in essence that:

1. The programme did not represent us unfairly

2. We had no right to privacy.

As you might imagine we do not agree! However, whilst the judgement on fairness flies in the face of the overwhelming evidence from viewers themselves, and Ofcom have managed to come perilously close to accusing the council of (additional) misconduct, we have decided not to expend further time challenging the decision.

The most worrying issue for the wider public is in Ofcom's decision on privacy. It appears to directly contradict rulings on similar cases by the Press Complaints Commission - showing a lack of "joined up" thinking amongst the various bodies charged with regulation of the media. Also, when you stop to consider the amount of information that might be described, no matter how obscurely, as being in "the public domain", this adjudication is truly disturbing.

Thanks to all those who have voted (whichever way!) in our polls, which are now closed.

The entirely separate matter of the investigation into the Council's conduct by the Local Government Ombudsman is still ongoing. More news on that when we have it.