Take as many tablets as you need.

Mr Mustard has been trying to find out how many tablets, or laptops, have been lost, stolen or not returned.

He has been told that since 1 January 2010 just two have been lost. Perhaps they got dropped and flushed down the loo ? or left on a train more likely.

Since 1 January 2010 ten have been stolen. Mr Mustard is sure that they were all properly encrypted but he might just have to ask another question about that. 

It is impossible to tell him how many have not been returned by departing contractors as this is controlled by 462 separate managers. A perfect system in Barnet Council. What if every manager failed to account for one each, and their manager is hardly likely to notice as they have their head in the One Barnet cloud, then 462 systems not returned at £1,500 a pop would be £693,000. Ooh look Mr Mustard is sending an email to the Head of Audit suggesting some work that might be worthwhile.

Mr Mustard thought that as The use of tablets/laptops or any IT equipment at Barnet is strictly monitored he should see the document that contractors borrowing council laptops and tablets have to sign in blood ( Mr Mustard made the last two words up ) to return the said equipment when they leave. Here is what he was sent:-

click & click again to enlarge then back to return

Do you have any devises in your home. No, not in Mr Mustard's either. Who are these illiterates that Barnet employ by the dozen?

Mr Mustard will now send for the three policies and one procedure that are mentioned. 

What is not mentioned?

I will keep the equipment safe from loss and thieves ( and not leave it in the pub on a Friday lunchtime )

I will return it when I leave. ( Doh! )

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard

The use of tablets/laptops or any IT equipment at Barnet is strictly monitored

Mr Mustard is so relieved that there is strict monitoring of IT equipment at Barnet council, except there isn't. Readers may recall the earlier blog on this subject. Further information is now available. A quick recap, it was too expensive to work out how many laptops were where.

13 July 2011

The use of tablets/laptops or any IT equipment at Barnet is strictly monitored. It is the responsibility of each individual Manager for the availability of mobile IT equipment to internal contractors and its return to the service area when that contractor is no longer employed by the council.

No external contractors are loaned tablets.

Refusal Notice

From our preliminary assessment, we estimate that full compliance with your request would exceed the appropriate costs limit under section 12 of the FOIA.  This is currently £450.

I can confirm that the Council holds the information that you have requested.

However at this time, as the availability and loan action is undertaken by each Service Area, it has been estimated to marry up the data held on individuals, details of contractors held, and research undertaken with each Service Area to identify any un-used tablets would take a minimum of five days (36 hours) at an estimated cost of £900.

Regards

FOI Officer, Information Systems

---

13 July 11

Dear Sirs 

Thank you for your reply. How many Managers have to look for the information please ?

Yours sincerely

Mr Mustard

---

Dear Mr Mustard

Today (28 July 2011), there were 462 Managers.

Regards

FOI Officer, Information Systems

---

Does any reader think that Barnet Council might be a teensy weensy bit over managed ?

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard

Keep taking the tablets

You will need this.

Just when Mr Mustard thought he couldn't be shocked by the antics of Barnet Council another shocking email exploded into his in-tray. Mr Mustard thinks that you should see the actual words of Barnet Council for yourself. 

Freedom of Information Request

Internal and external contractors with tablet PCs

 

Information requested:-

“Please tell me the number of loan issue LBB tablet PCs that are out on loan to contractors, partners and other people or organisations that are not Barnet Council employees.

Please list the contractors, partners or people or organisations that have the said tablet.”

You later clarified that your request covers both external contractors/organisations and individual who have contracted with the council to fill internal posts.

Information provided:-

I can confirm that the Council holds information of the description specified in your request.

The information held by the Council that the Council has identified, located, retrieved and extracted is set out below:-

The use of tablets/laptops or any IT equipment at Barnet is strictly monitored. It is the
responsibility of each individual Manager for the availability of mobile IT equipment to
internal contractors and its return to the service area when that contractor is no longer
employed by the council.

No external contractors are loaned tablets.

The above data reflects information the Council has been able to identify, locate, retrieve and extract within a reasonable time. The Council holds additional information of the description specified in your request; however it would be too costly to produce this information. As such please see the refusal notice below:- 

 

Refusal Notice

From our preliminary assessment, we estimate that full compliance with your request would
exceed the appropriate costs limit under section 12 of the FOIA. This is currently £450.

I can confirm that the Council holds the information that you have requested.

However at this time, as the availability and loan action is undertaken by each Service Area, it has been estimated to marry up the data held on individuals, details of contractors held, and research undertaken with each Service Area to identify any un-used tablets would take a minimum of five days (36 hours) at an estimated cost of £900.

 

So there we have it. The issue of tablet computers is "strictly monitored" and the monitoring is so strict that Barnet Council don't know without doing 36 hours research who has them. The tablets cost about £1,500 each and there must be hundreds of them if it will take 36 hours to produce a simple list. So possibly £1/4million of stock out on loan to someone, somewhere ? 

 

What sort of mess would we be in if the control was slack ?

Have you got any idea Barnet Council why Mr Mustard thinks that you are overpaid for your level of incompetence ?

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard