Lynne's Parliament and Haringey diary

Well - went to the ex-Haringey Council housing office in Crouch End - again - to do some media stuff over the discovery of piles of files containing personal data on 20,000 people. The files had been abandoned by Haringey Council when they stopped using the building - just left behind, unsecured.

Now, after the news broke - the Council said they had then secured the files. But what happened when I turned up to meet the media?

One of the squatters came out and invited us in to see where the stash of private information in the files had been. Just round from the door in a sort of cupboard was where four-foot stacks of peoples' private information had been just abandoned.

I then went outside to wait - and a few minutes latter the squatter Steve and the media came out carrying a box of 14 files that had just been left on the floor. So much for Haringey Council having secured the files after the news broke!

Anyway - the Liberal Democrat council group tabled the motion about the dumped data - and Labour (obviously very hang dog) supported us. The council Chief Executive promised that all the individuals would be contacted - and we have asked for an independent investigation.

I want to be able to reassure local residents that their private and sensitive information that is given to Haringey Council will be properly looked after in future - whether archived or current.

The casual approach to people's data is a real concern as we move further and further into an age where our details are kept technologically. And as for finding another 14 files even after Haringey said they'd secured the abandoned files...!

Labels: haringey council