This morning I received this email from Ian Tompkins, Head of Newham Council Communications Unit about the use of the Council logo in this post about the sacking of Newham UNISON Chair Michael Gavan. This is what he sent.Dear Mr Gray
We've noticed on your blog site there is a reproduction of our council logo (the Newham "ribbon" logo). I cannot trace any request from you for permission to use this so would ask that you remove it immediately.
Thank you.
Ian Tompkins, Head of Communications, London Borough of Newham, Town Hall, Barking Road, London E6 2RP
Being the courteous and polite fellow that I am this is how I responded.
Dear Mr Tompkins
Thank you for your email. I must admit to be somewhat surprised that senior managers spend their time scouring the blogsphere on the look out for errant Newham council logos. I am not sure that this is a good use of my Council tax? Mind you, I suppose this is a better use of senior manager’s time than victimising and sacking trade unionists. I have replaced the offending logo with a photo taken from a public place. I assume that this is OK? If not please let me know.
Formally, please can I ask for permission to use the logo since what with the future industrial action over Michael Gavan’s dismissal, the internal appeal and employment tribunal applications (all sort of hearings) there will be lots and lots to blog about in the future.
Cheers
John
I thought I might as well post some pictures of past Newham trade union and Labour Party leaders who will no doubt be spinning in their graves at what is going on over Michael’s dismissal.
Newham is arguably the birthplace of the Labour Party and modern day trade unions. Left is Keir Hardie, the first ever Labour MP who was elected for West Ham in 1892 ; Herbert Blaine who is credited in 1905 with forming NALGO which eventually became part of UNISON, while working for West Ham Council (ironically like Michael he was not a Labour Party supporter and was in fact a lifelong Tory!) and finally Will Thorne, West Ham Labour MP 100 years ago and founder of the GMB (Beckton gas works).
UPDATE: 25 minutes after I sent this email at 18:07 today I got this two word reply from Mr Tompkins - "Thank you". A bit brief for a Head of Communications I suppose. What exactly does this mean? can I use the Newham logo? I suppose it does. As suggested on this post's "comments" should I put in a FOI request?
13 comments:
humbug humbug
The ghost of Christmas past comes to Newham
just glad the press office have the time to trawl the web
Maybe you should have a picture of the Mayor instead
or a packet of lard (aka have I got news for you)
just to prove what a great service the press office provide to Newham
Hi Anon
Bit early to be starting on the crimbo spirit isn’t it?
Put in a freedom of information request to find out how much time was spent on this and who tipped them off
Hi anon
Not sure, I have never done a FOI request. Will they have to reply honestly or just fob me off?
Hi John! Wow, who knew you were here in the blogosphere...
Weighing in here with my former public sector PR-type person hat on, I'll just say I love your photograph taken in a public place. It speaks a thouasnd words.
I'll also say that if the PR office wasn't making sure the council lgo was used responsibly, they wouldn't be doing their job. So I can't really see that as a "waste of time" - and, to be fair, if you're writing this blog they probably are reading it, you know. In PR it is important to be aware of what is being said ABOUT you, too.
It's also important for them to make sure that their brand is being well represented. As Ian Thompkins says in his email, the key feature of Newham's logo is this green "ribbon," which winds around horizontally, no doubt symbolising both the Thames and the unity of the community (whose multi aspect is also represented by the stripes in the ribbon).
So my question is this: in your photograph, why is the ribbon red? And with no stripes? And it winds round in a totally different way? It seems to me that Newham had better decide what its logo IS, before policing its use.
(By the way, with my same-old hat on, I also know, sinkingly, that it will be next-to-impossible for Newham to do anything about its logo inconsistency; that really would cost taxpayers' money, and would also require a direct decision of the kind its often hard to get in these monolithic organisations. The critical factor is that there is no bottom line - not in terms of potential gain, anyway. Councils act as a money drain, but can't really justify any of their actions on monetary grounds.)
Anyway, given all that confusion within the identity of the council itself, what could a poor blogger do??
:)
You showed a lot of backbone in agreeing to remove it though?
Another vistory for the workers?
Well, no wonder the Ocean NDC went stayed so afloat with such a brand sensitive PR guru as Baroque Katy Evans-Bush at the helm...Is that what you spent all your time doing, Ms B--trawling around for bad things being said about the Ocean mess?
"Hi John! Wow, who knew you were..."
Hi Ms Baroque
Good to hear from you. I do enjoy your “intellectual blog” (puts me to shame). Hope the "gods" will eventually learn to appreciate you more!
“You showed a lot of backbone in agreeing to remove it though...?”
Hi Anon
Actually I think it was the correct thing to do since it showed up that it was yet another extremely daft thing for Newham Council to do.
Hi Anon
“Well, no wonder the Ocean NDC went stayed so afloat....”
Not sure at all what you are going on about, except that you are the only person to have mentioned the “Ocean” (Ocean New Deal). No one else has?
Are you still on that crimbo spirit?
Shutup !
how about actually learning how to spell? you're not exactly showing intelligence if you cannot even spell tompkins correctly in your reply back.
Blimey anon
It’s taken you over two years to respond - that must have been one hell of a hangover
:)
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