Reply from Mrs Lynn Osborne dated 30 August to a 13 page letter raising over 50 issues of privacy and incompetence in handling of computer systems by Devon Library Services. Mrs Osborne is paid as a public servant. Part of her job is to answer letters from taxpayers in a proper manner. Note the classic local government excuse for inactivity - "we do not have the resources necessary to answer your letter". As I later said on Radio Devon:

"All I got back was a very curt letter saying effectively, we think we've covered all the comments you've made in our previous correspondence, we've passed it to our lawyers, we're not going to comment any further and don't expect to hear from us again."

Mrs Osborne's letter perfectly sums up the offensive, arrogant and rude approach adopted by Devon County Council to anyone who would dare to question how public money is spent.

A soft answer turneth away wrath:
but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:1

Dear Dr Wozniak

Data Security: Human Rights: People's Network

Thank you for your letter of 22 August 2002 which, together with a copy of a letter for Gill Smith, County Data Protection Officer and copies of previous letters sent to Roy Eden and Mrs Spence, was sent to my office on a floppy disk.

The replies already sent to you in response to the latter two letters and to five separate feedback forms received from you, have, in my opinion, already covered the subject of the main points that you now raise with me. Having taken advice from my legal department, I do not therefore intend to continue corresponding with you any further on these matters and I am instructing my staff similarly, as I consider it is taking up an unreasonable amount of our time to the detriment of the public service. Gill Smith will respond separately to your letter addressed to her.

Yours sincerely


Lynn Osborne

Lynn Osborne
Head of Library and Information Services

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