Dear Brighton & Hove City Councillors,

A cross party petition has been set up to get the City Council to disclose the Public Interest question of how much Public Money they spent fighting two un-winnable Employment Tribunal cases against Natasha Thoday, a transgender teacher. She was supported by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission in her 4-year fight to get an employment reference. If you have not yet done so, please DO sign the petition. The link is here: -

 http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/freedom-of-information-brighton-hove-council/sign.html

A very BIG thank you to all of the following City Councillors who have so far have signed it: Green Councillors: - 1. Ben Duncan; 2. Rachel Fryer; 3. Amy Kennedy; 4. Sven Rufus; 5. Jason Kitcat; and 6. Lib Dem Paul Elgood. The shame of the Council's cover-up is rapidly spreading nationally and is cross party: North Devon Green Councillor Ricky Knight; and Edinburgh Scottish Conservative Councillor Gordon Buchan have also signed. And so has Caroline Lucas Green Party NATIONAL Leader and MEP... here is a link to list of all those who have signed: -

 http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/freedom-of-information-brighton-hove-council/signatures.html

Our web site tracks the Latest News and Background Information on the Council’s refusals to answer Cllr Elgood's basic Public Interest of questions of January 2008: -

• Why senior staff lied and threatened when their actions were questioned?

• What the public cost is?

• Why they refuse to Acknowledge or Withdraw prejudice and damaging statements about transgender people?

• Why No Apology?

 http://brighton-council-cover-up-transgender.blogspot.com/

On 18 December 2008, after more than a year of campaigning, Director of Strategy & Governance Alex Bailey's misleading and inadequate response to Cllr Elgood's questions was finally disclosed. Cllr. Paul Elgood was later threatened with "further legal action" and if confidentiality was "breach[ed]" he would be bared from "privileged information on future cases" that he "cannot risk" after he made representations to Alex Bailey on behalf of Natasha Thoday.

Alex Bailey confirms this Council decided to fight Natasha Thoday BEFORE she had even lodged the Tribunal case, and that under him, officers NEVER intended to try to settle. Instead he accuses her - with no evidence - of wanting "£90,000 plus" and that "she would not have settled" without the courtesy of ever approaching her to negotiate. Read about it here and judge for yourself: -

 http://brighton-council-cover-up-extras.blogspot.com/2009/01/director-of-strategy-governance-alex.html

On 22 December 2008 District Auditor Helen Thomson choose to support Alex Bailey misrepresentations, destroying public confidence and shattering the credibility of the office of District Auditor. Read about it here and judge for yourself: -

 http://audit-commission-brighton-hov-council.blogspot.com/2009/01/audit-commission-supports-council-cover.html

Links to some recent news coverage: -

 http://www.pinke.biz/news/488/Brighton-Hove-Found-Guilty-of-Transgender-Discrimination/
 http://foxstales.blogspot.com/2008/11/think-youre-above-law-think-again.html
 http://www.gscene.com/blog/2008/11/natasha-thoday-talks-to-richard-smith_10.html
 http://www.gscene.com/blog/2008/11/guilty-on-6-counts.html
 http://www.gscene.com/blog/2008/11/natasha-thoday-claims-tribunal-victory.html

Links to the General Teaching Council’s decision and the Commission for Equalities Human Rights Report on the Employment Tribunal’s decision, both against the Council: -

 http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/yourrights/equalityanddiscrimination/gender/atwork/Transgenderissues/Pages/transsexualismcasedecisions.aspx
 http://www.gtce.org.uk/standards/hearings/disciplinaries/disciplinary_order_6oct08