Cost Of Operation Grange

by Doug D 26.05.15 9:57

No idea who has requested it, but this FoI request, showing on this weeks Met Police list, has basically been refused:

Freedom of Information Request Reference No:

I note you seek access to the following information:

Please provide copies of the most recent authorised statement of expenditure submitted to the Home Office in relation to Operation Grange. Please provide the cost of all flights by members of the Operation Grange team in 2014 (Jan 1 to Dec 31).
Please include a breakdown with the cost of each flight.

DECISION
In relation questions 1 & 3 and having located and considered the relevant information, I am afraid that I am not required by statute to release this information. This email serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17(1)(a)(b)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act).
This information for questions 1 & 3 has been exempted pursuant to the provisions of Section's 31(1)(a)(b) and 40(2)(3) of the Act.

In relation to question 2, it has been decided to release this information.
The cost of all flights by members of the Operation Grange team in 2014 (Jan 1 to Dec 31) was £15,945.80p.

Before I explain the reasons for the decisions I have made in relation to your request, I thought that it would be helpful if I outline the parameters set out by the Act within which a request for information can be answered.

The right of access to information is not without exception and is subject to a number of exemptions, which are designed to enable public authorities to withhold information that is not suitable for release. Importantly, the Act is designed to place information into the public domain, that is, once access to information is granted to one person under the Act, it is then considered public information and must be communicated to any individual should a request be received.

Constituents of this information attract Section 31 and other constituents Section 40 of the Act.

Specialist Crime & Operations

…………………………………………..

It seems a little odd, as they have previously disclosed the ongoing costs of Grange, yet have now chosen not to.

Costs escalating or more likely dropped right down as no one is actually doing anything any more and they don't want people to know?

by jeanmonroe 26.05.15 12:24

Since DCI Wall's 'tenure', of OG, to date. from December 22nd 2014-May 26th 2015, the 'cost', of the 'investigation', for the UK taxpayer has been £1,050,590.

(155 days @ £6,778 a DAY)

That is 'public' knowledge!

'signed off', daily, by Home Secretary, MP Theresa (incurious? NO questions 'asked'?) May.

So WHY, OG, would not want to 'disclose' COSTS, is anybody's 'guess'.

WE ALREADY 'KNOW'!

WEIRD INNIT?

by Guest 27.05.15 22:27

Ever so slightly off-piste, opinion has it in certain quarters that the prolonged silence, since the widely publicized appointment of DCI Nicola Wall, is a positive sign that the investigation (I say 'the investigation' but perhaps should say 'an investigation') is on track and in harmony with the Portuguese.

Don't follow this line of thought myself, for a start where does that place ex-DCI Redwood? As a co-conspirator with McCann Inc.? The 2013 Crimewatch production was a total embarrassment to all concerned, without a shadow of doubt Redwood etc. were dancing to the tune of the McCann-can. Is it really likely that the Met police would throw one of their senior officers to the sharks to be eaten alive? What of the 30+ strong team beavering away behind the scenes, what is their defence - they were just following orders? Around the time of DCI Walls transfer, the UK press were reporting on significant new leads being followed up but still no arrests nor a squeak of leaked information from the pink panther?

I don't buy it! This fiasco has got to stop somewhere so my guess is Operation Grange has already ceased functioning as a working force, remaining in name only until the case is declared unsolvable due to lack of evidence, wrapped up in nice decorative paper, tied up with pretty bows and stashed away from prying eyes for the next century - or burnt at the stake.

by sar 28.05.15 9:49

Verdi wrote:Ever so slightly off-piste, opinion has it in certain quarters that the prolonged silence, since the widely publicized appointment of DCI Nicola Wall, is a positive sign that the investigation (I say 'the investigation' but perhaps should say 'an investigation') is on track and in harmony with the Portuguese.

Don't follow this line of thought myself, for a start where does that place ex-DCI Redwood? As a co-conspirator with McCann Inc.? The 2013 Crimewatch production was a total embarrassment to all concerned, without a shadow of doubt Redwood etc. were dancing to the tune of the McCann-can. Is it really likely that the Met police would throw one of their senior officers to the sharks to be eaten alive? What of the 30+ strong team beavering away behind the scenes, what is their defence - they were just following orders? Around the time of DCI Walls transfer, the UK press were reporting on significant new leads being followed up but still no arrests nor a squeak of leaked information from the pink panther?

I don't buy it! This fiasco has got to stop somewhere so my guess is Operation Grange has already ceased functioning as a working force, remaining in name only until the case is declared unsolvable due to lack of evidence, wrapped up in nice decorative paper, tied up with pretty bows and stashed away from prying eyes for the next century - or burnt at the stake.

DCI Wall & "Radio-silence" is an interesting idea but feels like I'm just clutching at straws!

by Guest 28.05.15 11:41

sar wrote:
Verdi wrote:Ever so slightly off-piste, opinion has it in certain quarters that the prolonged silence, since the widely publicized appointment of DCI Nicola Wall, is a positive sign that the investigation (I say 'the investigation' but perhaps should say 'an investigation') is on track and in harmony with the Portuguese.

Don't follow this line of thought myself, for a start where does that place ex-DCI Redwood? As a co-conspirator with McCann Inc.? The 2013 Crimewatch production was a total embarrassment to all concerned, without a shadow of doubt Redwood etc. were dancing to the tune of the McCann-can. Is it really likely that the Met police would throw one of their senior officers to the sharks to be eaten alive? What of the 30+ strong team beavering away behind the scenes, what is their defence - they were just following orders? Around the time of DCI Walls transfer, the UK press were reporting on significant new leads being followed up but still no arrests nor a squeak of leaked information from the pink panther?

I don't buy it! This fiasco has got to stop somewhere so my guess is Operation Grange has already ceased functioning as a working force, remaining in name only until the case is declared unsolvable due to lack of evidence, wrapped up in nice decorative paper, tied up with pretty bows and stashed away from prying eyes for the next century - or burnt at the stake.
DCI Wall & "Radio-silence" is an interesting idea but feels like I'm just clutching at straws!

There is a world shortage of straw, it was first thought to be the result of a sudden unexpected gerbil baby boom but was later discovered to be connected to the McCann saga.

I've clutched so many over the past eight years feels like I'm buried beneath a giant haystack. There comes a time when optimism is taken over by reality!