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Phone pest bombarded Blackburn with Darwen Council with 10,000 calls in four months
8:11pm Thursday 17th April 2008
Comments (50)A DISABLED man has been ordered to stop harassing council staff after he bombarded the town hall with more than 10,000 phone calls in four months.
In one day alone, wheelchair-bound Robert Bullough, 59, made 681 calls to Blackburn with Darwen Council - and the next day followed up with 585 more.
And in one five-week period, the authority logged more than 5,000 calls to various departments as part of Bullough's "strange and excessive" behaviour, which prompted a number of staff to consider quitting their jobs.
Bullough, of Warmden Gardens, Blackburn, has now been given a two-year Anti-Social Behaviour Order banning him from council buildings, threatening staff, or ringing officials, except in an emergency.
Speaking after the case, at Blackburn Magistrates' Court, Bullough vowed to stop the calls, but said he could still write to the town hall if he wanted to.
He said he had been calling the council because of a number of complaints about the care he had received.
He accepted the thousands of calls made had been "a nuisance", but said they had not cost him because he was entitled to free local calls through his Sky broadband package.
Jeff Cole, head of customer operations, told the court that the calls were made to a call centre, the council's one-stop shop and customer services.
He also became aware that calls were being made to social services, parking services, and the freedom of information and data protection team.
"It seemed quite peculiar and initially quite amus-ing," said Mr Cole.
"As time progressed there was a change in attitude and the effect the calls were having.
"The volume of calls began to increase and the inquiries became more sporadic.
"I spoke to several members of staff on the front line and it became apparent their workload was being increased by Mr Bullough."
Mr Cole said meetings were held in January and it became clear people were talking about leaving their jobs because of Mr Bull-ough.
"At least one member of staff broke down in tears because of him," said Mr Cole.
"The staff felt intimidated by him and some began to feel threatened."
Letters were sent to Bullough and staff were authorised to terminate any calls from him.
At one stage his home and mobile phone numbers were barred by the council system, but he began withholding his number, the court was told.
Linda Henderson, community care manager for social services, said Mr Bullough first came to her attention in August 2006 when he made a complaint about the level of service he was receiving and the billing for it.
There was a dispute which went to independent arbitration and the billing was found to be incorrect.
An amount of money was written off and Bullough received an apology for the error.
After the case, Mr Bullough added: "I won't speak to them ever again if I can help it.
"It probably was too many calls, but the council should be there if you need to speak to them.
"I have a number of parking tickets outstanding -if I can't contact the town hall they won't get paid.
"But this ASBO doesn't stop me writing letters - I can write as many as I like."
Your Say YourLancashire Telegraph
rubr jonny, gr8 harwud says...
9:25pm Thu 17 Apr 08
kath, blackburn says...
10:13pm Thu 17 Apr 08
jim, burnley says...
10:51pm Thu 17 Apr 08
asif khan, blackburn says...
10:56pm Thu 17 Apr 08
I think he should get a job especially working in a call centre and find what its like to be on the recieving end.
observationism-mm mm mm m, says...
1:07am Fri 18 Apr 08
bystander wrote:would you care to add more?
Note the Sky package, mobile phone etc.
dont see what you getting at
ice man, says...
3:45am Fri 18 Apr 08
local council the full lot of them ha ha ha tank you made my day
ononsg, says...
6:51am Fri 18 Apr 08
rubr jonny wrote:Anyone who has worked ina service industry, and had the misfortune to have to answer call from the General Public, will understand my comments below.
Nice one Robert about time the council workers were on the recieving end, and good on you for making one person cry they really deserve it, haha
People liek you will always feelk like you are being "dicked" around, but then you get what you deserve.
Dave, Darwen says...
7:06am Fri 18 Apr 08
How much did this bloke cost us? And how many other people with real problems just could not get a reply because he was hogging the phone?
n/a, blackburn says...
8:41am Fri 18 Apr 08
The council charge us nearly 2 grand a year for services and dont even deliver.
JOKE I TELL YA
**JOKE!!**
ray, blackburn says...
9:15am Fri 18 Apr 08
becs, work says...
9:33am Fri 18 Apr 08
ice man wrote:Come back when you can spell.
well don man you ko the local council the full lot of them ha ha ha tank you made my day
Becs, The receiving end says...
9:42am Fri 18 Apr 08
jim wrote:If you live in Burnley you don't deal with Blackburn with Darwen. So how would you know?
although the phone call are excessive i can fully understand Mr Bullough\'s frustation with dealing with his local council they say they are there to aid you however simply appease and annoy you
Fred44, says...
10:04am Fri 18 Apr 08
Is someone going to warn the post office for an increase in letters. haha
I doubt he'll post 10,000 letters because he will have to pay for the stamps - unless their covered in this sky package aswell.
Get a job and while your at it - get a life.
Dave, Blackburn says...
10:07am Fri 18 Apr 08
Compared to Council staff in places like Mancehster, Liverpool and Blackpool, where I've lived preivously and dealt with those councils, we are lucky to have as good a council as we do in Blackburn and Darwen.
A lot of customers make trouble for themselves. I'm sure this Mr. Bullough was another Joe Public who thinks the world owes him everything and thinks his circumstances are worse, or need to be dealt with quicker, than everyone elses.
blah, says...
10:17am Fri 18 Apr 08
n/a wrote:n/a if they charge you nearly 2 grand a year, you must live in a lovely house in a lovely area.
The council is a joke, I just wish I had the time and money to do what Mr Bullough did. Instead I have to work 3 jobs. The council charge us nearly 2 grand a year for services and dont even deliver. JOKE I TELL YA **JOKE!!**
Is it that you want a gold plated dustbin and haven't got it then? I am not sure what you mean by the statement 'don't even deliver'. What is it you want them to do for you?
I am sure that the council must deliver some services, or your lovely home would smell like a sewer and be overrun with rats and other vermin.
Oh - and there would be a definite increase in the amount of accidents on the roads, what with there being no street lights, no gritter lorries etc.
Do you even know what a council is there for?
John Bap tiste, On stage says...
10:31am Fri 18 Apr 08
I agree with Dave the bdirect service is one of the finest I have ever dealt with. When I contact them I have an immediate response within 48 hours, what is promised is delivered.
A common fact which probabley relates to the FAT problem in this town is that people just sit on their backsides and complain to their hearts content!!! ringing and writing bla bla. Why dont these dollopers go out and get a hobby or attend a social event
Holy Mary, In my bed says...
10:33am Fri 18 Apr 08
B, Darwen says...
10:36am Fri 18 Apr 08
This guy needs to get himself a hobby!!
Im sorry but thats just insane!!!
forrest gump, blackburn says...
10:36am Fri 18 Apr 08
Rev Dalglish, St Johns. says...
10:56am Fri 18 Apr 08
Richard Carr, Blackburn says...
11:58am Fri 18 Apr 08
Parky, Blackburn says...
12:28pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Typical of these lazy idle council workers that they had to use and ASBO against a disabled man for heavens sake.
Shame on you Blackburn and Darwen council that you dont get your affairs and customer relations sorted.
Come the revolution you will all be irrelevant and out of work..
Parky, Blackburn says...
12:29pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Typical of these lazy idle council workers that they had to use and ASBO against a disabled man for heavens sake.
Shame on you Blackburn and Darwen council that you dont get your affairs and customer relations sorted.
Come the revolution you will all be irrelevant and out of work..
warrior, work says...
12:48pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Parky wrote:Lazy idle council workers!? Who empties your bins, keeps pests under control, runs schools, social services, and blue badges? Who makes sure people that don't work for genuine reasons are looked after and provided with the correct benefits? Who gives free debt advice and welfare advice to people who can't afford solicirtors? Who runs a photocpying service, give housing advice and helps the homeless?
Good for him i say ! Typical of these lazy idle council workers that they had to use and ASBO against a disabled man for heavens sake. Shame on you Blackburn and Darwen council that you dont get your affairs and customer relations sorted. Come the revolution you will all be irrelevant and out of work..
What do you do Parky? Sit on your sofa scratching your balls all day? Come back when you know what you're talking about and carry on running your ''revolution'' from your small mind.
Bemused resident, of Blackburn with Darwen says...
1:04pm Fri 18 Apr 08
What a muppet!
blah, says...
1:15pm Fri 18 Apr 08
warrior wrote:Warrior - you and I both know that people like this know nothing about the real world. As you say, parky probably sits at home all day expecting the world to give him his living!
Parky wrote: Good for him i say ! Typical of these lazy idle council workers that they had to use and ASBO against a disabled man for heavens sake. Shame on you Blackburn and Darwen council that you dont get your affairs and customer relations sorted. Come the revolution you will all be irrelevant and out of work..Lazy idle council workers!? Who empties your bins, keeps pests under control, runs schools, social services, and blue badges? Who makes sure people that don't work for genuine reasons are looked after and provided with the correct benefits? Who gives free debt advice and welfare advice to people who can't afford solicirtors? Who runs a photocpying service, give housing advice and helps the homeless? What do you do Parky? Sit on your sofa scratching your balls all day? Come back when you know what you're talking about and carry on running your ''revolution'' from your small mind.
I would love to know the type of utopian society parky would wish upon us 'come the revolution'!
Is this the same revolution that has been on its way since before most of us were born - or was there one that I missed?
Can I also say that because somebody has a disability does not mean that everything he/she says or does is right! Equality is one thing, but stupidity is quite another.
maggie the mug, Darwen says...
1:57pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Why people think that town hall workers just sit on their backsides all day, doing nothing, beggars belief.
Any Justice, Out there says...
2:28pm Fri 18 Apr 08
So, Parky, come the revolution, who do you think will do the jobs of the current town hall workers? Many of them have specialized knowledge which wasn't gained overnight but after years of studying and self-sacrifice. Parky, do you have the education, skills and knowledge to do their jobs? Why people think that town hall workers just sit on their backsides all day, doing nothing, beggars belief.
So, Parky, come the revolution, who do you think will do the jobs of the current town hall workers? Many of them have specialized knowledge which wasn't gained overnight but after years of studying and self-sacrifice. Parky, do you have the education, skills and knowledge to do their jobs?
Why people think that town hall workers just sit on their backsides all day, doing nothing, beggars belief.
Parky your quite right in beliving that a lot of Town Hall staff do sweet fa sorry maggie the mug My ex wife was one of them who did that I am aware of and got loadsa dosh for nothing until they sacked her. Getting sacked was one of the best things that Burnley Coincil ever could of done for her she was idle that I know. Half of you muppets who work for Councils want to get Jobs in the private sector you wouldnt get away with half of what you do at present and would claim stress and other stupid things we who work for private companys have to do we get the worst holiday entitlements salaries etc.
warrior, work says...
2:49pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Any Justice wrote:A) Burnley council is not the same as Blackburn with Darwen, which we are discussing here.
Posted by: maggie the mug, Darwen on 1:57pm today So, Parky, come the revolution, who do you think will do the jobs of the current town hall workers? Many of them have specialized knowledge which wasn't gained overnight but after years of studying and self-sacrifice. Parky, do you have the education, skills and knowledge to do their jobs? Why people think that town hall workers just sit on their backsides all day, doing nothing, beggars belief. So, Parky, come the revolution, who do you think will do the jobs of the current town hall workers? Many of them have specialized knowledge which wasn't gained overnight but after years of studying and self-sacrifice. Parky, do you have the education, skills and knowledge to do their jobs? Why people think that town hall workers just sit on their backsides all day, doing nothing, beggars belief. Parky your quite right in beliving that a lot of Town Hall staff do sweet fa sorry maggie the mug My ex wife was one of them who did that I am aware of and got loadsa dosh for nothing until they sacked her. Getting sacked was one of the best things that Burnley Coincil ever could of done for her she was idle that I know. Half of you muppets who work for Councils want to get Jobs in the private sector you wouldnt get away with half of what you do at present and would claim stress and other stupid things we who work for private companys have to do we get the worst holiday entitlements salaries etc.
B) Your wife was sacked so they obviously don't stand for lazyness.
C) I've worked for both and belive me, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Less staff and more services than private sector. It is good to work for a local authority and it is a secure job, but don't judge and comment on it until you've worked in both.
Whats goin on?, Blackburn says...
3:22pm Fri 18 Apr 08
daft as a brush, venizuala says...
3:35pm Fri 18 Apr 08
wise, end of his teather says...
3:35pm Fri 18 Apr 08
bob, blackburn says...
3:43pm Fri 18 Apr 08
quote
Fred44, says...
3:57pm Fri 18 Apr 08
I bet your one of those people that complain about everything too.
fally, Nottingham forest says...
3:58pm Fri 18 Apr 08
parky - you absolute fool..!
how would you feel if you were at work parky, or at home and was bombarded with 500+ calls in one day which continued day after day (It would wear a little thin yes? bit boring after a while i assume) as well as doing your job, or housework work or whatever you do on a daily basis.
having to answer the calls along with your work load again and again and again....??? it would not be v amusing would it? honestly would it? disabled or not i doubt u or anyone would be happy with this....excessive isn't the word....its insane....!! odd !!
this man is a utter time waster with clearly nothing better to do, how you parky actually find his behaviour acceptable says allot about YOU
''Come the revolution you will all be irrelevant and out of work..'' - WHAT?!? HAHA.....made me chuckle thanks!......
Holy Mary, says...
4:02pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Mrs B, Blackburn says...
4:06pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Holy Mary wrote:I think you may be correct in yur thinking Holy Mary! The comments made are totally irrational just like Mr B.
Hmmm.. THE WAY THIS BOB IS CHATTING MAKES HIM SOUND A LOT LIKE THE BOB IN THIS BLOODY ARTICLE!! IT'S YOU ISN'T IT BULLOUGH!! ARRRGGH!
Big Faan Of Bullough!!!, Blackburn L H says...
4:24pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Big Dave, Blackburn says...
4:24pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Amused wrote:Jez wouldn't get a word in edgeways!
Someone need to inform The Jeremy Kyle show. He can show off his ASBO with the rest of the chavs.
warrior, round the corner from you!! says...
4:31pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Big Faan Of Bullough!!! wrote:haha! Who's fault is it then?
All you sad people leave this terminally ill man alone its not his fault he doesnt have any friends,,, n warrior who do you think u r???? This is;nt cartoons, get a life u sad person..... :-(
You go and be his friend if you're that worried about him.
dave, crematorium says...
6:09pm Fri 18 Apr 08
quote
quote
Joe, Blackburn says...
10:45pm Fri 18 Apr 08
mohammed, blackburn says...
12:35am Sat 19 Apr 08
ALSO i dont think he made 10000 calls
pack of lies and exaggeration
people, l.harwood says...
4:18pm Sat 19 Apr 08
Jeremy Pender, Market Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire says...
4:26pm Sat 19 Apr 08
com/group/brysonland -- and anyone who feels like joining in on a proper investigation of what's gone wrong here is welcome to get in touch. Just email brysonland@yahoogrou
ps.com, and we'll take it from there. G'day, everyone.
Jeremy Pender, Market Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire says...
12:33pm Sun 20 Apr 08
com/group/brysonland
:
Something rather odd's going on here. If you click on http://www.lancashir
etelegraph.co.uk/new
s/blackburn/headline
s/display.var.220545
8.0.phone_pest_bomba
rded_blackburn_with_
darwen_council_with_
10_000_calls_in_four
_months.php, you're taken to a page including lots of comments made yesterday (19 April), including mine, as follows:
Posted by: Jeremy Pender, Market Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire, on 4:26pm Sat 19 Apr 08
I've just got off the phone after speaking to Bob Bullough's father. I'd called him to ask if he thought there was anything any of us could do to help sort out the mess Bob seems to have got himself into. Harry said we shouldn't worry too much and that Bob's "all right". I wonder! Anyway, none of the news coverage I've seen so far has satisfactorily explained what went wrong in the first place, and I'm sure there were things Bob would much rather have been doing than phoning his council! I'm posting a link to this webpage at one of my Yahoo! groups -- http://groups.yahoo.
com/group/brysonland -- and anyone who feels like joining in on a proper investigation of what's gone wrong here is welcome to get in touch. Just email brysonland@yahoogrou
ps.com, and we'll take it from there. G'day, everyone.
At that particular URL, it appears that no further comments have been made since. However, if you start over at http://www.lancashir
etelegraph.co.uk/new
s, you're now taken instead to http://www.lancashir
etelegraph.co.uk/new
s/blackburn/headline
s/display.var.220854
6.0.blackburn_with_d
arwen_council_bosses
_get_tough_over_phon
e_pest.php, which omits most of the earlier comments, including mine!
I'll now file copies of this message at both http://www.lancashir
etelegraph.co.uk/new
s/blackburn/headline
s/display.var.220545
8.0.phone_pest_bomba
rded_blackburn_with_
darwen_council_with_
10_000_calls_in_four
_months.php and http://www.lancashir
etelegraph.co.uk/new
s/blackburn/headline
s/display.var.220854
6.0.blackburn_with_d
arwen_council_bosses
_get_tough_over_phon
e_pest.php and will watch with interest to see how long that particular page stays up before yet a third one's brought into play!
Jeremy Pender, Market Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire says...
1:01pm Sun 20 Apr 08
com/group/brysonland
/message/314 was accepted at both http://www.lancashir
etelegraph.co.uk/new
s/blackburn/headline
s/display.var.220545
8.0.phone_pest_bomba
rded_blackburn_with_
darwen_council_with_
10_000_calls_in_four
_months.php and http://www.lancashir
etelegraph.co.uk/new
s/blackburn/headline
s/display.var.220854
6.0.blackburn_with_d
arwen_council_bosses
_get_tough_over_phon
e_pest.php. I'm copying this message to Andrew Turner (lt_editorial@lancas
hire.newsquest.co.uk
) and Paul Cockerton (pcockerton@lancashi
re.newsquest.co.uk) at Newsquest, the Lancashire Telegraph's publisher, to see if they'd be kind enough to tell us why they do things this way. It can't be "to save disk space", or they'd surely have got rid of the earlier page altogether.
Jeremy Pender, Market Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire says...
4:55am Mon 21 Apr 08
com/group/brysonland
. Come on over and join us!
crank caller, blackburn says...
10:44am Mon 21 Apr 08
ASBO: Robert Bullough has been ordered to stop harassing council staff and been put on a two-year Anti-Social Behaviour Order banning him from council buildings like Blackburn Town Hal
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