I only ask because yesterday he put up a post on his blog called Pathfinder Progress, which was more interesting than it sounds. Tagged “Efficiency”, it was about how the leaders and chief executive officers of all the district and borough councils in Dorset had agreed at a meeting on Thursday, September 24, to work more closely together.

Subject to the approval of councillors over the next few months, West Dorset was going to look for savings with Weymouth and Portland and Purbeck in the areas of IT, waste and procurement and there was going to be “a combined officer structure”.

Nothing more was said about what that meant. Job losses? Maybe so, because the post has now disappeared.

Was Coun Gould talking about something he wasn’t supposed to? Or is there a perfectly innocent reason for the loss to the world of Pathfinder Progress? Let’s find out.

UPDATE: Coun Gould is “not around”. I’ve been promised more info later…

LATER THE NEXT DAY: I’ve not wanted to make the next move. Eventually I get a call saying that Dorset County Council is (allegedly) controlling Pathfinder coverage. I ring the number I’m given. No answer.

Meanwhile Pathfinder Progress has reappeared. I learn from someone I know in local government that the county council’s communications department originally asked for it to be taken down, because they wanted to deliver a consistent message.

Now you might be impressed by the efforts made by council officers to manage what elected politicians are seen to say. We pay for council officers; it’s good to know they keep themselves busy.

It’s how things go these days. “News” is a game played by journalists and PR people.

Is it a game we can afford to go on playing?