Exelby Leeming and Newton Parish Council

The complainant requested details of any requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the FOIA”) made to Exelby Leeming and Newton Parish Council (“the council”) from 1 April 2013 to 18 June 2014 as well as copies of the council’s responses. The details of the applicants were not sought. The council referred to having received one request but said it could not provide that information because of the clerk’s absence. Upon internal review, the council conceded that it had received other requests but still failed to provide copies of the information sought. The Commissioner’s decision is that that the council breached section 1(1)(b) of the FOIA for failing to provide the requested information. It also breached section 10(1) for failing to respond to the request within 20 working days and failing to identify all the information held. The Commissioner requires the public authority to disclose details of the FOIA information requests received by the council from 1 April 2013 to 18 June 2014, as well as details of any responses that were sent by the council to those requests. The council may withhold the name and contact details of the requesters as stated in the complainant’s request.