Tendring District Council

The complainant requested information relating to Tendring District Council’s (the Council) assessment of large site commitments. They specified that the information should be provided in the form of Excel spreadsheets. The Council refused the request, citing regulation 6 (form and format) of the EIR, on the basis that the requested information is publicly available and easily accessible on its website. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council was entitled to refuse to provide the information under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIR as the information is already publicly available and easily accessible to the complainant in another form or format. However, he finds the Council breached Regulation 6(2) for failing to explain, within 20 working days of receiving the request, why it was not providing the requested information in the manner specified. The Commissioner does not require any steps to be taken as a result of this decision.