Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

The complainant made a number of requests for information to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (“the council”) relating to a land dispute. The council aggregated the three requests and refused to respond further, applying Regulation 12(4)(b) of the EIR. The Commissioner’s decision is that the council was correct to aggregate the requests and to consider the information under the EIR. He has also decided that it was correct to apply Regulation 12(4)(b) to refuse to respond to the requests further. However it breached regulation 9 EIR. The Commissioner requires the council to provide advice and assistance so far as it is reasonably practicable to do so, to the applicant in accordance with regulation 9 of the EIR.