The complainant made two information requests on the same day to Hemsworth Town Council (the council). Combined, the requests were made up of 21 points, mainly with regards to the council’s finances. The council has refused both requests, relying on section 14(1) and 14(2) of the FOIA. It considered the requests to be vexatious and repetitious. The Commissioner’s decision is that section 14(1) of the FOIA is engaged and therefore the council was correct to refuse the requests. As section 14(1) of the FOIA is engaged, the Commissioner has not gone on to consider section 14(2) of the FOIA. However, he has found that the council has breached section 17(7)(a) and (b) of the FOIA as it did not advise the complainant whether it had an internal review procedure or of his right to complain to the Commissioner under the FOIA.As the case has now been considered by the Commissioner, he does not require the council to take any steps.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 14 – Complaint Not upheld, FOI 17 – Complaint Upheld
Citations:
[2014] UKICO FS50510064
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 29 May 2022; Ref: scu.527595
