Councils finding spurious reasons to avoid answering Freedom of Information requests

The excellent WhatDoTheyKnow online tool, developed by the MySociety group, makes it easy for members of the public to submit Freedom of Information requests and find out what public sector organisations are doing with their money.  It then makes the responses public so that we're all a little better informed and can try and hold organisations to account democratically.

Unfortunately, Rother council are resisting this British glasnost.  They are complaining that the electronic submissions don't give enough detail as they don't tell them where the person sending the Freedom of Information Request lives.  Apparently inquiries from people outside Rother can't have "serious purpose or value" unless they are from "a professional journalist or researcher".  This is incredibly dismissive of hard-working amateurs trying to do their bit for the community by scrutinising local government.  Julian Todd, who submitted the original FOI, sets out in detail why Rother are wrong to refuse to answer here.

Don't let council officials get away with refusing to respect your right to know.  Get in touch with the leader of Rother council and let him know what they've been up to, and that you aren't impressed!  Here are his contact details:

Cllr Carl Maynard (Leader of the Council) - cllr.carl.maynard@rother.gov.uk / 01424 756586

Comments

[roy morrish]

I am still attempting, under the Act, to get details of the misuse of the North Devon District Council e-mail service. (which was used to promote a poison pen website set up on the instructions of Cllrs to thwart Political comment)
where is the Commissioner ?

[Terry Heath]

.There is always the Local Government Ombudsman who is able to request that the local authority provide the information requested.
However, the LGO claims to have no power to require [i.e. make] the body divulge anything.
When local residents requested to see plans for the installation of a bus shelter or even to be just told of its proposed position. The Gloucestershire County Council just refused and refused to conform with the LGO's statement that there was no reason for refusing nor for ignoring the FoI Act request.

[lora]

It's the same when it come to knowing the simple law and your rights about the housing and council tax benefits. Councils never tell you upfront, they avoid it and when you are late to "get something" they tell you that you are too late and state the "law".
Same with the Local Government Ombudsman- once you complain about the council they will threat them "fair" by awarding you with less compensasion. And once you omplain about LGO itself, they will jump onto councils side and will act the same way as they (never gonna tell you your rights).
Somebody should start "getting them onto the ground".
wonder if EU would take a look at unfairness of Local Authorities in uk for breaching human rights.

[James Rowling]

All public authorities have a complaints process for Freedom of Information, and if you are unsuccessful you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The ICO has the power to order a public authority to disclose information.

Why don't you look at the decision notices on the Commissioners website (www.ico.gov.uk) and you'll see the process in detail.

In this case, of course, Rother are in the wrong. But don't Tar all Public Authorities (maybe that's what TPA actually stands for?) with the same brush.