Summary: The complainant has made various information requests to South Staffordshire Council (council) connected to planning, plans and greenbelt boundaries. The council refused to respond to the requests relying on section 14(1) of FOIA as they deemed the requests to be vexatious. The Commissioner decided that the council should have considered the requests under both the FOIA and the EIR. The Commissioner therefore considered the application of the equivalent exception under the EIR, regulation 12(4)(b), which relates to manifestly unreasonable requests. The Commissioner-™s decision is that the council were correct to rely on section 14(1) of the FOIA, and that regulation 12(4)(b) is also engaged. The Commissioner does not require the council to take any steps.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 14 - Complaint Not upheld, EIR 12.4.b - Complaint Not upheld