Information Commissioner's Office

East Stoke with Thorpe Parish Council

15 September 2016, Local government (Parish council)

The complainant has asked East Stoke with Thorpe Parish Council (“the Council”) for recorded information which comprises copies of all the emails its Clerk has sent and received between 1 November 2010 and 31 May 2011 and copies of the Council’s minutes for meetings held between 30 November 2009 and 8 February 2010. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council is entitled to rely on section 14(1) of the FOIA on the grounds that to comply with the complainant’s request would require it to expend a disproportionate effort and would be excessively burdensome. In recognition of the evidence which the complainant provided in support of the second part of his request, the Commissioner has investigated whether the Council holds copies of the minutes which he seeks. She has determined that, on the balance of probabilities, the Council does not hold the requested minutes and it has therefore complied with the requirements of section 1 of the FOIA. The Commissioner requires the public authority to take no further action in this matter.

FOI 1: Not upheld FOI 12: Upheld FOI 14: Not upheld