Information Commissioner's Office

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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> Information Commissioner's Office >> Hastings Borough Council (Local government) [2019] UKICO fs50773402 (22 May 2019)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKICO/2019/fs50773402.html
Cite as: [2019] UKICO fs50773402

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Hastings Borough Council

The complainant requested from Hastings Borough Council information in relation to Councillors’ and Planning Officers’ potential membership of Freemasons’ lodges. The Council provided the complainant with a link which contained the Councillors’ record of interest forms and stated that it did not hold the requested information in relation to Planning Officers. The Commissioner’s decision is that, the Council failed to respond to the complainant’s request in relation to the Councillors’ possible affiliation with Freemasons’ lodges; and does not hold information in relation to Council’s Planning Officers’ possible affiliation with Freemasons’ lodges; The Commissioner requires the Council to respond to the complainant with a fresh response to the part of the request seeking information related to the Councillors’ possible affiliation with Freemasons’ lodges. This response must set out clearly and accurately whether the Council holds information falling within the scope of that part of the request and, in relation to any relevant information it does hold, either disclose any such information or explain why the FOIA does not require such a disclosure.  The Council must take these steps within 35 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the FOIA and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.

FOI 1: Complaint partly upheld

Decision notice: fs50773402