Kirklees Metropolitan Council

The complainant requested e-mails containing the word ‘Kingsgate’, sent by a named officer in Kirklees Regeneration, for a 6 month period preceding the opening day of a public inquiry. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation the public authority disclosed the information. The Commissioner’s decision is that in disclosing the information outside the time for compliance Kirklees Metropolitan Council breached regulation 5(2) of the EIR. The Commissioner notes that there were serious delays in issuing a refusal notice and conducting the internal review. The Commissioner therefore finds that the council also breached regulations 14(2) and 11(4). As the information has now been disclosed, the Commissioner does not require the public authority to take any steps in this case.