East Meon Parish Council

The complainant has requested information relating to the Parish Council’s decision to recommend a refusal of a planning application to the East Hants District Council. The council said that it does not hold any records of the meeting which it has not already published however the complainant believes that information is likely to be held within the private email accounts of three Parish Council Councillors. The council said that it does hold some emails relating to the timing of a site meeting but that no other information is held. It did not however provide a copy of the emails it admitted it holds to the complainant nor claim any exemption for withholding this information. The Commissioner’s decision is that the council has failed to consider information which it has admitted it holds for disclosure to the complainant. She has also decided that, barring these emails, on a balance of probabilities the Parish Council was correct to state that no further information is held falling within the scope of the request. The Commissioner requires the public authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation. To consider the meeting time emails for disclosure and respond again to the complainant as require by the Regulations.