Ards and North Down Borough Council

The complainant has requested the minutes of meetings that took place between the Ards and North Down Borough Council’s (the council) Planning and Environmental Health departments, his local golf club and/or their consultants and local residents. The council disclosed one set of notes, with a paragraph redacted under regulation 13 of the EIR. The council however refused to disclose the remaining set of minutes under regulations 12(5)(b) and 12(5)(f) of the EIR. The complainant is concerned with the remaining set of minutes and the council’s refusal to disclose this information. The Commissioner’s decision is that the council is entitled to rely on regulation 12(5)(b) of the EIR and that the public interest rests in favour of maintaining the exception. The Commissioner has however found the council in breach of regulations 11 and 14(2) and 14(3) of the EIR. The Commissioner does not require any further action to be taken. Information Tribunal appeal EA/2019/0143 under appeal.