Rother District Council

The complainant has requested various information about a housing development, including correspondence between different involved parties. During the course of investigation, Rother District Council informed the Commissioner that it had responded to the request without being sure of its parameters. The Council subsequently sought clarification, which the complainant then provided. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Council has failed to undertake searches appropriate to the request. The Commissioner requires the Council to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation: Issue a fresh response to the request as clarified by the complainant. The Council should either disclose the information or, in respect of any information it intends to withhold, issue a refusal notice within the meaning of regulation 14 of the EIR providing a basis for withholding information.