Kent County Council

The complainant submitted a nine part request to Kent County Council (the council) for ecological and environmental data relating to the Hermitage Quarry site and Oaken Wood. The complainant was not satisfied with the council’s response to two parts of their request, believing additional information was held in relation to part 1, and might be held in relation to part 6. During the Commissioner’s investigation, the council provided the complainant with additional information relevant to part 1 of the request. The Commissioner’s decision is that, on the balance of probabilities, the council has now provided the complainant with all of the information it holds falling within scope of part 1, and that it does not hold further information relevant to part 6, of their request. As the council failed to provide the complainant with any of the information it held falling within scope of the request within 20 working days, the Commissioner has found a breach of regulation 5(2) of the EIR. Additionally, as the council failed to respond to the complainant’s internal review requests within 40 working days, he has found a breach of regulation 11 of the EIR.