Freedom Of Information Act
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Since launching this site and particularly after the resulting exposé in the Gazette in April 2008 I have encountered persistent difficulties in obtaining information from the Council under the Freedom Of Information Act. Having exhausted LBH’s own complaints procedure I have been obliged to make 5 formal complaints to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).  The points made in the complaints have included the following :

*  Failure to inform me in writing whether LBH holds the information requested, known as the statutory
   “duty to confirm or deny”.
*  Failure to provide information or respond in the statutory 20 working day period.
*  Failure to provide advice and assistance as required under the Act.
*  Claiming that the cost of “locating, retrieving and extracting information” exceeded the statutory maximum of
   £450 where copies of existing documents have been requested and the costs are therefore minimal.
*  Failure to respond to formal complaints under their own complaints procedure.

The current position in each case is a follows:

Ref 1. Main Road Cleaning ICO has asked LBH to carry out an internal review or comment. LBH declined to do so and the matter has been passed to one of the ICO’s Case Resolution Teams.
Ref 2. Northwood Cemetery correspondence ICO has reminded LBH of its duty under the Act to confirm or deny information is held when a request is made.
Ref 3. Northwood Cemetery remedial work & correspondence 
Ref 5. Northwood Cemetery inspection reports & correspondence 
Ref 6. Green Space Maintenance Contracts 
In the case of complaints 3, 5 and 6 the ICO asked LBH to carry out internal reviews by 20th Oct and, where they have claimed costs exceed the statutory maximum, to provide a breakdown of costs. LBH Have failed to carry out the reviews or provide a breakdown of costs.

LBH’s Freedom Of Information Complaints Procedure
Summary Of The Freedom Of Information Act