ICO Decision Notice: Nottingham City Council EIR Complaint Upheld

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued a decision notice upholding parts of a complaint against Nottingham City Council concerning a request for information related to a planning application. While the Council was found to have validly withheld some information under certain exceptions, its handling of the request breached regulations concerning time for compliance, representations and reconsideration, and refusal to disclose information. The ICO noted that the Council initially withheld information under different exceptions before revising its position to rely on the 'manifestly unreasonable requests' exception.

Although the ICO does not require further steps beyond referring the Council to specific points, this decision highlights the importance of strict adherence to the Environmental Information Regulations' procedural requirements, including timely responses and proper application of exceptions. Public authorities must ensure their internal processes for handling information requests are robust to avoid breaches and potential further action. The decision serves as a reminder of the ICO's oversight role in ensuring compliance with information access laws.