ICO Decision Notice: Doncaster Council FOI Act Complaint

ICO Decision Notices

Filed February 20th, 2026

Detected February 26th, 2026

Summary

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has upheld a Freedom of Information Act complaint against Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. The ICO found the council partly incorrect in stating no further information was held and failed to disclose information within the statutory 20 working days.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued a decision notice upholding a Freedom of Information Act complaint against Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. The ICO determined that the council was only partially correct in its assertion that no further relevant planning document amendment and finalisation times and dates were held. Furthermore, the council failed to comply with Regulation 5(2) by not disclosing the requested information within the stipulated 20 working days.

The council is now required to disclose all located information falling within specific parts of the original request. This decision highlights the importance of thorough information retrieval and adherence to statutory disclosure timelines for public authorities. Failure to comply with the ICO's directive could lead to further regulatory action.

What to do next

Disclose all located information falling within parts 1, 4, 7, and 8 of the request to the complainant.

Source document (simplified)

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council

Date 20 February 2026
Sector Local government
Decision(s) EIR 5(1): Partly upheld, EIR 5(2): Upheld The complainant requested information relating to the times and dates that specific planning documents were amended and finalised from Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (“the council”). The council responded to the requests stating dates etc, however the complainant noted several issues relating to the accuracy of these which made them believe that further information would be held by it. The council also said that tother information was not held by it. The Commissioner’s decision is that the council was only partly correct to state that no further information is held by it. He has also decided that the council did not comply with Regulation 5(2) in that the information was not disclosed within 20 working days. The Commissioner requires the council to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation. To disclose the information it has located falling within parts 1, 4, 7 and 8 of the request.