Letter: Why Are So Many Questions Treated as FoI Requests by GBC?

Published on: 17 Jan, 2019
Updated on: 17 Jan, 2019

From Fiona Curtis

In response to: Increased Number of Freedom of Information Requests at Guildford Borough Council

I read with interest that there had been a small rise in the number of Freedom of Information (FoI) requests last year, if anything I am surprised that the rise isn’t higher for in my experience almost any request for information or clarification was treated as an FoI even if it was not requested as such.

When I lived in the area, as well as chairing the parish council I was a member of several committees and hence it was not unusual to have to ask authorities questions. Initially, these were answered in the spirit with which they were intended but this changed around the time of the draft Local Plan consultation.

Even though questions were being asked in an official capacity I often felt as though I was being treated as a public nuisance by certain officers with responses (when they were given) circumnavigating the question and one very specific question concerning access at Blackwell Farm resulting in the response that “it was not a good use of Council’s time” (to answer the question).

As a member of the public, in an advisory position, it became increasingly frustrating to be told that questions concerning the Local Plan were in the Local Plan, for not only was this not always the case but as many will appreciate this was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

What was doubly unhelpful was that the time frame for taking part in the consultation did not allow for repeated FoI submissions (where answers had been refused, not answered fully or where clarification over the question was needed). I would not be at all surprised if people gave up trying, resulting in ‘case closed’ whether the matter had been dealt with or not.

In contrast, some officers were helpful, with comprehensive and no doubt time-consuming answers. To make FoI responses meaningful perhaps they should be rated, then the stats might look rather different.