Unhappy with FOI responses

Morley Town Council,

FAO Town Clerk

Response to Freedom of Information request dated 9/9/2020

(sent by email and 2^nd class post)

I wish to invoke the formal complaint procedure regarding the response to my FOI request of August 15^th 2010.

The answers given in the letter of 9/9/2010 are generally uninformative, unhelpful and obstructive. Some questions are only partially answered and others not at all.

The purpose of the Freedom of Information act is to prevent the public sector unnecessarily hiding information from electors and to encourage transparency. If this is the standard approach Morley Town Council takes to FOI requests then it is a flippant approach which I regard as inappropriate.

There also seems to be some confusion about asking questions of Morley Town Council and the Town Clerk personally as some of the answers are given based on what the Town Clerk knows rather than the collective decisions of Council.

I reiterate that my questions are to the Town Council through the auspices of the Town Clerk.

I am unclear as to why the last question was avoided by reference to not understanding the relevance: It is not for the Town Clerk to judge this and I could have been approached for clarification but the last sentence of the letter is dismissive . The question is clear enough- There is a statutory window of opportunity for inspection of the pre-audited accounts and I wish to know if anyone exercised their right to do this. The answer is particularly relevant given the answer to question 7 as this would mean that the Council may have acted unlawfully.

I have heard informally from others that they have also been disappointed with answers to FOI questions. On that basis I have submitted a separate FOI request via a public resource www.whatdotheyknow.com.

I am also disappointed that the response was sent on the 19^th working day by 1^st class post when it could easily have been sent earlier by 2^nd class post. (Or even emailed).

Please advise on the process and timescales for assessing my complaint.

Yours Sincerely,

Ian Grey

Elector, Topcliffe Ward