Mr Maynard,

Are you aware that some of your council officers are treating freedom 
of information act requests incompetently and with contempt for the 
requester?* See for example:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/classification_of_websites_by_ro

Your officers appear unaware of, or unwilling to follow, the good 
practice guidance issued by the Information Commissioner see:

http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/freedom_of_information/guidance.aspx

I believe the principles of Freedom of Information have the potential 
to provide a driving force for better government in this country 
through enabling many people to scrutinise the work of public 
authorities such as Rother District Council. I would like to suggest 
that you and your fellow councillors give some urgent clear guidance 
to your officers on this matter, perhaps making it council policy to 
follow the guidance on dealing with FOI requests issued by the 
Information Commissioner.

Rother District Council is being ridiculed for the stance it is taking 
with respect to FOI requests for example by The Tax Payer's Alliance (http://tpa.typepad.com/campaign/2008/07/councils-findin.html
) and the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/2008/04/rother_bother.html
) this is not good for the credibility of local democracy in the UK.

Richard Taylor
Cambridge
http://www.rtaylor.co.uk

*In my opinion.