This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Internal Investigation Reports into Housing Allocations'.





My Ref: 
IGO/11-8731 & IGO/11-8732 
 
Your Ref: 
 
 
 
Contact: 
Andrew Goodfellow 
 
Email: 
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx 
Information Governance
Resources  
1st Floor 
Loxley House 
Station Street 
Nottingham 
Mr. A. Platt 
NG2 3NG 
 
 
Tel: 0115 876 3855 
 
Email: 
 
information.governance@nottin
ghamcity.gov.uk 

 
 
 
www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk 
23rd May 2011 
 
Dear Mr. Platt 
 
Re: Your request for information 
 
Thank you for your emails dated 7th May 2011 logged as case IGO/11-8731 Housing 
Allocation – Internal Investigation and IGO/11-8732 – Postal Votes. As the information 
you requested is not personal or environmental it has been processed in accordance 
with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. 
 
Owing to the fact that this authority is applying an exemption to all of the information 
requested, please accept this letter as a refusal notice issued in accordance with 
section 17 of this Act.  
 
In light of your continuing requests for information, Nottingham City Council has 
reached the decision that the two requests as referenced above are vexatious and in 
accordance with section 14(1) of the Freedom of Information Act, we are not obliged 
to comply with these requests. There is no public interest test applicable to the use of 
section 14. 
 
For your information in reaching this decision we have taken a number of factors into 
consideration including, in no particular order; 
 
  The volume of your requests 
o  In the last twelve months you have submitted 22 separate requests for 
information to this Authority. (Discounting requests for internal reviews 
(9) and appeals (5) to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO)). 
  The frequency of your requests 
o Your requests frequently overlap one another or are submitted 
simultaneously, as the two in this case have done. 
  Your continued requests are placing a significant and disproportionate burden 
in terms of expense to this Authority and distraction of officers from their 
normal duties. 
  The combination of the above factors leads this Authority to the opinion that 
your requests can be fairly classed as obsessive. 
 

 
  The fact that you have materials which feed into a website named 
 
‘ncclols.blogspot.com’ which by virtue of its title is dedicated to highlighting any  
perceived failing in Council practices to make people ‘laugh out loud’, and in 
the last month, three of your previously submitted FOI’s have featured on this  
blog. 
  The often personal, derogatory comments directed at specific colleagues and 
councillors and tone of your blog. 
o  This indicates that you hold personal grudges against employees of this 
Authority and are clearly antagonistic towards Nottingham City Council 
in general. 
  The combination of the above factors leads this Authority to the opinion that 
your requests are having the effect of harassing this Authority and distressing 
its colleagues. 
 
This Authority takes it obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 very 
seriously and endeavours at all times to remain in compliance with the Act. We 
respect the right of any individual to make requests for information to this Authority 
and at all times strive to provide the fullest answers possible under the legislation.  
 
However it must be noted that the Act itself, in the form of section 14(1), makes 
allowance for the fact that a point can be reached where a request or a requester is 
no longer acting in the spirit of the Act but is acting to cause unwarranted annoyance, 
distress or harassment and it is with regret that we have reached this point with 
yourself. 
 
It is accepted that an individual request may not be vexatious in isolation (i.e. IGO/11-
8732), but in context it may form part of a wider pattern of vexatious behaviour. In 
addition it is noted that it is the request, not the requester that must be vexatious. In 
this case we feel this request is a continuation of a pattern of behaviour as evidenced 
on ‘ncclols’ and part of an ongoing campaign to pressure the council. The request on 
its own may be simple, but our experience in dealing with you shows it is very likely to 
lead to further correspondence, requests and complaints.  
 
Please note that this letter does not preclude you from submitting further requests and 
we will consider those requests on a case by case basis. However you should be 
aware that unless a period of 60 working days elapses between your requests it is 
likely that we will also consider them to be vexatious in accordance with the Act as 
you will be exhibiting a continued pattern of behaviour.  
 
If you should have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me on the above 
number quoting your personal case reference which is IGO/11-8731 or IGO/11-8732
 
If you are not satisfied with the response provided or any exemptions applied you 
should write in the first instance to Stephanie Pearson, Information Governance, 
1st Floor, Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3NG
 stating the reasons 
for your dissatisfaction. 
 


 
If you remain dissatisfied after receiving a response to your initial complaint you can  
request an independent review from the Information Commissioner's Office at 
 
FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution, Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe 
House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
.
 
  You may also contact the 
Information Commissioner's Office by telephone on 01625 545745 or by email at 
xxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Senior Information Governance Officer