FOI request: Planning

Climate Emergency UK made this Rhyddid Gwybodaeth request to Argyll and Bute Council as part of a batch sent to 15 authorities

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Roedd y cais yn llwyddiannus.

Climate Emergency UK

Dear Argyll and Bute Council,

Please treat this as a Freedom of Information request.

I would like information about your Council's Planning policy in relation to climate action.

In particular, please supply me with:
1a. What is the Councils’ policy on accepting planning applications on fossil fuel extraction projects?
By fossil fuel extraction projects we mean: any oil wells and fields (on or offshore), coal mines, fracking, gas, natural (including liquified) gas (on or off shore) plants, as well as related infrastructure such as pipelines and terminals for the fossil fuels.

b. Has the Council had any fossil fuel extraction project proposals submitted to them since 1st January 2019 until 1st June 2022?
c. Has the Council rejected or accepted any fossil fuel extraction projects proposed in its area since 1st January 2019 until today 1st June 2022? Please list which ones were accepted and rejected.

This may include, but should not be limited to, meeting minutes and other materials such as power point presentations considered by meeting participants, reports, spreadsheets, and relevant messages sent via tools such as WhatsApp, Slack, Yammer, or Signal.

I am interested in all relevant recorded information dated from 1st January 2019 to 1st June 2022.

I would prefer to receive information in a machine readable format, such as CSV files for data. I would prefer not to receive information in pdf format files.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours faithfully,
Annie, Climate Emergency UK

foi, Argyll and Bute Council

Thank you for your email to Argyll and Bute Council in relation to Freedom
of Information Requests. We will endeavour to respond to your email as
soon as possible.  
Many Thanks
FOI team 

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foi, Argyll and Bute Council

Classification: OFFICIAL

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your e-mail, in line with Section 8(1(b)) of FOISA could we have your full name for correspondence please?

Regards,

David Sinclair
Compliance and Regulatory Assistant
Legal and Regulatory Services
01546 604352

dangos adrannau a ddyfynnir

Climate Emergency UK

Dear David,

Of course, my full name is Annie Pickering.

Thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Climate Emergency UK

Administrator,


Dear Annie Pickering

Request for information: FOI request: Planning

Thank you for your information request which we have logged as reference
argyllbuteir:14271.

It has been passed to the relevant service(s) for attention and you should
receive a response under either the Freedom of Information (Scot) Act 2002
or the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 by 2022-07-04
00:00:00. We hope to respond within this timescale but, due to the
staffing/capacity issues with COVID-19, some requests may take little
longer.

Please quote the reference number above in any correspondence you may have
with the Council in regard to this request.

Regards

FOI Officer

Privacy information: Any personal information you have provided in
relation to this request will be used only for the intended purpose -
please read the full privacy notice to find out more about how your
personal information will be handled, and your rights under data
protection legislation.

Sinclair, David, Argyll and Bute Council

Classification: OFFICIAL

Dear Annie  Pickering

 

Request for information: Planning

Reference: argyllbuteir:14271.

 

I refer to your request for information which was dealt with in terms of
the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs).

 

1a. What is the Councils’ policy on accepting planning applications on
fossil fuel extraction projects? I have to advise that the information you
requested is information not held by the Council and as such I must refuse
your request in terms of Regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs.

 

However, in line with the duty placed on the Council in terms of
Regulation 9 of the EIR’s, I can advise we have no policies at present in
relation to fossil fuel extraction projects as we are in a geographical
area that does not lend itself well to these types of projects and are not
aware of any area’s that would be suitable fossil fuel extraction
projects.

 

b. Has the Council had any fossil fuel extraction project proposals
submitted to them since 1st January 2019 until 1st June 2022? None

 

c. Has the Council rejected or accepted any fossil fuel extraction
projects proposed in its area since 1st January 2019 until today 1st June
2022? Not applicable.

 

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which your request for information
has been dealt with you are entitled to request a review by writing to the
Executive Director Customer Services, Argyll and Bute Council, Kilmory,
Lochgilphead, Argyll PA31 8RT, or by email to [Argyll and Bute Council request email].

 

Your request for review must state your name and address for
correspondence, specify the request for information to which your request
for review relates and why you are dissatisfied with the response. 

 

You must make your request for review not later than 40 working days after
the expiry of the 20 working day period for response to your initial
request by the Council, or not later than 40 working days after the
receipt by you of the information provided, any fees notice issued or any
notification of refusal or partial refusal.

 

If you make an application for review and remain dissatisfied with the way
in which the review has been dealt with you are entitled to make an
application to the Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle,
Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9DS (Tel: 01334 464610) for a
further review. You can now do this online here -  
www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal.

 

You must make representation to the Scottish Information Commissioner no
later than 6 months after the date of receipt by you of the notice or
decision you are dissatisfied with or within 6 months of the expiry of the
period of 20 working days from receipt by the Council of your request for
review.

 

Yours sincerely

 

David Sinclair

Compliance and Regulatory Assistant

Legal and Regulatory Services

01546 604352

 

 

dangos adrannau a ddyfynnir