Public Access to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Full Council Meeting on 20 May 2021

The request was successful.

Dear Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council,

Would you please release all information held relating to public access to the Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council "informal" full council meeting held on 20 May 2021.

I expect the material to be released may include:

* The original meeting invitation.
* Correspondence challenging the initial stance taken in respect of public access, and the council's response(s).
* Material setting out the council's revised stance in respect of public access.
* Any court orders, judgments, etc.
* Records of the deliberations and decisions, with supporting materials, recommendations, advice and reasons, in relation to both the original stance in respect of public access, and on the changes to that stance.

--

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

Richard Taylor left an annotation ()

A report at:

https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2021/...

states:

"A council’s attempt to keep secret a meeting at which its next leader would be decided failed after a journalist and regional publisher took legal action."

It isn't clear if the "legal action" amounted to more than merely pointing out the law to the council.

The council meeting was webcast, and made available at:

http://democracy.stockport.gov.uk/ieList...

The material sought may assist others challenging "informal" civic meetings elsewhere (such meetings may be called eg. working groups, pre-meetings, panels etc.).

FOI Officer, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Freedom of Information Request 

Reference: FOI 6019860

 

Dear Mr Taylor, 

 

We have received and logged your information request which will be treated
as a request made under the Freedom of Information (“FOI”) Act
2000. Please quote your reference number in any correspondence. 

 

We aim to provide final responses to FOI requests by no later than 20
working days after the day of receipt of a valid request. 

 

If payment of a fee is required for providing the requested information,
we will notify you within the above-mentioned 20 working day period,
however such fees are usually waived if they amount to less than £10. 

 

Documents held by Stockport Council may fall under the Re-Use of Public
Sector Information Regulations 2015. If you receive a Council
document and you wish to use that document for a new purpose,
please identify the document in question and describe how you intend to
re-use it. We will aim to respond to that request by no later than 20
working days. 

  

Further information about FOI requests can be found via the link below.  

 

[1]https://www.stockport.gov.uk/freedom-of-...

 

Kindest regards,

 

Khalida Choudhary

Information Governance Apprentice

+: Stockport Council | 1^st Floor South Stopford House | Stockport | SK1
3XE

*: [2][email address]

::[3]http://www.stockport.gov.uk

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FOI Officer, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

1 Attachment

Freedom of Information Request 

Reference: FOI 6019860

 

Dear Mr Taylor,
 

Please consider this as our formal response to your information request
which was logged under the above reference number and has been treated as
a request made under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. 

 

Would you please release all information held relating to public access to
the Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council "informal" full council meeting
held on 20 May 2021.

 

I expect the material to be released may include:

 

* The original meeting invitation.

* Correspondence challenging the initial stance taken in respect of public
access, and the council's response(s).

* Material setting out the council's revised stance in respect of public
access.

* Any court orders, judgments, etc.

* Records of the deliberations and decisions, with supporting materials,
recommendations, advice and reasons, in relation to both the original
stance in respect of public access, and on the changes to that stance.

 

Please see the attached document with the requested information.

 

Some personal information in this document has been redacted because it is
exempt from disclosure under section 40 (2)(3)(a)(i) of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (“FOI Act”).We consider that disclosing any
information in this case which identifies or may identify individuals
would be an act of unfair processing of personal data which would
contravene the first principle of the General Data Protection Regulation.
As we consider there to be no overriding case for disclosure in the public
interest or other non-prejudicial legitimate interest, we consider it
appropriate to apply the exemption to this information in response to this
FOI request.

 

Documents held by Stockport Council may fall under the Re-Use of Public
Sector Information Regulations 2015. If you receive a Council document and
you wish to use that document for a new purpose, please identify the
document in question and describe how you intend to re-use it. We will aim
to respond to that request by no later than 20 working days. 

 

You can find more about FOI requests via the following link: 
 

[1]https://www.stockport.gov.uk/freedom-of-...

 

If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your request for
information, you can ask for an internal review, however you must do so
within 40 working days from the date of this response. Any internal review
will be carried out by an officer who was not involved with your original
request. To request an internal review,
please contact [2][email address] or call 0161 474 4299,
quoting your reference number. 
 
Following completion of an internal review, if you
are dissatisfied with the outcome, you can appeal to the Information
Commissioner’s Office (ICO) via the following contact points: 
 

Information Commissioner’s Office 

Wycliffe House 

Water Lane 

Wilmslow 

Cheshire 

SK9 5AF 

 

[3]www.ico.gov.uk 

 

0303 123 1113 

 

Kindest regards,

 

Khalida Choudhary

Information Governance Apprentice

+:Stockport Council | 1^st Floor South Stopford House | Stockport | SK1
3XE

*:[4][email address]

::[5]http://www.stockport.gov.uk

P Save Paper - Do you really need to print this e-mail?

 

 

Have your say on the new political map of Stockport. The electoral
boundary review is now underway, and you can have your say on where the
ward boundaries are drawn. Head to the [6]consoltation portal to log your
views or visit [7]Stockport's dedicated site.

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References

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1. https://www.stockport.gov.uk/freedom-of-...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.ico.gov.uk/
4. mailto:[email address]
5. http://www.stockport.gov.uk/
6. https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/
7. https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/nor...