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Decision 134/2025

Decision 134/2025: Planning application – failure to respond


Authority: East Dunbartonshire Council
Case Ref: 202500691
 

Summary

The Applicant asked the Authority for information regarding a specified planning application and whether there was any application for Road Construction Consent, road opening consent or dropped kerb consent.  This decision finds that the Authority failed to respond to the requirement for review within the timescale allowed by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs). 

Background

  1. The Applicant made an information request to the Authority on 20 February 2025.
  2. The Authority responded to the information request on 20 March 2025.
  3. On 29 March 2025, the Applicant wrote to the Authority requiring a review of its decision.
  4. Although the Applicant received an automated acknowledgement, he did not receive a response to his requirement for review.
  5. The Applicant wrote to the Commissioner on 1 May 2025, stating that he was dissatisfied with the Authority’s failure to respond and applying to the Commissioner for a decision in terms of section 47(1) of FOISA.  The enforcement provisions of FOISA apply to the enforcement of the EIRs, subject to specified modifications – see regulation 17.
  6. The Commissioner determined that the application complied with section 47(2) of FOISA and that he had the power to carry out an investigation. 

Investigation

  1. Section 49(3)(a) of FOISA requires the Commissioner to notify public authorities of an application and to give them an opportunity to comment.  The Commissioner did this on 13 May 2025.
  2. The Commissioner received submissions from the Authority on 28 May 2025.  These submissions are considered below.
  3. It is apparent from the terms of the request that at least some of the information caught by it will be environmental information as defined by regulation 2(1) of the EIRs.  In Decision 218/2007 Transport Scotland[1], the Commissioner confirmed at paragraph 51 that where environmental information is concerned, there are two separate statutory frameworks for access to that information and, in terms of the legislation, an authority is required to consider the request under both FOISA and EIRs.
  4. The Authority acknowledged that it had failed to respond to the Applicant’s requirement for review within the timescale allowed.  It explained that it had drafted and approved the response to the Applicant’s requirement for review within the timescale allowed by FOISA and the EIRs, but that it had failed to issue it to him due to human error.
  5. Section 21(1) of FOISA gives Scottish public authorities a maximum of 20 working days following the date of receipt of the requirement to comply with a requirement for review.  This is subject to qualifications which are not relevant in this case.  The same timescale is laid down by regulation 16(4) of the EIRs.
  6. It is a matter of fact that the Authority did not provide a response to the Applicant’s requirement for review within 20 working days, so the Commissioner finds that it failed to comply with section 21(1) of FOISA and regulation 16(4) of the EIRs.
  7. The remainder of section 21 and regulation 16 set out the requirements to be followed by a Scottish public authority in carrying out a review.
  8. The Authority responded to the Applicant’s requirement for review on 28 May 2025, so the Commissioner does not require it to take any further action in relation to the Applicant’s application.
  9. The Commissioner notes that the Authority has apologised to the Applicant for its failure to comply.

Decision 

The Commissioner finds that the Authority failed to comply with Part 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) and with the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs) in dealing with the information request made by the Applicant.  In particular, the Authority failed to respond to the Applicant’s requirement for review within the timescales laid down by section 21(1) of FOISA and regulation 16(4) of the EIRs.  Given that the Authority has now responded to the Applicant’s requirement for review, he does not require the Authority to take any action. 

Appeal

Should either the Applicant or the Authority wish to appeal against this decision, they have the right to appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law only.  Any such appeal must be made within 42 days after the date of intimation of this decision.

 

Cal Richardson

Deputy Head of Enforcement 

 

3 June 2025