H & F Council Takes Too Long to Respond to Public

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Freedom of information requests not meeting targets

Hammersmith and Fulham Council takes too long to respond to Freedom Of Information Requests (FOI) and is being monitored to see if the situation improves.

The Information Commissioner's Office, or ICO is an independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest and promote openness by public bodies.

It has released a list of 33 institutions which it says have responded to less than 85% of freedom of information requests in a timely manner.

Hammersmith and Fulham is one of seven London councils on the list, along with Ealing, Westminster, Barnet, Croydon, Islington and Newham.

Other organisations include the Metropolitan Police Service, Transport for London and government department including the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office.

Those organisations on the list will be monitored for three months to see if they improve their performance. Those who show no signs of improving will face enforcement action from the ICO.

" In the five years since the Freedom of Information Act was brought into force, a significant number of the complaints we receive are about organisations that take too long to respond to information requests," said ICO’s Deputy Commissioner, Graham Smith.

October 26, 2010