Residents and organizations seeking information from Perth and Kinross Council faced significant hurdles last year, as newly released figures reveal that fewer than one-third of all Freedom of Information (FOI) requests received a complete response. This concerning trend emerges as the local authority comes under an active investigation by the Scottish Information Commissioner, signaling a period of heightened scrutiny for civic transparency in the region.
A recent council report detailed the outcome of 1,531 FOI submissions during the 2024-25 period. Out of these, only 495 were answered in full. A substantial 680 requests were met with only partial information, while 323 yielded no information whatsoever. Furthermore, 14 requests were withdrawn, and on 19 occasions, follow-up clarification from the council went unreturned by the requestor.
The council attributed many of the partial or unfulfilled responses to situations where the requested data was either not held by the authority or was already publicly accessible, with enquirers directed to alternative sources. However, these explanations have done little to quell growing concerns about the council’s commitment to public openness, especially in light of the ongoing external inquiry. Independent Watchdog Launches Investigation into Council’s Practices
The timing of these figures coincides directly with the launch of an official investigation by David Hamilton, the Scottish Information Commissioner. The probe focuses on Perth and Kinross Council’s record-keeping practices, a matter that has drawn national attention. A particularly striking point of contention is the council’s assertion that it possesses no documentation relating to the discontinuation of a director-level position, valued at £128,000 annually, in August of last year. This claim has been publicly labeled as “astonishing” by the Commissioner, raising serious questions about governance and accountability within the local administration.
The Commissioner’s intervention is set to thoroughly evaluate the council’s adherence to the Code of Practice for Freedom of Information and to ascertain whether the absence of records was a deliberate strategy to circumvent public oversight. Such an inquiry underscores the critical importance of robust information governance for maintaining public trust in institutions like Perth and Kinross Council, which provides essential services across the diverse communities of Perth, Kinross-shire, Blairgowrie, Crieff, and beyond. Council’s Report Claims ‘Robust and Effective’ Processes Amidst Criticism
Despite the external investigation and the revealed statistics, the council’s internal report, scheduled for discussion by its scrutiny committee on September 17, optimistically concludes: “The committee can therefore take assurance that our process for handling requests under the Freedom of Information legislation is both robust and effective.” This statement presents a stark contrast to the Commissioner’s concerns and the quantitative evidence of incomplete responses.
The report also highlighted that the council managed to respond to 92% of requests within the statutory 20-working-day timeframe. While this might appear high, it still falls short of their own ambitious 95% internal target. The majority of FOI requests originated from individual citizens (638), followed by various organizations (279), with political inquiries (222) and media requests (193) also representing significant volumes. This demonstrates a broad public interest from various sectors of the Perth and Kinross community in accessing council information.
In the past year, 38 requests for internal reviews of the council’s initial decisions were made, resulting in 25 of those decisions being overturned. In one notable instance, the council was compelled to issue an apology after incorrectly classifying a relocation fee related to the axed £128,000 director role as not being in the public interest. These instances of overturned decisions and apologies further emphasize the need for consistent and transparent information handling from the council, directly impacting the confidence of local taxpayers in how their funds are managed and decisions are made.
For the thousands of residents of Perth and Kinross who rely on transparent governance, these developments are a poignant reminder of the continuous need for accountability from their local authority. The outcome of the Scottish Information Commissioner’s investigation will be keenly watched, potentially setting a precedent for information access and record-keeping standards for public bodies across Scotland.
A recent council report detailed the outcome of 1,531 FOI submissions during the 2024-25 period. Out of these, only 495 were answered in full. A substantial 680 requests were met with only partial information, while 323 yielded no information whatsoever. Furthermore, 14 requests were withdrawn, and on 19 occasions, follow-up clarification from the council went unreturned by the requestor.
The council attributed many of the partial or unfulfilled responses to situations where the requested data was either not held by the authority or was already publicly accessible, with enquirers directed to alternative sources. However, these explanations have done little to quell growing concerns about the council’s commitment to public openness, especially in light of the ongoing external inquiry. Independent Watchdog Launches Investigation into Council’s Practices
The timing of these figures coincides directly with the launch of an official investigation by David Hamilton, the Scottish Information Commissioner. The probe focuses on Perth and Kinross Council’s record-keeping practices, a matter that has drawn national attention. A particularly striking point of contention is the council’s assertion that it possesses no documentation relating to the discontinuation of a director-level position, valued at £128,000 annually, in August of last year. This claim has been publicly labeled as “astonishing” by the Commissioner, raising serious questions about governance and accountability within the local administration.
The Commissioner’s intervention is set to thoroughly evaluate the council’s adherence to the Code of Practice for Freedom of Information and to ascertain whether the absence of records was a deliberate strategy to circumvent public oversight. Such an inquiry underscores the critical importance of robust information governance for maintaining public trust in institutions like Perth and Kinross Council, which provides essential services across the diverse communities of Perth, Kinross-shire, Blairgowrie, Crieff, and beyond. Council’s Report Claims ‘Robust and Effective’ Processes Amidst Criticism
Despite the external investigation and the revealed statistics, the council’s internal report, scheduled for discussion by its scrutiny committee on September 17, optimistically concludes: “The committee can therefore take assurance that our process for handling requests under the Freedom of Information legislation is both robust and effective.” This statement presents a stark contrast to the Commissioner’s concerns and the quantitative evidence of incomplete responses.
The report also highlighted that the council managed to respond to 92% of requests within the statutory 20-working-day timeframe. While this might appear high, it still falls short of their own ambitious 95% internal target. The majority of FOI requests originated from individual citizens (638), followed by various organizations (279), with political inquiries (222) and media requests (193) also representing significant volumes. This demonstrates a broad public interest from various sectors of the Perth and Kinross community in accessing council information.
In the past year, 38 requests for internal reviews of the council’s initial decisions were made, resulting in 25 of those decisions being overturned. In one notable instance, the council was compelled to issue an apology after incorrectly classifying a relocation fee related to the axed £128,000 director role as not being in the public interest. These instances of overturned decisions and apologies further emphasize the need for consistent and transparent information handling from the council, directly impacting the confidence of local taxpayers in how their funds are managed and decisions are made.
For the thousands of residents of Perth and Kinross who rely on transparent governance, these developments are a poignant reminder of the continuous need for accountability from their local authority. The outcome of the Scottish Information Commissioner’s investigation will be keenly watched, potentially setting a precedent for information access and record-keeping standards for public bodies across Scotland.