Court to hear Knowle case

A resident’s bid to make the district council disclose confidential details of its plans to leave Sidmouth has resulted in the authority having to argue its case at a tribunal in court.

Jeremy Woodward lodged a Freedom of Information request in November 2012 asking for the minutes of various relocation working parties to be made available to the public.

He also asked that full, unredacted reports from the project manager be released, but both requests were denied by council officials.

The Temple Street resident took the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office, which accepted the council’s decision to withhold the minutes.

However, it did not agree that the project manager’s reports were covered by the same exception under the Environmental Information Regulations.

The council was told to publish the reports, but has appealed against this decision. As a result, the matter has been referred for an oral hearing by the First Tier Tribunal at Exeter Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, August 28.

Mr Woodward welcomed the news.

A council spokesman said it would not be appropriate to comment on the matter with the hearing pending.