There is no doubt about it, I have been involved in protracted dispute with the Devon County Council about several public premises in Exeter, which I maintain are unfit for purpose and unsafe, and I have been involved and still involved with ongoing legal disputes with the DCC which is costing thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money.
The DCC usually dismisses my FOIA requests as either, Vexatious under section 14(1) of the FOIA 200 or section 12(4)(B) of the EIRA.
The premises include;
1.The 6 PFI schools in Exeter. (Currently before the Upper Tribunal)
2 The DCC HQ in Topsham Road.
3.The Exeter Chiefs Rugby Stadium and Pedestrian Bridge. (Currently before the Court of Appeal.)
4. The Climbing Centre on the Quay
5.Numerous Pedestrian Bridges in and around Exeter.
6. The DCC Great Moor House in Sowton Ind Est.
7.The New Incinerator Marsh Barton
The DCC have put me under a lifetime email ban, ditto for the HealthSE and the Local Police Authority.
The DCC do not even have a Policy and Procedure for the FOIA??!!
In short, I do believe the DCC are wilfully circumventing the FOIA 2000 by obstructing my legal access to public data/information which is in breach of section 77 of the Act .
Any fair minded person would ask, WOULDN’T IT BE CHEAPER AND IN PUBLIC INTEREST FOR THE DCC TO SIMPLY HAND OVER THE SOUGHT AFTER DATA.
Alan Dransfield
