toadwarble wrote:
> Over the years we have lived here, we have had a string of complaints
> made against us to the council which have resulted in visits
> concerning alleged breaches of planning law etc.
>
> Examples of the kinds of thing complained of were that we removed our
> front lawn (in fact we merged two lawns into one and moved the drive
> to the side), that we increased the amount of hard standing (we
> didn't) that we were running a business from how and entertaining
> sales representatives (this was actually my wife playing bridge with
> some friends who had cars in the drive).
>
> We have had two visits from the council in the past year on similar
> missions which again came to nothing. We were pretty sure who was
> behind it all and a detail of one of the allegations yesterday made us
> completely sure.
>
> However the council refuses to tell us who is complaining or exactly
> what the allegations were. Is this fair? I thought it was a human
> right to be informed of your accuser and the nature of the
> allegations?
>
> I see our council, unlike other councils, doesn't have a policy on
> vexatious, repeated or malicious complaints displayed on its website.
> Is there anything we can do to get the council to divulge the names of
> the complainers or to record the history - to be consulted before they
> send someone out again?
>
> I have complained to the Chief Planning Officer and will go on to the
> LGO if I don't get anywhere but I don't have too much faith in all
> that.
There are two different routes you can try. You can make a Subject Access
Request under the Data Protection Act and also make a more general request
under the Freedom of Information Act. The following link show you how to
make the SAR.
http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/practical_application/subject_access_-_guide_for_data_subjects.pdf
Your Council has to have a published scheme to show you how to make a FOI
request. Ring them and ask for the officer who deals with them.
Peter Crosland
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