LAUGH OUT LOUD - Humphrey Applebys Back

what are they trying to hide now

I dropped a quick email to the Parish Council the other day, simply asking what progress had been made on the matter of the burial ground. A simple question, nothing complicated, it was over 12 months ago that the matter had been last discussed.

Now a simple yes we have done something or no we haven't as yet but intend to would have sufficed.

I completely understand that some aspects are commercially sensitive, but this was just laughable

Unbelievably this was the response to a simple enquiry. Humphrey Appelby eat your hear out this is too comical to be believed, this must be a joke it must be.

1.                  I have considered your first request and claim the exemption detailed in regulation 12(5)(e) of the EIR. There are four test which need to be addressed when considering this exemption:

 Is the information commercial or industrial in nature?

The activity of the Council is the initial investigation of possible land within the parish boundary to create a municipal burial ground. Should any such land be identified then the Council would need to seek a valuation for this land ahead of opening negotiations with the current landowner for its sale and purchase. This is clearly a commercial activity.

Is the information subject to confidentiality provided by law?

Any landowners with whom the Council may have opened discussions would expect their commercial and economic interests to remain confidential so as not to alert others that they are considering selling their land. They have no urgent desire or need to sell their land but are prepared to talk to the Council, once a valuation has been received, as a good will gesture to the residents of Colwich. They have asked that this matter not be made public in exchange for allowing the Council to obtain a valuation. I am satisfied that both the Council’s and the landowners’ commercial interests would prejudiced by the requested disclosure. In such regard I am satisfied that the information is subject to confidentiality provided by law.

Is the confidentiality required to protect a legitimate economic interest?

The council is unaware of any land within the parish boundary, and close to the urbanised area, which is currently on the market. Consequently, it is in the Council’s interests not to disclose the names of landowners with whom it is in early discussions as to do so would alert housing developers to the possibility that the land is for sale. Their interest would increase the value of the land and put it beyond the reach of the Parish Council. Consequently, I am satisfied that the Council should claim the exemption on the grounds of protecting its, and by extension the local residents who fund the Council via a charge on the Council Tax, legitimate economic interest.

Would the confidentiality be adversely affected by disclosure?

I am satisfied that, as the first three tests have been established, that disclosure into the public domain of the information you have requested would adversely affect the confidential nature of that information by making it publicly available and would consequently harm the legitimate economic interests of the Council and the landowners.

2.                  Regulation 12(4)(d) of the EIR states that a public authority may refuse to disclose information to the extent that the request relates to material which is still in the course of completion, to unfinished documents or to incomplete data. I am satisfied that this test is met in that the Parish Council has contacted the District Valuation Office and the Planning Department at Stafford Borough Council and awaits their reports.

3.                  See 2 above.

4.                  See 2 above.

With regard to your opening sentence, the Burial Committee, with the agreement of Colwich Union of Remembrance and Burial (CURB), was subsumed into the Environment and Leisure Committee and is a standing item on its agenda. The Environment and Leisure Committee last met on 10^th November 2016 and is due to meet next on 9^th March 2017 at which time it will receive a report from CURB following its meeting on 31^st January 2017.

The funds raised by villagers, to which you refer, are a matter for CURB and the Parish Council, quite rightly, has no control or jurisdiction over the Charity’s funds. The Parish Council has decided that it wishes to earmark £10,000 from the 2017/18 precept to compliment the funds held by CURB. These monies will not be received by the Council until the new financial year. I am sure you would agree that it is prudent financial management on the part of the Council to earmark funds in the expectation that the matter proceeds. To do otherwise would either result in having to move funds from another priority mid-year or delay the programme until the 2018/19 financial year when funds can then be earmark from that year’s precept.

Now you know............oh you dont know

All this means NO we haven't done anything about it yet.

One odd thing, the Parish Clerk says he is not aware of any land within the Parish that is for sale yet he mentions possible owners he may or may not have had contact with, and the land at crossheads EVERYONE knows is available, it doesn't have to be in a shop window now does it. Well this just has to be a lie, I know and you know what land was being proposed for the site. The Reverend Simon Davis said when he visited the site, that it was the best potential site he had seen in over 10 years.

all this flummery just to cover the fact that they have done nothing for over 12 months, well the site is still for sale.......the same site that was available 12 months ago........lets wait another 12 months and see what happens...........(starts holding breath)................. ..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. lol

I suppose this is what you can expect from a UKIP led council, great at getting their hands on public funds not very good at letting it go.

nighty night

hope the bed bugs dont bite😀