EDDC relocation documents start to see light of day - finally

Zorro is trying to catch up with East Devon District Council events. The District Council has tried very hard to keep key documents related to decisions surrounding the proposed sale and relocation of its headquarters site at the Knowle in Sidmouth away from the prying eyes of the public that it is meant to serve.

Literally on the eve of polling for this year’s District Council elections the Information Commissioner published his decision in respect of the request for public disclosure of Knowle related documents by local resident Jeremy Woodward under the Freedom of Information Act. The Information Commissioner determined that the actions of the District Council had effectively delayed the conclusion of the Commissioner’s considerations for 9 months. This allowed the outcome of the Commissioner’s investigations and the publication of documents to be delayed until electors had gone to the polls on 7 May.

More on the outcome of the decision by the Information Commissioner to find in a damning manner against the District Council will be covered by Zorro.

Following the Information Commissioner’s decision the District Council has started the process of releasing documents related to the relocation. On 15 May it published documents covering the period 2009 to 2013. This was reported in the Exmouth Journal and the Sidmouth Herald on the same day –

http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/eddc_makes_relocation_and_knowle_documents_public_1_4074894

 The first tranche of relocation documents are accessible at –

http://eastdevon.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/council-business/moving-and-improving/project-document-archive/