Commissioner sides with group
Officials must release recording of PKC meeting
Scone and District Community Council protesting against the application Scone and District Community Council (SDCC) has succeeded in securing a recording of a highly controversial planning meeting following a dispute with the local authority over whether the tape should have been released.
The group has been battling since May last year to secure a copy of a recording of that month’s development management committee meeting where councillors approved A&J Stephen’s in-principle application to build 700 houses north of the village.
SDCC twice asked Perth and Kinross Council through Freedom of Information (FoI) to hand over a copy but officials refused both times arguing the meeting was recorded for “training purposes only” and that some of the individuals who took part in the day’s proceedings did not expect the recording to be made public afterwards.
However SDCC has now succeeded in overturning the council’s refusal to share the recording after appealing the decision to the Scottish Information Commissioner and will now receive a copy. The group wants to scrutinise what was said at the meeting to better understand how the committee was persuaded to approve the application, which attracted over 900 local objections.
The Commissioner’s decision notice said: “The Commissioner is of the view that the legitimate interest in disclosure outweighs any prejudice to the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of the data subjects. He cannot see how these would be compromised in any way by disclosure of the withheld information.
“This was a public meeting relating to a public process, which was simultaneously relayed to members of the public outwith the meeting room. Elected members and officers were participating in a ‘professional’ capacity and it is clear, from the recording, that the information recorded reveals nothing about any of them which could be regarded as private.
“Those making deputations were taking advantage of the statutory opportunity afforded to them to participate in this public process and, regardless of the intended purpose of the recording, the commissioner does not consider any of those involved could be said to have a reasonable expectation that any record of the proceedings would be kept private.
“From the submissions provided, it is difficult to see why anyone involved should have a reasonable need to express disquiet at the prospect of disclosure.”
SDCC chair Vanessa Shand said the Commissioner’s decision was welcome and was also “very well received” by locals at the group’s latest meeting.
“This is good news, and we are pleased to see good sense has prevailed,” she said. “This is also in line with what the majority of Perth and Kinross councillors agreed to.
“We hope this recording of meetings will continue as it will allow us all to clarify uncertainties regarding the process, which inevitably arise when recordings are not available and minutes brief.”
Commenting on the Commissioner’s decision a PKC spokesperson said: “We note the decision of the Scottish Information Commissioner and will comply with their instructions.”