City of York Council: ICO Issues Enforcement Notice to Clear 261-Request Backlog

The ICO has issued an Enforcement Notice to City of York Council for failure to respond to 261 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests which had been left unanswered between April 2021 and August 2023. Following investigation by the ICO, the council was found to have not responded to 96 requests received in 2021, 102 in 2022 and 63 in 2023. As a result, the Enforcement Notice requires City of York Council to fully clear its backlog as well as supply an action plan for improvement which details the root cause of delays in responding to such requests. According to Phillip Angell, Head of FOI Complaints and Appeals at the ICO, this should serve as a reminder for all public authorities to meet transparency expectations and that the ICO will take action where deemed necessary.