Proposed by Councillor Jeff Green

Seconded by Councillor Lesley Rennie

Council:

(1)  notes that year on year the number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted to the Council keeps on rising; from 241 requests in 2007 to 1139 in 2011;

(2)  sincerely thanks the public for their continued interest in finding out about how the Council operates;

(3)  further notes that information obtained via FOI requests was pertinent in proving that Martin Morton was right and that the Council did, wrongly, overcharge vulnerable adults;

(4)  believes that one of the ways we can start rebuilding public confidence is by enshrining a culture of openness and transparency in everything that we do;

(5)  is disappointed to note that Officers are currently attempting to overturn a decision notice from the Information Commissioner’s Office granting access to information requested under the Freedom of Information Act by an elected Member;

(6)  Without a change in approach Council understands that the resources required to service the ever rising level of FOI requests in Wirral will continue to grow. Therefore Council believes a new approach to Freedom of Information needs to be designed based on a culture of openness and transparency; and

(7)  Council therefore instructs Officers to investigate best practice across a range of public sector organisations and report back to an early meeting of Council Excellence OSC with a view to establishing an all party (1:1:1) Working Group to scrutinise options available and make recommendations to Cabinet on a new approach to FOI requests.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7 (2)

Proposed by Councillor Phil Davies

Seconded by Councillor Adrian Jones

Delete everything after paragraph (2) and insert the following:

(3)  Council believes that it is important that we enshrine a culture of openness and transparency in everything that we do;

(4)  Council is open to reviewing the way we deal with Freedom of Information requests and exploring all options for reducing the number of such requests and the work required to service them;

(5)  Council therefore instructs officers to investigate best practice across a range of public sector organisations and report back to an early meeting of Council Excellence OSC.

The amendment was put and carried (34:26) (one abstention)

The substantive motion was put and carried (60:0) (one abstention)

Resolved (60:0) (One abstention) –

Council:

(1)  notes that year on year the number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted to the Council keeps on rising; from 241 requests in 2007 to 1139 in 2011;

(2)  sincerely thanks the public for their continued interest in finding out about how the Council operates;

(3)  Council believes that it is important that we enshrine a culture of openness and transparency in everything that we do;

(4)  Council is open to reviewing the way we deal with Freedom of Information requests and exploring all options for reducing the number of such requests and the work required to service them; and

(5)  Council therefore instructs officers to investigate best practice across a range of public sector organisations and report back to an early meeting of Council Excellence OSC.