Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Legal and Business Service detailing the statistical information for the financial year 2021-22 with regard to information governance. This report details statistical information on requests received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Council’s activity under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).

The Committee noted the report of the Director of Legal and Business Services detailing the statistical information for the financial year 2021-22 with regard to information governance. 

The Committee discussed issues raised in the report:

·  Directed surveillance, the use of covert human intelligence sources to obtain communications data – how information is used by the Council, limitations of usage and at what point partner agencies were involved.

·  Escalation process had been introduced to ensure any potential late requests were brought to senior management’s attention to assist with an upturn in compliance.

·  Complex requests from a parent of a child who at 13/14 years old had their own rights to be protected.  Delays in this area occurred as checks were made to ensure the parent requesting the information were not putting the child at risk.  

·  Where identified, dialogue across service areas to ensure information gathered was comprehensive and training given to staff where necessary. 

RESOLVED:

(i)  To note the update of the statistical information for the year 1^st April 2021 – 31^st March 2022 relating to:

·  FOIA and associated legislation

·  GDPR

·  RIPA 2000

(ii)  To note the updated Corporate Surveillance Guidance document (August 2022) as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.