Council caught in data protection row (From Salisbury Journal)

Council caught in data protection row

8:37am Wednesday 31st May 2006

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LABOUR councillors reacted angrily last week after their latest request for the addresses of all the area's council house tenants was sidelined by Salisbury district council chiefs.

The Labour members, who want the information as part of their campaign to stop the transfer of the council's housing stock to a housing association, were refused previous requests in January and February, on the grounds that releasing such details could breach the Data Protection Act.

But, following a ruling by the freedom of information commissioner, ordering Mid-Devon district council to release similar information to its members, Labour again raised the issue at Salisbury council's annual meeting.

Councillors Ian Tomes and Steve Fear said that, in light of the Mid-Devon ruling, the council should now provide them with the addresses of tenants.

But portfolio holder for community and housing John Cole-Morgan said the commissioner's ruling could be appealed and the council needed to be satisfied that it would not be breaching the Data Protection Act by releasing such information.

He said the council would be seeking outside legal advice on the matter.

This brought an angry outburst from Mr Fear, who claimed the council was ignoring freedom of information law and delaying the Labour group's efforts in contacting tenants and getting across its message against the sale of the housing stock.

Council legal officer John Crawford said the council had to be cautious because of data protection and needed to take advice.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, the council had 20 working days to respond to requests and could still consider the Labour request in the time laid down.

"It would be wrong for me to give an opinion, one way or the other, now," Mr Crawford said.

The council is gearing up to ballot tenants on a stock transfer towards the end of this year.

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