Title

IMPROVEMENT

Council rapped for slow FOI response

Trafford MBC is being monitored by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) following concerns about how quickly it is responding to freedom of information (FOI) requests.

Trafford MBC is being monitored by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) following concerns about how quickly it is responding to freedom of information (FOI) requests.

The regulator said the council had failed to respond to a number of requests within the statutory time limit of 20 working days.

It warned that it could take enforcement action against the council if there were no improvements by the end of the month. 

Gerrard Tracey, the ICO's principal policy adviser, said: ‘The law sets limits on how quickly public authorities must respond. Trafford has not been meeting that requirement and we'll now be reviewing its performance.'

A statement from the council read: ‘The council has been cooperating fully with the ICO since monitoring started at the beginning of May. 

‘Measures have been put in place to help secure improvements in response times across the organisation. 

‘Figures submitted in relation to requests received during May show that the percentage of responses returned within the 20-day limit was higher than the ICO's target for responses.

‘The council is looking to continue to build on this success.'

IMPROVEMENT

The little button quietly saving UK councils from a thousand complaint emails

28 May 2026

On a Wednesday morning in February, a mother somewhere in the north of England sat down to apply for free school meals. She found her council's website. She ...

IMPROVEMENT

Prevention, neighbourhoods and the long game

By Ansaf Azhar | 28 May 2026

New evidence from Oxfordshire suggests this is not the moment to step back on health inequalities, says Ansaf Azhar.

IMPROVEMENT

The changing face of local government

By Rachael Morris | 28 May 2026

Rachael Morris discusses why political change is becoming a workforce risk and has an impact on psychological safety.

IMPROVEMENT

EXCLUSIVE: Counties to take concerns to top

By EXCLUSIVE by Dan Peters and Joe Lepper | 28 May 2026

The County Councils Network (CCN) was this week preparing to take its concerns about local government reorganisation direct to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Popular articles by Laura Sharman