The council performance is apparently 93% of all requests are answered within the 20 day timescale.

The average timescale for answering is 12.7 days.

The Environment Departments ratio of answered enquiries stands at 90% and their average response time is just 12 days.

Perhaps we should produce our own ACCURATE charts based on the timescales and responses to myself on behalf of the Eaglesham Community Group with regards the proposed BESS site from the Environment Department.

Or if the charts produced by ERC are accurate then why have that group been delegated to the 10% not answered within the time scale, and why are they as a group always well in excess of the Environments 12 day time scale?

It is also worth noting that the charting does not show the average time scale of responding to review requests.

Possibly not divulged as Gerry Mahon, Head of Legal who undertakes Reviews may not wish it to be publicly known that his time scale is always 20 working days, and in that groups case sometimes later.

Email sent today.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION - COUNCIL PERFORMANCE 2024-25

to steven.quinn, CEO East Renfrewshire Council

Dear Mr Quinn,

With reference to your report regarding the above matter to Cabinet on 30th October 2025, could I suggest and request the following.

As you are aware, statistical information on this matter is very important in order to maintain openness and accountability and helps to build trust between the Council and the public that you serve.

This is a welcome annual report and could I suggest that there is one area that appears to have been inadvertently omitted, with regards to 'reviews'.

Would it be possible to have within your next year's report the average number of days taken to respond to a review request.

This would keep the statistics regarding 'review' requests in line with the other time scale statistics.

I am of the opinion that this would be very helpful to the public.

I hope that this will receive a positive response.

Kind regards

Tom Taylor

------ Original Message ------
To: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Monday, November 3rd 2025, 10:29
Subject: Re: RE: RE: FOI Annual report for 2024/2025 Cabinet Presentation

Hi Craig

Nice to see you again on video presenting the Freedom of Information(FOI) 2024/25 annual report.

It was also good to see Cabinet note the report without using the occasion to resort to undermining FOI by claiming(with no evidence) it is the only Council Serivce that is a 'burden'.

Hopefully we have come forward over the years and finally gone beyond this nonsense of using the Cabinet presentation to make comments to undermine FOI.

The report concludes ...It [FOI] provides an efficient means for the public to access information...

'Freedom of Information remains an important element of East Renfrewshire Council’s commitment to transparency and accountability. It provides an efficient means for the public to access information about the services that the Council provides, and the Council remains committed to delivering a positive and efficient customer experience'.

However there are a couple of figures missing from the report that in my opinion make it incomplete

Missing from the report -

1 - number of outstanding appeals unresolved from previous years and still with the Scottish Information Commisioner for a decision to be made(There is at least one I am aware of)

- Application for a Decision by the Scottish Information Commissioner - 202300708 made June 2023 regarding FOI request FoI 2392-9686-6452-3183 made 17 February 2023 

2 - FOI Review Requests

- number of days within the 20 working days timescale taken for a review to be processed and response given

- number of review requests exceeding the 20 days timescale for response

Would appreciate both of above being included.

Your help will be appreciated.

Keep well.

Thanks


------ Original Message ------
From: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Monday, November 3rd 2025, 11:38
Subject: Confirmation of your Freedom of Information request for Licensing, Legal and Procurement

We've received your freedom of information request. Your reference number is: 3894-1243-1233-4526. 

Your request has been passed to a member of our team. We will respond as soon as possible and no later than 20 working days. 

Thank you. 
East Renfrewshire Council


Made On Line
03/11/2025
3894-1243-1233-4526

This Freedom of Information(FOI) request concerns the Number of Days taken to process and give response to FOI Review Requests made to Chief Officer (Legal and Procurement) East Renfrewshire Council.

Please provide the following requested information for each FOI Review Request for these years

2021/22 - 27 requests
2022/23 - 31 requests
2023/24 - 30 requests
2024/25 - 27 requests
1st April 2025 to current date - ?? requests

1 - Date received, FOI Ref Number, number of days taken for the review to be processed and a response given

Your help will be appreciated

------ Original Message ------
From: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Monday, November 3rd 2025, 16:20
Subject: FOI Annual report

OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE

Thanks for the feedback. I agree – I will cover these areas in subsequent reports.

On a related matter, I have picked up your FoI re review timescales. I’ll get back to you on that next week.

Yours,
Craig

------ Original Message ------
From: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Friday, November 14th 2025, 12:11
Subject: FoI 3894-1243-1233-4526
OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE
Thank you for your request under Freedom of Information re. FoI review timescales.

Enclosed, a pdf with the date of each review request received and the time (in number of working days) taken to provide a response (where a response had been made by date of receipt of your request).

You had also asked for request reference numbers. These, however, technically constitute the personal data of each requestor as, with other information held, this information could identify an identifiable living individual and there would be no basis for me to process this data via a disclosure through an FoI response. I am therefore required to cite S38(1)b of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in relation to this element of your request.

East Renfrewshire Council offers the opportunity to apply to the Council for a review of how we have dealt with your enquiry. If you wish to proceed to review, please apply in writing within 40 working days to:
Chief Legal Officer
Council Headquarters
Rouken Glen Road
Giffnock G46 6UG,

Or by email at

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

marking your letter or email “Freedom of Information, request for review”.  In your response please state the exact nature of the matter you wish to be reviewed.

The review will be carried out within 20 working days of receipt. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, you have the right to then appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner who has extensive powers to investigate such matters. His address is:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
St. Andrews
Fife KY16 9DS

Yours, Craig Geddes
Craig Geddes
Senior Records and Information Officer
Chief Executive’s Office