Freedom of Information (FOI) requests are one of the most powerful tools residents have to hold public bodies to account.
They allow any member of the public to request information from councils, government departments, and other public authorities – and by law, that information must be provided within 20 working days, unless a valid exemption applies.
FOIs matter because:
- They promote transparency
- They help residents understand how decisions are made
- They ensure councils operate with openness and accountability
- They prevent important information from being quietly buried or delayed
Residents in Kempsey have recently used FOI requests to challenge the lack of clarity around various council decisions – and rightly so. Transparent governance is a cornerstone of a healthy parish.
What’s Happening at Monday’s KPC Meeting?
On the agenda for Monday 8th December (item 9), the Parish Council enters a confidential session to discuss:
9. Internal Review Panel
a. Proposal to adopt an Internal Review Policy for Information Requests
b. Proposal to appoint the Deputy Clerk, Cllr Waller and Cllr Plummer as the Internal Review Panel for Information Requests.
Full agenda:
http://www.kempseyhub.co.uk/_UserFiles/Files/_Agendas/202257-Agenda_December_2025.pdf
Normally, if a council refuses an FOI request, the requester is entitled to ask for an internal review – but best practice is that reviews are handled independently, not by the same people involved in the decisions.
So naturally, residents are asking:
- Why is this being moved into confidential session?
- Why is a new internal review structure being proposed now, just as more FOIs are being submitted?
- Why are councillors leading the council’s FOI process also being proposed as the ones who review refusals?
- Does this help transparency – or risk reducing it?
These are fair questions, rooted in public accountability.
Residents Are Prepared Either Way
Several recent FOI requests submitted by local residents have also been shared with Kempsey News & Events as a safeguard.
If KPC fails to respond within the legal timeframe, the information will be published publicly – exactly as the FOI Act allows.
This isn’t confrontational.
It’s simply ensuring the law is followed, and that residents receive the information they are legally entitled to.
A Reasonable Concern, Not an Accusation
Some residents are asking whether adopting this internal panel is:
- A genuine attempt to improve processes or
- Yet another delay mechanism at a time when transparency is already a growing concern.
Only KPC can answer that – and how they handle FOI compliance going forward will speak louder than any policy document.
What matters now is that:
Residents stay informed
FOI rights continue to be respected
Decision-making remains open, not closed
Information is shared, not withheld
Transparency builds trust.
Processes that appear to limit transparency… do the opposite.
