Shropshire town clerk convicted of blocking Freedom of Information request about false meeting minutes
A Shropshire town clerk has been convicted after she deleted the recording of a council meeting to stop a Freedom of Information request about false minutes being carried out.
Nicola Young, town clerk of Whitchurch, pleaded guilty to blocking records with the intention of preventing disclosure at South Cheshire Magistrates Court in Crewe earlier this month.
The 53-year-old was given the role of 'proper officer' to deal with all Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted to the town council.
But when a request was made by an individual who believed a meeting's written minutes had been fabricated, Young deleted the recording of the meeting and said it was not available.
The court heard how the requester then sent a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) which launched a full investigation.
Following the inquiries, the ICO discovered that Young was, after initially denying it, aware of the FOI request and had deleted the audio file days later.
Mike Shaw, group manager in enforcement at the ICO, said: "This case is about the public's right to know and we will not hesitate to take action to protect people's right to access the information they are entitled to.
"This case emphasises the critical importance of transparency for public authorities in the way they carry out their business.
"People should have trust and confidence that they can access public information without the danger of it being doctored, fabricated or corrupted in any way."
Young, of Shrewsbury Street in Whitchurch, was fined £400, ordered to pay £1,493 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.
