Policy on vexatious communications

Policy on vexatious communications

This Policy covers vexatious demands and/or repeated requests for information including Freedom of Information Act requests.

Under this policy the Council will consider repeated requests for information or variations of the same request, on a single issue, to be vexatious and unacceptable where the Council has already answered the request. Where excessive use of the Council’s time is being made in dealing with such requests, no response will be made except to inform the member of the public making such request that the requirement is unreasonable.

Taking into consideration the context and history of a request, a decision as to whether it is vexatious will be made on one or more of the following criteria:

  • Can the request be fairly seen as obsessive?
  • Is the request harassing the Council, or a Councillor or the Clerk?
  • Would complying with the request impose an unreasonable burden?
  • Is the request designed to cause disruption or annoyance?
  • Does the request lack serious purpose or value?
  • Where the communication of the member(s) of the public is considered vexatious, the person(s) will be informed and given the grounds for such decision.

If the conduct or correspondence of a member of the public or of a group of persons acting together is considered vexatious, the Council may refuse to respond to communications from that person or group of persons for a specified period of time or may limit the amount of such correspondence that will be dealt with.

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