What have Eden Council got to hide over Newton Rigg closure

Eden Council refuse to make public a report they commissioned that weeks after it was completed was followed by the announcement that Newton Rigg was to be closed and sold.

What have Eden District Council got to hide over the closure of Newton Rigg College 🤔🧐

 04 May 2021, I made the following request to Eden Council as a Freedom of information request to Eden Council.

I request details and a copy of the report commissioned by Eden council using one public estate funding into the Newton Rigg collage estate and the future usage of the site conducted in 2019 and details of how and who authorised the report to be conducted at Eden council.

The reply finally received today from Eden Council is.

We confirm that Eden District Council holds information relating to your request.

The report was never intended to be in the public domain. It was considered to be an internal matter, for internal circulation.

The report includes assets that the Council has no direct interest in and Askham- Bryan College have not given their consent to the disclosure of the requested information.

On balance the Council does not consider that the public interest in disclosing the requested information outweighs the benefits which might arise from the greater openness and transparency provided by disclosure.

This response, therefore, acts as a formal refusal notice.

So there you have it Eden council commissioned a report into the future land usage opportunity of Newton Rigg in 2019 paid for with public money.

Weeks after the report was completed Askham Bryan announced the closure of Newton Rigg.

Eden council know they acted as the catalyst on the closure through this report looking at land usage options for the site and now are trying to hide the evidence.

This is not election linked but just to ensure no one can shoot other wise as I am open and transparent unlike the current Eden council administration who need held to account for their part in the closure of Newton Rigg. Here is my imprint 

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