Council refuse to release crematorium study
Powys County Council has refused a Freedom of Information request to release a feasibility study, made by a firm that specialises in building crematoria.
Bedfordshire based The CDS (Crematorium Design Services) researched whether a Crematorium would be feasible in Powys for the authority.
In their response to the FOI request asking for the study, the county council said: “Powys County Council deems this report to be commercially sensitive for both the authority and the company assessing the feasibility.
“Disclosing the details of feasibility study would be prejudicial to the commercial activity of the company.
“This is a fairly competitive market and the release of such information could lead to the breakdown of relationships between the authority and third parties.
“The contractual arrangement between the authority and CDS Group explicitly states that any output remains within the control of CDS Group and that should wider dissemination be required then this would be done under licence.”
They believe that allowing the request could open up the authority to potential legal action.
PCC added: “We recognise that there is a public interest in how the authority spends money and what future plans there are for certain areas, and we understand the need for transparency in our dealings.
“However, disclosure of this data is likely to risk a breakdown of the existing relationships we currently have with third parties.
“By withholding this information, we ensure that the trust and confidence they have with us remains.
“It is for this reason that we feel the public interest is best served by withholding this information from disclosure.”
The CDS group had no comment to make when contacted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
