"Mike Huskisson" wrote in message
...
Not all councils allow you to 'look in the file', particularly if the
matter
is still undecided.


They are supposed to. The "Open Government" initiative from the 90s
insisted upon it. In any case, even before that you had rights of
access
to
some of the data under the Data Protection Act.

The file is not required to be made available to the public, but
'background
papers' to a committee report are (these might be as limited as letters of
objecton or support received from sources external to the council). If no
committee report is written, it follows that there are no 'background
papers'. So, for a matter decided under officers' delegation, where there
is no committee report, the council is not obliged to show you anything.
Many do because it's their policy & practice, but they are not obliged to
(until the end of 2004 that is when the law will change).

Somewhere in their office there is a file with your house address on it.
You have full rights to see that file ever since the 90s and I have used
this right several times. Some councils argue whereas others are helpful.
But never have I not seen the file.