The Standards Committee of Ealing Council met on Wednesday 24 June 2026 to review performance in handling Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and to consider an annual report on standards complaints concerning councillors and co-opted members. The meeting's agenda also included the approval of previous minutes and the election of a chair and vice-chair.

Overview of Freedom of Information Performance 2025

The committee was scheduled to receive an overview of Ealing Council's performance in handling Freedom of Information (FOI) requests during 2025. The report detailed the volume of requests received, the council's performance in responding within statutory timescales, and any issues that had arisen. In 2025, the council received 2,083 FOI and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests, an increase from the previous year. The report indicated that 77% of these requests were completed within the statutory 20 working days, a decrease from 86% in 2024. The report highlighted that the Housing and Environment directorate received the highest number of requests (835), with a compliance rate of 71% within statutory timescales. The report also noted a significant increase in internal reviews, with 82 received in 2025 compared to 54 in 2024. A total of 20 complaints were received from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in 2025, with the majority relating to the Housing and Environment directorate. The report recommended that the committee receive this information and provide any comments.

Annual Review of Standards Complaints

The committee was also scheduled to review the annual report on standards complaints concerning councillors and co-opted members for the period between 1 March 2025 and 31 May 2026. This report summarised the formal complaints received and their outcomes. During this 15-month period, 20 formal complaints were received. Of these, none were referred for formal investigation. One complaint was withdrawn, 13 failed the initial jurisdictional test, five did not comply with the criteria for investigation, and one was resolved informally. The report noted that while there was an increase in the number of complaints compared to the previous year, this was partly due to the extended reporting period and some complainants lodging multiple complaints. The report also mentioned a government consultation on strengthening the standards and conduct regime for local authorities, which could lead to a mandatory code of conduct for councillors, statutory standards committees, and stronger sanctions. The recommendation was for the committee to receive this update and offer comments.