Should councils let people take notes and/or a photocopy of the public register?
Councils should allow the taking of notes from a public document by people while on the council’s premises. The council may wish to warn the public that they risk breaching the Data Protection Principles if they publish details of the register (for example on the internet) without the members’ concerned prior permission. Section 81(6) of the Local Government Act 2000 is worded to place specific restrictions on how the register can be accessed and viewed by members of the public and we are of the opinion that, to allow photocopying of the register would remove many of these restrictions. The authority would have less control over how the register is viewed and maintained and would not be able to prevent wider access if photocopies are taken away. This raises the possibility of a breach of Data Protection legislation were this to be allowed. Making the register available at an office of the local authority and placing the onus on individuals to come into that authority means that the con
